Overall Route Rating
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4.86 out of 5 Rider Rating 4.86
36 Reviews

"The Snake" - Hwy 421 & 34

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By MCR Contributor (1039 McR Points) on May 15, 2011

Rider Reviews

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GJRonK
2629 McR Points
August 12, 2012
--This was fun from end to end. Aptly named as…
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Guest
October 18, 2013
Our group met up at 8am at the Cracker Barrel in…
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Written Directions

From Mountain City, TN, take Hwy 421 North through the Cherokee Nat'l Forest, Shady Valley, TN, and on to Holston Valley, TN. As a short side trip, take TN 133 North 10 miles to see Backbone Rock.

Scenery

This route takes you from Mountain City, TN to Holston Valley riding through the Cherokee Nat'l Forest. Riding through mountains and valleys with great vistas and ending with a view of South Holston Lake.

Drive Enjoyment

The Snake is said to have "489 curves, 3 mountains, 1 valley packed into 33 miles!" As you leave Mountain City, riding through the Cherokee Nat'l Forest, there are some great views as you ascend over the first mountain ridge on some of the best twisties in the area. The climb over the second ridge is as good as the first with more twisting/turning roads that will leave you exhilarated. The ride ends up in Holston Valley after crossing Holston Lake. We hold our Annual Rune Rally in nearby Erwin, Tn and this ribbon of asphalt one of our favorites.

Tourism Opportunities

Mountain City and Holston Valley have everything you want and need for a great get away, and in the middle of this ride is the Shady Valley Country Store. They have great burgers/sandwiches, snacks and souvenirs too.
 

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GJRonK
August 12, 2012
2629 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
--
This was fun from end to end. Aptly named as there are plenty of turns (in two sections), forest scenery, good pavement. Halfway across, in a valley, is a small store for refreshments and many porch chairs to rest on and watch all the other bike
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10 riders found this road review useful
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Guest
October 18, 2013
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Our group met up at 8am at the Cracker Barrel in Calhoun for the start of our planned 2 day ride. The first day our ride took us on an approximately 290 mile trip to Johnson Tn. Our leader, Tim set the course for as many scenic back roads as possible. No dirt roads thankfully. While on the way we rode Hwy 60 in GA and Hwy 19 thru Cherokee. We discovered Hwy 80 was also a great road to ride. We arrived in Johnson City that evening after a scenic ride and a meal at the Texas Roadhouse. After a good night's rest we headed out to our destination "The Snake" Hwy 421 to the Country Store in Shady Valley TN. After the girls shopped a while at the store for souvenirs, we headed towards Bristol. Our trip home had a few more highway miles in it but we all still enjoyed the ride home...
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7 riders found this road review useful
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Nogear
November 9, 2011
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport - Touring
Love this road! I like it better than Tail of the Dragon.
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5 riders found this road review useful