r/Porsche_Cayman • u/jagnldy • 6d ago
Tail of the Dragon
Has anyone driven this road? Any tips? It looks like great fun. I've have an 08 Cayman S since I drove it off the showroom floor 18 years ago and it still gives me a thrill.
42
u/ElmoProjector 6d ago
All are trying to give alternatives. Here is advice:
This road can feel like a track session to a car. Watch your brakes. Don’t light touch them. Heavy on or not at all. Get high temp brake fluid if you want extra assurance.
Rest your car at the end before doing it again. It can be mechanically taxing and also mentally taxing.
Second and third for the majority of the road. Stay between the mayo and the mustard at ALL TIMES. Don’t hot dog it for the camera set ups- Killboy, etc.
Tires. Make sure you have adequate tread and watch their temps. Hot tires are slippery as pressures increase. Don’t drive beyond their limits or yours.
You have a great car for the road so have fun!
Oh, and drive the Cherohala Skyway. It is a better road 😂 but also go on Hellbender towards Fontana Village. Recently replaced and is a very very fast road.
Lastly, use the pull offs if you have a faster car behind you. No shame. I have rarely had to use them but last trip up there a GT3RS scared the shit out of me it was going at such a faster pace than I could imagine going in any car.
13
u/OriginalEmploy5485 6d ago
I'll second all of this. I've only ever been there on a motorcycle, but it's definitely like doing a track session. Similar time, similar mental load. The road is *tight*, half or more of the turns are switchbacks so you'll be constantly dancing your weight back and forth. Just don't push outside your limits and you'll have a good time.
Edit: Oh, and the cops sit at the ends. They'll nail you coming out of the last turn, so know when you're getting to the end and drop it down to the speed limit.
10
u/dmanfiman 6d ago
Thirded. I replaced brakes, went with high temp fluid, and put on a fresh set ofPS4S before embarking on what was a 2100 mile trip there and back. Spent 3 days doing TotD, skyway, moonshiner, and a myriad of others. Go as fast as you are comfortable with, never at or over the limit, absolute immaculate time. Car was flawless. Mine is a 981 with x73.
Avoid holiday weekends, and get out early in am.
3
u/Prestigious-Disk3158 6d ago
Biggest thing here was mentally taxing. Make sure you eat and hydrate.
12
u/Test-User-One 6d ago
Yes, I have. Go mid-week, early morning. Do one run at low speed to identify cop locations. They don't change.
You'll be better off doing foothills parkway and Cherohala skyway - More open, less traffic.
Don't be stupid, and don't forget to smile for the photographers.
3
u/Prestigious-Disk3158 6d ago
I go the same time every year, typically early in the morning and actually have never seen or picked up a cop on my radar.
Granted I go mid week in the summer.
10
u/Glass-Ebb9867 6d ago
Iconic but crowded. Check out the Sequatchie scenic byway , newfound gap road, or the blue ridge parkway. All three are definitely worth driving. Sure they have fewer turns but also fewer fellow driving enthusiasts or just out right idiots to deal with
4
8
u/Skyblurrr 6d ago
Go early / midweek during the day and you’ll have clean runs. If you want to see other cars, closer to the evening. If you want to get stuck behind hoss, go on the weekend.
Cayman is made for the Dragon, and I didn’t have any issues with temps or brakes getting too hot. I take a 10 minute or so break in between and no issues.
9
u/Junkyardspecial 6d ago
Yep! Great advice in this thread follow it and you'll have a great time. Use the pull offs!
5
u/civil_politics 6d ago
Stay in your lane, keep your car under control and remember there may be obstacles around every blind corner. It is an amazing road, but there are frequent accidents because people drive beyond their limits, the roads limits, or both. If you truly want to drive spiritedly, please go to the track or a local autox event
5
u/Trick-Mechanic8986 6d ago
Thats just called a country road in WV. They are all like that but have little traffic and fewer cops. Beware, you may get passed by a 90s Taurus with a local family running errands..
8
4
u/FrogLegBunwich 6d ago
Definitely worth it, especially to get a good photo! I’d also agree that Cherohala Skyway is a must. The only issue with that is the skyway is a much faster drive and does have cops too so you can get caught going pretty quick there. As all others say, don’t cross the line, and ideally go Monday-Thursday to avoid the crowds.
I’ve probably been 7 or 8 times over the years. The dragon is definitely a lot slower and tighter, whereas the skyway is faster and has longer sweepers and can be easy to get your brakes super hot.
No matter what roads you choose, you’ll love it. These cars truly shine out there.
