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North Carolina is a state of dramatic contrasts. On the Western edge, you might be exploring mist-shrouded mountains, in its coronary heart, dense forests and plush farmlands unfold out, and within the East, the windswept barrier islands stretch towards the Atlantic. 

It’s one of many USA’s most scenic states, and what higher approach to be taught that than on a highway journey? Since we moved to North Carolina over a decade in the past, we’ve explored a lot of the state by following its scenic roads. 

Our favourite scenic drives in North Carolina are those that transcend the interstates and into the guts of those landscapes — by means of winding forest roads that dazzle in Autumnal colours, meandering alongside river bends, and previous shoreline vistas. 

Every route has proven us how numerous our home-state is. Behind these scenic drives is not only nature in full glory, but in addition historic cities, cute coastal cities stuffed with maritime tradition, and mountain cities the place the craft beer is pretty much as good because the mountain climbing trails.

If you wish to discover North Carolina’s greatest driving roads, listed below are those that invite you to decelerate, pull over, and actually see what makes this state outstanding.

Scenic Drives within the North Carolina Mountains

The Blue Ridge Parkway

• Size of highway: 252 miles (the North Carolina portion solely; the complete parkway is 469 miles from Virginia to North Carolina)
• Really helpful time to finish: 4 – 5 days
• Begin/Finish Level: Virginia–North Carolina state line close to Galax, VA | Cherokee, NC (on the entrance to Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park)
• Greatest season to drive: Fall (late September–October) for peak Fall foliage colours and clear mountain views; or spring (April–Could) for cool temperatures and wildflowers

The crown jewel of driving roads in North Carolina is undoubtedly the Blue Ridge Parkway. Working 252 miles by means of the North Carolina Mountains, this legendary highway delivers nonstop mountain vistas, entry to among the greatest mountain climbing trails within the state, jaw-dropping waterfalls, and engaging historic websites.

It’s certainly one of our favourite roads for Fall foliage because it passes by means of each Shenandoah Nationwide Park in Virginia and the Nice Smoky Mountains in NC, each identified for his or her biodiversity and number of tree life.

We’ve pushed the Blue Ridge Parkway in levels, utilizing Asheville as our gateway. A few of our favourite stops alongside the route are Linn Cove Viaduct, Linville Falls, and Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell State Park, Blowing Rock, Craggy Gardens (for rhododendron-filled views), Mount Pisgah, and the Smokies, after all.

The Tail of the Dragon (US 129)

• Size of highway: 11 miles (the well-known stretch options 318 curves)
• Really helpful time to finish: 1 day. It takes 30 – 45 minutes with out stops, however permit further time for pull-offs, pictures, and site visitors (particularly on weekends)
• Begin/Finish Level: Offers Hole, NC (close to the NC–TN border) | Chilhowee Lake / Tabcat Bridge space, TN (inside Cherokee Nationwide Forest)
• Greatest season to drive: Spring (April–Could) and fall (September–October) for delicate climate and clear roads. Summer season has heavy site visitors, particularly bikes, and within the winter, the highway could also be closed as a consequence of ice and snow.

When you’re a bike fanatic, or fancy testing your rally automotive abilities, then the Tail of the Dragon Highway, which runs alongside the North Carolina/Tennessee Border is essentially the most well-known driving route for precise driving.

It’s well-known for having 318 curves in 11 miles (refill on movement illness meds in the event you’re a passenger), but it surely’s additionally as scenic as it’s thrilling.

It carves by means of the dense forest and mountain terrain of the Nice Smoky Mountains and has no intersections or driveways, so it’s straight up driving with the odd overlook thrown in to interrupt up the bends. 

For bikers, it’s identified to be technically tough and has a number of nook names that sound somewhat ominous – Copperhead Nook, Wheelie Hell, Gravity Cavity, and my private favourite, Brake or Bust Bend, which requires a little bit of focus to drive round.

Nonetheless, if you would like a highway that’s thrilling and framed by beautiful woodland, that is it. Though thought-about harmful, there’s a 30 mph velocity restrict, and the quantity of site visitors does cease you from driving too quick, so it’s not as dangerous because it as soon as was. 

Nice Smoky Mountains Scenic Byway (US 441)

• Size of highway: 31 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: half a day to a day. It takes 1–2 hours with out stops, however plan for longer to incorporate stopping at overlooks and doing brief hikes.
• Begin/Finish Level: Cherokee, NC | Gatlinburg, TN
• Greatest season to drive: Spring (April–Could) for wildflowers and wildlife viewing, and Fall (October) for foliage. Winter usually has closures at Newfound Hole.

The Nice Smoky Mountains Scenic Highway, often known as Newfound Hole Highway, is a brief scenic stretch that hyperlinks the city of Cherokee within the South to Gatlinburg within the North, passing by means of the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park.

