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Driving Directions

The entrance to Grandfather Mountain is located on US 221, two miles north of Linville, North Carolina, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.

The street address is: 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646.

We recommend against relying on a navigation system or other form of computer generated directions. Computers are machines that do not get car sick traveling curvy roads. Their software programs do not always recommend the quickest, simplest and most-traveled routes. They frequently default to the shortest mileage between two points (often sending drivers through remote areas over very narrow country roads).

Please read through the directions listed below for the route that A REAL HUMAN BEING recommends to get from there to here. We want you to have a good experience at Grandfather Mountain, and that starts by having a good trip to our front door.

70 mi. from Asheville, NC:

There is one-lane traffic on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Bull Gap at Milepost 355 and MP 375 just south of Mount Mitchell State Park. Headquarters in Asheville says the wait is five minutes in either direction.

Take I-40 East to Marion, NC. Take Exit #85. Turn left at the bottom of the ramp and go one mile to a stoplight. At the stoplight turn left and follow US 221 North to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain (about 30 miles). Printable Map and Directions from Asheville

106 mi. From Charlotte, NC:

US 321 is being widened to four lanes between Lenoir and Blowing Rock. The road is closed for blasting between 12 noon and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Starting on the South Side of Charlotte: Take I-85 South to Gastonia, NC. Pick up US 321 North to Hickory. There you can take US 321 on to Blowing Rock (Exit 123 B) or take I-40 West to Morganton (Exit 105).

Starting on the North Side of Charlotte: Take I-77 North to Statesville. Pick up I-40 West to Hickory - or continue on I-40 West to Morganton .

If you'd like to travel through Blowing Rock: From I-40 Exit 123 B, take US 321 North from Hickory to Blowing Rock. (US 321 between Lenoir and Blowing Rock is closed every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 2pm for road construction.) Take the Blue Ridge Parkway South to the US 221 intersection at Milepost 305. Take US 221 South 1 mile to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain.

To come directly to Grandfather Mountain: Take I-40 West from Hickory to Exit 105 at Morganton. Take NC 181 North 34 miles to Linville, NC. Take US 221 2 miles from Linville to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain.

Printable Map and Directions from Charlotte

55 mi. From Hickory, NC:

US 321 is being widened to four lanes between Lenoir and Blowing Rock. The road is closed for blasting between 12 noon and 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

From I-40 Exit 123 B, take US 321 North to Blowing Rock, NC. Take the Blue Ridge Parkway south 14 miles to the US 221 intersection at milepost 305 (less than a mile after you cross the Linn Cove Viaduct). Take US 221 South 1 mile to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Printable Map and Directions from Hickory

36 mi. From Morganton, NC:

Take NC 181 (I-40 Exit #105) North 34 miles to Linville, NC. Take US 221 2 miles from Linville to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Printable Map and Directions from Morganton

19 mi. from Boone, NC:

Take NC 105 South to Linville. Turn left at the stoplight and take US 221 North 2 miles to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Printable Map and Directions from Boone

15 mi. from Blowing Rock, NC:

Take the Blue Ridge Parkway South to the US 221 intersection at Milepost 305. Take 221 South 1 mile to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Printable Map and Directions from Blowing Rock

50 mi. from Johnson City, TN:

Take US 321 to Elizabethton, TN. Pick up US 19-E to Elk Park, NC. Continue on that highway to Newland, NC (road marker changes to NC 194). Turn left at the second stoplight in Newland and take NC 181 to Linville, then straight (through 2 stoplights) 2 miles on US 221 to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Printable Map and Directions from Johnson City

103 mi. from Winston Salem, NC:

Take US 421 North to Boone, NC. Take NC 105 South to Linville. Turn left at the stoplight in Linville and take US 221 North 2 miles to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Printable Map and Directions from Winston Salem

Closest Airports to Grandfather Mountain

Airport	Drive Time to GM	Service type
Hickory, NC	1 1/2 hours	Commuter / Regional
Johnson City, TN	1 1/2 hours	Regional
Asheville, NC	1 1/2 hours	Regional
Charlotte, NC	2 1/2 hours	International Hub
Greensboro, NC	2 1/2 hours	International Hub

 

For Landing Private Planes

Airport	Drive Time to GM	Phone
Avery County Airport, Spruce Pine, NC	1/2 hour	828-766-7661

 

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