• Folding or Camp Chair

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray

• Towel

• Umbrella

• Jacket (It can get chilly at night, especially if you're on top of the mountains

• Comfy Shoes

• FRS/GMRS radio (most people use Channel 5 to communicate)

• Beer or Wine (for the Saturday Night Beer Swap and Wine Tasting)

• Cash (Fontana does have an ATM but it can get depleted quickly, the next closest is in Robbinsville)

• Hat

• Water

• Camera

• GoPro or other video camera

• Epi Pen and other medications

Killboy is the first and oldest of the Dragon Photographers. There are also others. You will see them set up in certain corners on the Dragon shooting photos most days of the week. Their cards can be found at Tail of the Dragon (Across from the Motorcycle Resort) and at the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort, as well as being pretty obvious on the sides of their cars.

This event is completely free to attend. Some drive up only for the day and leave that evening. Some come for the weekend or the entire week. The only cost is whatever you spend on food, lodging and gas.

Yes, Miatas at the Gap remains the largest and longest-running gathering of Miata enthusiasts in the United States. The last three years have brought over 1200 Miatas to the area and we anticipate continued growth. MATG is still a "Come as you are, do what you want to" type event and remains completely Free to attend and participate in, and everyone is encouraged to actively participate with their own runs and events if they wish. But with growth comes additional organization to make things easier for participants.

Do NOT cross the double yellow. You cannot see through a corner and even if you don’t hear anyone a vehicle could still be coming.

At all times, do not drive outside of your ability. Even during runs when you are trying to keep up with the car in front of you or the run leader.

Don't speed, these are public roads.

At night and in low-visibility conditions, be very careful. Large wildlife can jump out of the woods in any curve, and people HAVE hit things like boar, bear and deer. Hitting a 400 pound wild boar can and will ruin your weekend.

Be respectful driving inside of Fontana Village. There are families on vacation and small children running around, so be very careful and drive the speed limit inside the village.

Don’t be afraid to use pull-offs. If you have vehicles stacking up behind you, pull over in a safe area and let them pass. The Dragon has many paved pull-offs explicitly for this. And because it is an 11-mile road being stuck behind someone can be inconvenient and can cause tardiness for those behind you.

Beware of very large trucks. Though they're illegal on the Dragon, they do find their way up there from time to time, and they are still legal on all the other area roads. They take up a LOT of space, especially when trying to navigate the tight corners that the Miatas eat for lunch.

Aside from the Miatas at the Gap events, Graham and surrounding counties have a LOT to offer from good restaurants to gem mining, rafting, hiking, horseback riding, boating and camping. The Appalachian Trail runs through this corner of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. There are several rivers suitable for rafting and tubing. There are many museums, potteries, wineries, and arts venues in the area. There are festivals and cultural events going on every weekend. Tellico has some of the best off-roading on the east coast, if you happen to drive up in a 4WD and towed your Miata (and if not, there are Jeep Rentals in the area too).

Graham County especially is a HUGE supporter of Miatas at the Gap, and the Graham County Travel and Tourism will be more than happy to fill you in an all the wonderful things to see and do in the area.

Anticipate having NO cell service while in the area. The only reliable locations for cell phone service are in Robbinsville, at Fontana Lodge, and the General Store where there are some Verizon repeaters. It’s best to come prepared and assume you will not have cell service. Printing out instructions or downloading maps offline will help ensure you don’t get lost.

Fontana Lodge has Wi-Fi and a computer in the lobby that has internet access. There is also Wi-Fi at the Wildwood Grill, General Store, and Pitstop. As of right now, all of the cabins do not have reliable Wi-Fi, though the Lodge rooms do. Robbinsville has free public Wi-Fi in town and the area restaurants may also have free Wi-Fi, as well as the other lodgings in the general area.

Spirited runs are at a faster pace (possibly inching up to Ludicrous Speed or some shades of Plaid). These runs are NOT for the faint of heart, nor are they for cars that aren't tuned for aggressive, fast driving such as you would for track days and autocross. Keep in mind that everyone in a spirited run will be driving fast and aggressively and if you're uncomfortable doing so, you could create a hazard in the middle of the pack. Be considerate of where you sit in the group during spirited runs. If you have any questions or doubts, shoot a message to the person organizing the run.

Yes, but you will need to be sure your lodging allows animals. Fontana allows dogs but you'll have to pay a $150 pet fee when you check in. Keep your dog on a leash and be careful around kids and especially other dogs.

MATG was started a very long time ago by a group of people who share a love of the world's most popular roadster, the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Miatas at the Gap started in 1997 and occurred at Tapoco Lodge every year until Tapoco Lodge closed in 2009. That year it was moved to Fontana Village where it continues today. In August 2024, we are celebrating the 28th Anniversary of Miatas at the Gap!