This drive affords misty peaks, elk sightings, and entry to among the most biodiverse landscapes within the jap US. Reaching an elevation of 5,046 toes above sea degree, it’s among the finest roads for views over the treetops of the Smokies, and getting that iconic view of the blue haze that drapes throughout the treetops.

It’s closely trafficked, since most individuals visiting the Smokies will discover themselves on this highway in some unspecified time in the future, however there are such a lot of stops that it doesn’t really feel congested. Not like the Tail of the Dragon highway, this highway is extra concerning the stops than the precise route (though the views are superb).

Some notable stops alongside this route are the Oconaluftee Customer Heart, overlooks at Newfound Hole and Kuwohi (previously referred to as Clingmans Dome), the Chimney Tops hike, and Sugarlands Customer Heart.

Learn Extra: The right way to get pleasure from a weekend within the Nice Smoky Mountains and issues to do in Bryson Metropolis

Cherohala Skyway (NC 143)

• Size of highway: 43 miles complete (roughly 20 miles in North Carolina)
• Really helpful time to finish: permit half a day to get pleasure from overlooks, picnics, and brief hikes, but it surely takes 1-2 hours to drive with out stopping
• Begin/Finish Level: Robbinsville, NC | Tellico Plains, TN
• Greatest season to drive: Late spring by means of fall (Could–October) for clear views and greatest temperatures

One other mountain highway in North Carolina with sweeping views, lengthy curves, and a distant really feel is the Cherohala Skyway, which connects Robbinsville to Tellico Plains.

It’s identified for having a number of mountain climbing trails alongside the route, most notably the Huckleberry Knob hike, a straightforward 1.8-mile hike in Nantahala Nationwide Forest that takes you to a viewpoint with 360-degree views. Different notable stops are Bald River Falls, Hooper Bald, and Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest to see historical hemlock and poplar bushes.

It’s near the aforementioned Tail of the Dragon highway, so you might simply mix each these scenic roads in a single journey. Observe: There are not any companies on this highway (no gasoline stations, eating places, or inns).

Forest Heritage Scenic Byway

• Size of highway: Roughly 76.7 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: permit 1 day. It takes 2–3 hours with out stops, however permit extra time to discover waterfalls, mountain climbing trails, and historic websites.
• Begin/Finish Level: Close to Brevard, NC (US 276 on the entrance to Pisgah Nationwide Forest) | Close to Rosman, NC (US 64)
• Greatest season to drive: Spring and summer season for extra highly effective waterfalls and plush forest surroundings

In Western North Carolina, the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway is a lesser-known offshoot of the Blue Ridge Parkway, winding previous waterfalls, mountain climbing trails, and historic logging websites in Pisgah Nationwide Forest.

Once more, it’s one other highway we’ve entered on with out realizing it whereas driving the Blue Ridge Parkway however found it whereas taking a detour to Wanting Glass Falls. We’re so glad we did, because it had numerous nice mountain climbing trails and waterfalls to cease off at. An sudden gem was Sliding Rock, a pure waterslide the place you possibly can slide down a clean rockface right into a refreshing pool under.

That is certainly one of NC’s oldest logging railroad routes, but it surely has been largely reforested, and you may see new bushes thriving alongside the Pink Beds Loop Path.  You’ll want to cease by the Pisgah Customer Heart earlier than you drive to be taught extra about this area’s historical past and the very best waterfall stops.

Learn Extra: Waterfalls in North Carolina that appear to be Bali

Piedmont & Central North Carolina Scenic Drives

Yadkin Valley Scenic Byway

• Size of highway: Roughly 63 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: 1 day to go to wineries, small cities, and river viewpoints, however might be pushed in 1.5-2.5 hours with out stops
• Begin/Finish Level: Elkin, NC | Close to Pilot Mountain State Park, NC
• Greatest season to drive: Spring for blooming vineyards and delicate climate; Fall for harvest season and the Yadkin Valley Grape Pageant.

Shifting away from mountains and into rolling farmland stuffed with vineyards and wineries, the Yadkin Valley Scenic Byway is a relaxed drive by means of North Carolina’s wine nation (sure, there may be one).

As NC’s premier wine space, you possibly can count on most points of interest to be primarily based round Vino. A number of the most notable wineries on route are Shelton Vineyards, Divine Llama Vineyards (nice for teenagers because it’s additionally a llama farm), Haze Grey Vineyards, Sanders Ridge, Adagio Vineyards, and Piccione Vineyards. 

Most wineries have winery excursions, and it’s also possible to be taught extra about wine on this area on the Yadkin Valley Grape Pageant held yearly in October, in the event you can plan your go to for then.

Pilot Mountain Scenic Drive

• Size of highway: 10-mile loop
• Really helpful time to finish: 1 day to go to overlooks, mountain climbing trails, and close by cities 
• Begin/Finish Level: Pinnacle, NC
• Greatest season to drive: spring (April–Could) for recent greenery and wildflowers.

