Driving Roads in North Carolina

The strongest concentration of notable driving roads lies in western North Carolina, where the Blue Ridge Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains, and surrounding Appalachian ridges create frequent elevation changes, sweeping bends, and narrow valley roads. The Blue Ridge Parkway forms the state's best-known scenic driving corridor, linking overlooks and high country near Boone, Asheville, and the southern Appalachians. Other well-known routes include the twisting US 129 near Deals Gap, the Cherohala Skyway near Robbinsville, and roads through Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. Farther east, the terrain becomes gentler across the Piedmont before reaching the coastal plain. North Carolina Highway 12 provides a contrasting drive along sections of the Outer Banks, passing barrier-island landscapes where dunes, sounds, ocean exposure, ferries, and storm-sensitive road sections shape the journey. Road character therefore varies substantially between the mountains, interior, and coast.