Interstate 26 Scenic Highway
Interstate 26 Scenic Highway is a State Scenic Byway in North Carolina. Within North Carolina it covers roughly 9 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Interstate 26 Scenic Highway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Interstate 26 Scenic Highway climbs nine miles through Madison County, North Carolina, the first interstate stretch in the state to earn a scenic byway designation. Running from the Tennessee state line to Exit 9 near Mars Hill, the highway passes two scenic overlooks; from the second, near the welcome center, drivers can see Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, along with Black Mountain, Grandfather Mountain, and the Blue Ridge Parkway in the distance. The interstate climbs to Buckner Gap at nearly 5,000 feet, the highest elevation reached by any interstate highway in North Carolina, and crosses the Laurel River Bridge, the tallest bridge in the state at 235 feet. Unlike most scenic byways, this one is a full divided highway built for speed, which makes it an unusual case: a genuine engineering feat through rugged mountain terrain that still delivers sweeping, largely unspoiled views without leaving the interstate system at all.
- Madison County
- 9-mile designated segment (TN line to Exit 9)
- Mount Mitchell view
- Buckner Gap (~5,000 ft)
- Laurel River Bridge (235 ft, tallest in NC)
- first NC interstate scenic byway
Plan a drive on Interstate 26 Scenic Highway →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Interstate 26 Scenic Highway
No campgrounds are listed close to Interstate 26 Scenic Highway yet, but there are rooms near the route.
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