Officially, Miatas at the Gap happens the first FULL weekend of August each summer. FULL weekend means Friday through Sunday are all days in August. As the event has grown in popularity over the years, some runs are now scheduled on Thursday, so unofficially, MATG runs the last full Thurs - Sunday long weekend of August every year.

Contact one of the admins of the page or find us on the Facebook page. Be sure to let people know when to meet, when you plan to leave, the route you are planning to take and whether it's meant for anyone, or a "Spirited" run that may be more suited for experienced and aggressive drivers. We also have a library of potential routes that we can share.

We love to hear that! Each year, we send out a request for volunteers on our official Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to fill out the form and we will contact you with more information.

See the Lodging area of the website for info on area motels, resorts and campgrounds. We have a block of reserved rooms and cabins at a discounted rate in Fontana Village, so be sure to check with them for availability. Other motels in the area may also offer discounts for MATG attendees. Most importantly though, please be sure to get your reservations in early, as the popular lodgings fill up quickly. Often people reserve their rooms for the next MATG before they even leave the current MATG.

We do a raffle Saturday afternoon at 4:00PM. The prizes are all donated items from our vendors. 100% of all proceeds benefit the chosen recipient as our way of showing support for our community. Each year we rotate proceeds between the Graham County Rescue Squad and the Blount County Rescue Squad as thanks for rescuing so many travelers on the Tail of the Dragon and surrounding areas.

If you get sick, there is a clinic in Robbinsville called Tallulah Health Center.

If you wreck and need a hospital, you will likely be waiting an hour or more for the ambulance to get to you, then another hour or more for transport to the closest trauma center which is Blount Memorial in Maryville, or you may be taken to UT in Knoxville. If it's bad enough, you'll get a very expensive ride on the Medevac helicopter. See the Safety suggestions above to avoid having a wreck.

The area we are in is served mainly by the NC Highway Patrol, Graham County Sheriff's Department, and Swain County Sheriff's Department. On the TN side is mostly Tennessee Highway Patrol and Blount County Sheriff's Department. They will write you a ticket and invite you back at a later date to explore the Western NC and Eastern TN court systems.

Events range from social activities such as the annual Beer Swap and Wine Tasting, the Raffle, Hanging out in the vendor area to various pre-planned driving events that range from mild to wild. Check the current year Events forum often as runs are announced all year leading up to MATG and are edited all the way up to a few days before our event.

You don't, but we appreciate it if you do. Registration just gets us a more accurate count of attendance. The last three years we’ve had 1200 +/- registered Miatas and around 15% who don't register but filter in and out throughout the weekend. Registration is free, and is done at the Registration tent. Also, if you register, you get a free Dash Plaque for your car, or collection, and often get other swag from vendors, supporters and the local area. The swag can range from stickers and catalogs to coupons and other goodies. (Limited number of bags available, first come first serve)

Expect straight areas, but mostly roads go from curvy to HOLY COW SWITCHBACKS! MATG started because of the infamous Tail of the Dragon, the section of US129 that claims 318 curves in an 11-mile stretch. But there are also many other excellent driving roads in the surrounding areas like Wayah Rd, the Cherohala Skyway, Happy Valley, Foothills Parkway, and Hellbender 28. Keep in mind, these are all public roads and sometimes in very heavy daily use by the locals, tourists, motorcycles, other sports cars and large trucks.

Usually on Thursday or very early Friday morning, a whiteboard is set up with the current list of events as listed in the Events section of this website. The whiteboard is held at the Registration Tent from Friday morning and is updated as new events are announced.

There isn’t one. We will send out a pre-registration form on our Facebook and Instagram. But if you don’t register ahead of time you can visit our tent in vendor alley Friday and Saturday to register.

Graham County is a mostly dry county, so no hard alcohol sales are allowed outside of Fontana Village. Graham County now allows the purchase of beer and wine, so you are now able to purchase them in Robbinsville. Our host does have a special dispensation from the state of North Carolina to sell alcohol at the bar attached to Wildwood Grill. If you want a good selection of beer, wine, or liquor, you'll need to bring your own, or run out to a neighboring county.

See the Event section. The group photo happens EVERY year on Saturday at 11AM sharp. This means you need to be on site no later than 10:45. If you show up at 11, you'll be asked to park on the road and will not be allowed in to park with the participants.

The photo is done by Darryl "Killboy" Cannon. Killboy is also very well known for being the first, and best photographer on the Tail of the Dragon. He's a professional and does sell copies of the pictures, but he's a great guy, a great photographer, and is a very well-known fixture in the area. Buy a picture and support local businesses.