One of the Dragon’s quirks: professional photographers post up at set corners on busy days and photograph nearly every rider and driver who comes through. You don’t stop — they catch you mid-corner — and then you look yourself up online afterward by date and location and buy the shot.
It’s the definitive Tail of the Dragon souvenir: you, leaned into a curve, on the most famous road in America. Sites like Killboy and 129 Photos are the long-running names.
Photographers work the corners mainly on weekends and in peak season; you retrieve your images afterward by the date and the corner name.
The Tennessee (north) end near Tabcat Creek and the Foothills Parkway is a common finish point and a good place to regroup after a run.
Pro tip: Keep both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road — don’t ham it up for the camera mid-corner. You can find and buy your photo later; a good line photographs better than a wave anyway.
- • You don’t stop for the photos — they’re taken as you drive.
- • Look yourself up afterward by date/location on the photo sites to buy.
- • Peak season and weekends are when the photographers are out.
- How do the Tail of the Dragon photos work?
- Professional photographers shoot riders and drivers mid-corner at set spots along the road (mainly weekends and peak season). You don’t stop — afterward you find your photo online by the date and corner and buy it. Killboy and 129 Photos are the best-known.