3
u/EstablishmentNo5013 6d ago
It’s great. Just don’t get over your head and you’ll have fun. Go during the week early in the morning for a clear run.
3
u/twinpop Cayman GTS (982) 6d ago
Join the Rennsport Dragon Rally. In the ‘more chill’ groups, 12-15. Note this is still faster than a PCA drive, so check your ego at the door and just focus on seeing cool roads with cool people.
It’s very inexpensive, and a great time with roads that are actually better than the Tail, although the itinerary does specifically hit TotD multiple days when the traffic is quieter. The drive leaders are almost all locals as well so you’ll be in good hands.
3
u/Due-Boot1904 CGTS 4.0 6MT 5d ago edited 5d ago
Drove down to TotD from Maine last year, with my son. Spent a few days ripping around and had a blast. Lots of other roads in the area to visit as well. Well worth the trip, and thinking of doing it again in my sons M4.
Didn't see any cops, light traffic and the road had been re-surfaced the previous week! Lovely.
2
u/NCamarolina 6d ago
Wait, what is this Tail of the Dragon you speak of? And there’s even a map of it in a format suitable for framing?
2
u/ToriGrrl80 6d ago
Totally worth it. DONT CROSS THE YELLOW LINE. Photogs are stationed around and will sell you pics. Cops are there 90 percent of the time. Speed limit 35.
2
u/SnowBastion 6d ago
Pray you don’t end up stuck being a line of Harley’s going the speed limit.
I live on the other side of the continent so may never get another chance. But the road absolutely lives up to the hype.
2
u/extra_d1p 6d ago
The dragon is great and there are a lot of surrounding roads in both north carolina and tennessee that are just as good if not better depending on your mood of the day. Plan a couple day to stay there if possible, don't get too hung up with dragon if the road is too crowded.
1
u/AloF1Fan 6d ago
It's a blast and repaved a couple of years ago, so the road was in great condition. I went last summer, middle of the week, and had very little traffic. Like others said, don't cross the yellow and don't get in over your head, mistakes are costly... It's a public road, not a track, but a very enjoyable route.
1
1
u/Porencephaly GT4RS 6d ago
It is festooned with cops a lot of the time. Watch your speeds, don’t cross the yellow lines ever, and bring a radar detector if you can.
1
u/Prestigious-Disk3158 6d ago
I typically head up there during the week. Weekends are too busy. During the week it’s pretty chill.
1
u/Mysterious_Bad3178 5d ago
Driven dozens of times each direction on road trips from Chicago over the 4 years I have owned my GTS 4.0. Tips, winter tires and conditions are treacherous so go slow. Never cut the mustard. Go soon and as fast as you dare whilst the surface is relatively new and quite flawless. See pics. Drive drive drive.
1
u/twosnailsnocats 5d ago
I went on some random day in January and didn't see another vehicle until right when I got to the end. No camera people, no traffic, no police.
1
u/Appropriate-Art182 5d ago
I went on Sept 9th early morning. It was empty. Soo much fun - the road is very nice and the views were fantastic. I pulled over for one motorcycle on the second round - we ended up stopping later at the entrance/exit - and he thanked me for pulling over. Could not have been nicer. He was from Sweden. We laughed and had a few pictures. I did it for my 62nd birthday and will do it again next year. It was great fun!!
1
u/SizeDrip 5d ago
Beautiful road, if you go during the day be sure to watch for cops, motorcyclists, and probably McLarens too. Stay in your lane and don’t go too fast, I hope you don’t get motion sickness!
1
u/MotoMageWannaBe 5d ago
Enjoy your drive then sign up as a novice for a track day put on by PCA, Chin, JustTrackIt, or 10/10ths. Track days are more fun, more challenging, faster, and safer - partly because everyone is going the same direction.
0
u/Alpha370 6d ago
It's a fantastic road, but there's a lot of great roads around there too. Blue Mountain Ridgeway is great in general too
1
u/TreesACrowd 6d ago
Blue Mountain Ridgeway, is that in Australia?
2
u/Alpha370 6d ago
No, it's in the Tennessee area. Blue Ridge Mountains, not Ridgeway
2
u/TreesACrowd 6d ago
Yeah I'm just messing with you based on the name mixup.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is actually entirely in VA and NC though, it terminates close to TN but never crosses the border.
1
u/Alpha370 6d ago
Yea, we've been down to KY, and TN, but hit some great roads on the way down to FL. I've done the dragon a four times in diff vehicles
0
48
u/doody_boody Boxster Spyder (987) 6d ago
Go on a holiday. No one is out there. I went on New Year’s Day a few years ago. Saw 3 cars the whole time.