North Carolina Highway 88 is a primary state highway

State highway

State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. Primarily in the High Country

Western North Carolina

Western North Carolina is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains, thus it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It is sometimes included with upstate South Carolina as the "Western Carolinas", which is also counted as a single media market...

, it runs from the Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

 state line, near Trade

Trade, Tennessee

Trade is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Tennessee, United States. It is easternmost community in the state and is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the headwaters of Roan Creek. The community is located between the towns of Mountain City and Boone, North Carolina, along US-421...

 west to the NC 18 in Laurel Springs.

Route description

NC 88 starts at the Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

 state line (at a location called State Line Gap), just 1.6 miles (2.6 km) from US 421. The road follows the Hoskin Fork through its brief stay in Watauga County

Watauga County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...

 into Ashe County

Ashe County, North Carolina

- History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence...

 where it meets up with the North Fork New River

North Fork New River

The North Fork New River is a river in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It rises in Northern Watauga County, and flows northeast to Ashe County where it joins with the South Fork New River to form the New River....

 at Sutherland Road. Until Warrensville

Warrensville, North Carolina

Warrensville is an unincorporated community at the intersection of North Carolina Highways 88 and 194 in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States, east of Comet. It lies at an elevation of 2,707 feet ....

, the highway is constantly curving along the banks of the Hoskin Fork and North Fork New River, though there is not much elevation change.

From Warrensville, it highway goes southeast through the community of Smethport and into town of Jefferson

Jefferson, North Carolina

Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashe County.-History:...

. Going through the downtown area, it connects with US 221

U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina runs north–south from the South Carolina state line to the Virginia state line in Western North Carolina.-Route description:...

 and then NC 16, east of town. Continuing southeast, it passes the South Fork New River

South Fork New River

The South Fork New River is a river in the U.S. state of North Carolina.It stretches from its headwaters at a spring near Blowing Rock and the Eastern Continental Divide and meanders northward along the northwestern face of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the eastern and central portions of...

 then going east to Laurel Springs, in Alleghany County

Alleghany County, North Carolina

-Major highways:* U.S. Highway 21* U.S. Highway 221* North Carolina Highway 18* North Carolina Highway 88* North Carolina Highway 93* North Carolina Highway 113-Demographics:...

, where it ends on NC 18 (in front of the U.S. Post Office of Laurel Springs). If continue south on NC 18, for 2 miles (3.2 km), travelers will reach the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...

. The second half of NC 88, from Jefferson to Laurel Springs, is less curvy compared to the first half and functions as an alternative to US 221

U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina

U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina runs north–south from the South Carolina state line to the Virginia state line in Western North Carolina.-Route description:...

 towards Galax, Virginia

Galax, Virginia

Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County. The population was 7,042 as of 2010...

.

Scenic byways

New River Valley Byway is an 32 miles (51.5 km) byway, split in two sections. NC 88 makes up the second section of the byway (14 miles (22.5 km)), between Jefferson and Laurel Springs. It is noted for several of the state parks that surround the route and the community of Ore Knob, charted in 1875 and named from the only copper mine that existed in North Carolina. The first section is on NC 194

North Carolina Highway 194

North Carolina Highway 194 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. Primarily in the High Country, it runs from US 19E, in Ingalls, to the Virginia state line, near Helton.-Route description:...

, between Boone and Baldwin.

Junction list

{| class="wikitable"
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=7|Ashe

Ashe County, North Carolina

- History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence...

|
|13
|Big Laurel Road – Grayson

Grayson, North Carolina

Grayson is an unincorporated community in Ashe County, North Carolina, northeast of Creston. It lies at an elevation of 3,343 feet ....

|
|-
|Warrensville

Warrensville, North Carolina

Warrensville is an unincorporated community at the intersection of North Carolina Highways 88 and 194 in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States, east of Comet. It lies at an elevation of 2,707 feet ....

|style="background:#ddffdd"|21
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|North end of NC 194 overlap
|-
|Smethport
|style="background:#ddffdd"|24.5
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of NC 194 overlap
|-
|rowspan=3|Jefferson

Jefferson, North Carolina

Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashe County.-History:...

|style="background:#ddffdd"|26
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of US 221 Business overlap
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|27
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of US 221 and north end of US 221 Business overlaps
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|28
|style="background:#ddffdd"| – Mouth of Wilson

Mouth of Wilson, Virginia

Mouth of Wilson is an unincorporated community, in Grayson County in the U.S. state of Virginia, just north of the North Carolina state line. The community lies in the Appalachian Mountains on the western banks of the New River, where the Big Wilson Creek empties its waters. The main road through...

|style="background:#ddffdd"|North end of US 221/NC 16 overlaps; also to Ashe County Airport

Ashe County Airport

Ashe County Airport is a public airport located three miles east of the central business district of Jefferson, a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, USA. This general aviation airport covers and has one runway.Although most U.S...

|-
|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|31
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of NC 16 overlap
|-
|Alleghany

Alleghany County, North Carolina

-Major highways:* U.S. Highway 21* U.S. Highway 221* North Carolina Highway 18* North Carolina Highway 88* North Carolina Highway 93* North Carolina Highway 113-Demographics:...

|Laurel Springs
|41.3
|
|NC 88 ends
|-

History

NC 88 was established in 1938 as a new primary route between NC 16 to NC 18 in Laurel Springs. The highway was extended in 1940 replacing NC 16 west of Jefferson

Jefferson, North Carolina

Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashe County.-History:...

 to the Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

 state line. The route has not changed since.

Alternate names

Though the highway is commonly known as "NC 62" throughout the state, the highway does have other known names it uses locally in areas.

• Main Street – Road name in Jefferson.
• Robert G Barr Expressway – Road name when overlapped with US 221.

See also

• Blue Ridge Parkway
  Blue Ridge Parkway
  The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
  
  
• Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
  Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
  Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it includes the peak of Mount Jefferson, named for Thomas Jefferson, who owned land nearby.-History:...
  
  
• New River
• New River State Park
  New River State Park
  New River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Ashe County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Jefferson, North Carolina, it covers over 2,200 acres in the protected New River watershed. The New River is, ironically, one of the oldest rivers in the United States...
  
  
• North Fork New River
  North Fork New River
  The North Fork New River is a river in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It rises in Northern Watauga County, and flows northeast to Ashe County where it joins with the South Fork New River to form the New River....
  
  
• South Fork New River
  South Fork New River
  The South Fork New River is a river in the U.S. state of North Carolina.It stretches from its headwaters at a spring near Blowing Rock and the Eastern Continental Divide and meanders northward along the northwestern face of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the eastern and central portions of...