This can be a brief however hanging route circling Pilot Mountain State Park. The highway permits you to drive near the enduring Huge Pilot rock formation, providing dramatic views, and supplies entry to the park’s many mountain climbing trails.

If you wish to get out of the automotive and revel in a hike, then we suggest the Jomeokee Path, a brief hike that surrounds Pilot Mountain’s Huge Pinnacle.  This scenic drive additionally simply connects to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Uwharrie Scenic Highway (NC 109)

• Size of highway: Roughly 20 miles by means of the guts of Uwharrie Nationwide Forest
• Really helpful time to finish: half a day to discover lakes and mountain climbing trails
• Begin/Finish Level: Troy, NC | Close to Badin Lake / Denton space, NC
• Greatest season to drive: Spring for wildflowers; fall for foliage. Summer season is lush however sizzling and humid.

In Central North Carolina, one of many state’s oldest mountain ranges, is the Uwharrie Mountains. This scenic highway winds peacefully by means of the Uwharrie Nationwide Forest, which is wealthy in wildlife and has an off-the-beaten-path appeal.

Though the highway is brief, it has a whole lot of points of interest connected to it. You’ll be able to go mountain climbing, mountain biking, horseback using, or take a four-by-four alongside an off-road car path.

Uwharrie Nationwide Forest made our checklist of most underrated locations in North Carolina on our Raleigh website.

Coastal & Japanese North Carolina

Outer Banks Scenic Byway (NC 12)

• Size of highway: Roughly 138 miles (together with ferry connections alongside NC 12)
• Really helpful time to finish: 1–2 days is good, however think about ferry schedules. Driving time with out stopping is about 3–4 hours.
• Begin/Finish Level: Whalebone Junction, Nags Head, NC | Cedar Island, NC (through ferry connections by means of Ocracoke)
• Greatest season to drive: Late spring (April–Could) and early fall (September–October) for heat climate, fewer crowds, and calmer ferries

We love the Outer Banks; it’s certainly one of our favourite areas in North Carolina. Though a collection of barrier islands, the NC Freeway 12 and some ferry crossings hyperlink them collectively, forming one epic coastal journey connecting lighthouses, wild seashores, ocean and sound views, and historic villages. 

A few of our favourite stops on this route are Pea Island Refuge, Cape Hatteras State Park, and Ocracoke Island. It’s a journey by means of unspoiled pure magnificence and is soaked in small seashore city vibes.

Cape Hatteras Nationwide Seashore Drive

• Size of highway: Roughly 67 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: 1 day, it takes 2–3 hours with out stopping, however it would be best to cease to discover seashores, lighthouses, villages, and wildlife areas.
• Begin/Finish Level: Bodie Island Lighthouse (close to Nags Head), NC | Ocracoke Village / Hatteras–Ocracoke Ferry terminal, NC
• Greatest season to drive: Could to November (closed within the winter) 

Talking of Cape Hatteras, if you wish to take an elevated coastal drive, then it is best to get your self a four-wheel drive and hit the Cape Hatteras Nationwide Seashore Drive, a seashore drive within the Outer Banks. This drive passes epic sand dunes, maritime forests, and iconic lighthouses.

You do want a allow to drive this “highway,” and a little bit of cautious planning is required beforehand, as some elements of the highway could also be closed as a consequence of tides. A number of the highway can be inaccessible in the course of the breeding seasons of protected birds and sea turtles, so verify the web site earlier than your journey to see if there are closures.

Pamlico Scenic Byway

• Size of highway: Roughly 122.1 miles (together with a number of ferry crossings)
• Really helpful time to finish: 1–2 days is good, permitting time for ferry schedules, coastal cities, and wildlife refuges. The driving time with out stopping is about 4–5 hours
• Begin/Finish Level: Washington, NC | Cedar Island, NC
• Greatest season to drive: Summer season is scenic, however might be sizzling and humid with occasional storms. Purpose for Spring for delicate temperatures and clearer skies.

Combining historical past, nature, and small city appeal, the Pamlico Scenic Byway is a watery, ferry-heavy route by means of fishing villages and coastal wetlands.

The title Pamlico was given to the route after the title of a Native American tribe that after lived on this area, although it was additionally colonised by Europeans in 1584. It passes by means of small cities that mirror this colonial historical past and a collection of wetlands and forests.

A number of the most notable stops on this route are Washington, often known as Little Washington (besides to not the locals, they hate it), the Pamlico Sound, Swan Quarter, Mattamuskeet, Alligator River Nationwide Wildlife Refuge, and Cedar Island.

