International tourist dies after motorcycle plunges 100 feet in Great Smoky Mountains

A 20-year-old man died Sunday after his motorcycle plunged 100 feet off the narrow road to Clingmans Dome overlook in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The biker was identified as Maynoy Alexander Ardon, of Guatemala, the National Park Service said in a news release.

Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the park at 6,643 feet, and the winding two-lane road to the tower looks over drop offs that are steep and often covered in massive boulders.

The crash happened around 4:08 p.m. Sunday near the Collins Gap section of the road, which closely follows the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. (The dome is on the North Carolina side of the park.)

Ardon was heading down the mountain “when he lost control of his motorcycle,” park rangers said in the release.

“He veered off the roadway and landed approximately 100 feet below the embankment,” officials said.

“Bystanders were able to reach Ardon and performed life-saving efforts until emergency responders arrived. Ardon succumbed to his injuries on scene and was pronounced deceased at 4:33 p.m.”

His motorcycle was the only vehicle involved in the accident, officials said.

It’s the second time since 2019 that a tourist has died on Clingmans Dome Road. In July 2019, a 37-year-old Missouri man was killed when his vehicle launched off the road and landed 50 feet down, park rangers said. A passenger in the vehicle was rescued and taken to a hospital, officials said.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the “most visited” national park in the nation. It had 12.1 million visitors last year, according to the National Park Service.

This story was originally published April 20, 2021 at 10:15 AM with the headline "International tourist dies after motorcycle plunges 100 feet in Great Smoky Mountains."