Learn Extra: The cutest small cities in North Carolina

Alligator River Nationwide Wildlife Refuge Highway

• Size of highway: Roughly 12 miles 
• Really helpful time to finish: half a day to get pleasure from wildlife viewing, viewpoints, and brief strolling trails
• Begin/Finish Level: US 64 close to Manns Harbor, NC | Close to Swanquarter, NC (refuge boundary/entry roads)
• Greatest season to drive: Spring (March–Could) for migratory birds and blooming wetlands

If you wish to prolong the aforementioned highway journey, then it’s effectively value including on the 12-mile highway by means of the Alligator River Nationwide Wildlife Refuge. 

This flat and atmospheric highway cuts by means of swamp forests and wetlands, which is ideal for wildlife recognizing. Right here it’s possible you’ll spot bears, migratory birds, and, because the title suggests, alligators. 

The refuge is house to one of the largest populations of black bears in jap North Carolina and the jap United States. We loved hen watching early on a winter’s morning right here with the ladies far more than we thought we might!

Historic & Thematic Scenic Routes

Blue Ridge Music Trails

• Size of highway: Roughly 200 miles 
• Really helpful time to finish: We suggest 2 – 4 days to completely expertise dwell music stops, cultural websites, and scenic backroads, although you might simply spend weeks on this route.
• Begin/Finish Level: Asheville, NC (suggest doing a loop)
• Greatest season to drive: Yr-round, although summer season and fall are greatest for dwell music and festivals

Asheville is without doubt one of the most artsy cities in North Carolina, and in the event you’re a fan of Bluegrass and gospel music, you then’ll need to gas up right here and hit the Blue Ridge Music Trails, which begins and ends in Asheville.

This can be a loosely related loop drive by means of western North Carolina’s cities and backroads, tying collectively dwell music venues, festivals, and Appalachian tradition. 

It passes by means of cities corresponding to Brasstown, Shelby, and Blowing Rock, which have year-round music venues, in addition to entry to the North Carolina Mountains. You may as well discover farmers’ markets, waterfalls, pit-smoked BBQ joints, and craft breweries alongside the route, too.

This can be a customizable highway journey with numerous stops to select from; see the official map right here that can assist you plan your route.

Learn extra: The Final North Carolina to Tennessee Highway Journey: From Mountains to Music

Waterfall Byway (NC 64)

• Size of highway: 98 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: a day
• Begin/Finish Level: Murphy | Rosman
• Greatest season to drive: Spring (March–Could) for peak waterfall flows and wildflowers

Are you a fan of waterfalls? There are such a lot of scenic mountain waterfalls in North Carolina, and the easiest way to see all of them is by driving alongside this hall linking Highlands and Brevard, passing among the state’s most accessible waterfalls.

Some notable falls on this stretch are Dry Falls, Rainbow Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Bust Your Butt Falls (kudos to whoever named that one). Nicknamed the Land of Waterfalls, this scenic highway in Transylvania County is without doubt one of the most dramatic drives in Western NC.

King’s Freeway (US 17)

• Size of highway: Roughly 180 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: 1-2 days to discover historic cities, colonial websites, and coastal views
• Begin/Finish Level: Wilmington | Edenton
• Greatest season to drive: Spring (April–Could) and fall (September–October) for delicate temperatures and fewer mosquitoes

The King’s Freeway is a significant colonial highway that extends alongside the coast from Boston, Massachusetts, to Charleston, South Carolina, alongside US 17. 

Your entire size is 1300 miles, however the NC part is barely round 180 miles. The highway hyperlinks all 13 authentic colonies on the Atlantic coast that developed cities on orders from King Charles II, therefore the title. 

These cities are identified for his or her colonial heritage, structure, and historical past, and lots of of those cities are among the oldest within the U.S. If you’re trying to pair historic cities with coastal magnificence, that is the highway journey for you. Some notable stops for colonial historical past are New Bern, an early colonial capital and seaport, and Beaufort (certainly one of our favourite cities in NC).

Learn extra: Greatest Issues to Do on the North Carolina Coast: Seashores, Cities & Hidden Gems

Wayah Highway (NC 1310)

• Size of highway: 15 miles
• Really helpful time to finish: permit 2–3 hours to get pleasure from overlooks, waterfalls, Wayah Bald, and brief hikes.
• Begin/Finish Level: Franklin, NC | Nantahala Lake / Wayah Bald space, NC
• Greatest season to drive: Fall (late September–October) for peak foliage

One other bike highway in North Carolina, nicknamed “Thunder Highway” by the locals, is Wayah Highway. This quietly spectacular mountain drive hyperlinks Franklin to Nantahala Lake and winds previous waterfalls, forest overlooks, and the serene Wayah Bald stone tower. 

Far much less trafficked than different driving routes in NC (like Tail of the Dragon), it’s a hidden gem experience the place you will get your thrills with out worrying about congestion.

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