North Carolina Highway 194

North Carolina Highway 194
Route information
Maintained byNCDOT
Length	85.5 mi(137.6 km)
Existed	1921–present
Tourist routes	Mission Crossing Byway New River Valley Byway
Major junctions
South end	US 19EinIngalls
Major intersections	US 221nearLinville Falls US 321/US 421inVilas US 221/NC 105inBoone US 221inBaldwin
North end	Rugby Road at theVirginiastate line
Location
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
Counties	Avery,Watauga,Ashe
Highway system
North Carolina Highway System Interstate US State Scenic
←NC 191 →NC 197

North Carolina Highway 194(NC 194) is a primarystate highwayin the U.S. state ofNorth Carolina.Entirely in theHigh Country,it runs fromUS 19E,inIngalls,to theVirginiastate line, nearHelton.

Route description

The nature of NC 194 is one of a route that primarily serves local traffic. NC 194 may be thought of as a collection of individual routings under one number, as each segment serves its own local traffic and local needs—it is quicker to use other routes to get to another segment of NC 194 than to use NC 194 itself. It does not take the most direct route possible due to its endpoints and destinations, but instead meanders through the mountains, serving predominantly rural communities in the High Country to provide access to outside communities. Because of this, it is not a route that is typically traveled for its entire length, or any significant part of its length.

Ingalls to Elk Park

NC 194 begins heading due east in the community ofIngalls,on a moderately curvy stretch of road known as Three Mile Highway, eventually meeting its first of many junctions withUS 221.On its first of three concurrences with US 221, the routes go through the town ofCrossnore,then separate after leaving the area. NC 194 then heads north towardsElk Park,passing through Newland—this is a relatively straight stretch of road. A passing lane; one of few on NC 194 due to its mountainous nature, is available for southbound travelers betweenNewlandand Elk Park.

Elk Park to Vilas

Between Elk Park andVilas,the route becomes much more curvy, hugging the banks of several local waterways—TheElk River,between Elk Park andBanner Elk,the Craborchard Creek from the Watauga–Avery County line toValle Crucis,and theWatauga Riverin Valle Crucis. In Banner Elk, drivers are met with numerous pedestrian crossings. The road provides access to the Elk River Airport,Lees–McRae College,and provides access via NC 184 to the ski resorts onBeechandSugarMountain.

Vilas to West Jefferson

From Vilas throughBoone,it is triplexed withUS 421and US 321, passing through Downtown Boone. US 321 exits this triplex, leaving on Blowing Rock Road. It becomes a duplex with US 421 until NC 105, where it becomes briefly triplexed with US 221 as once more, between NC 105 and Jefferson Road. Here, it exits the concurrencies. Heading north, it travels through the unincorporated community of Sands, and provides access to Meat Camp. After passing through Sands, the route becomes narrow and curvy again, serving the community ofToddas a North Carolina Scenic Byway.

Reconnecting with US 221 inBaldwin,the road widens, and is briefly a divided highway. InWest Jefferson,the road splits from US 221 for the final time. NC 194 goes through downtown West Jefferson, concurrent with US 221 Business before the latter route splits at West Second Street.

West Jefferson to the Virginia state line

From West Jefferson, NC 194 continues heading north, duplexing withNC 88,starting in Smethport and continuing untilWarrensville.NC 194 from this point will not meet another route for its last 13.4 miles (21.6 km) to theVirginiastate line. On its trek there, it passes through several unincorporated communities: Bina, Lansing, Brandon, Sturgills, and Helton. Reaching the Virginia line, it becomes a narrow, unmarked secondary road, numbered as SR 743 and named Rugby Road, which eventually connects toUS 58.

The highway is the northernmost primary route in the state.

Scenic byways

NC 194 is part of two scenic byway in the state (indicated by a Scenic Byways sign). Both routes are not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses.

Mission Crossing Bywayis an 18 miles (29 km) byway from Elk Park to Vilas, passing through the town of Banner Elk and the communities of Heaton, Balm, and Valle Crucis. The route gets its name from the 1895 mission built in Valle Crucis by theEpiscopal Church,today it is used as a camp and conference center. The route is also noted for its back-road feel, a farm built in 1812, and the Mast General Store.The Valle Crucis, Shawneehaw and Elk Park Turnpike was built as a toll road between 1891 and 1892, by hand labor and without machinery. A particular four mile section is noted for its curves from the Valle Crucis Elementary School to Banner Elk, and for its scenic beauty. Today, the roadbed is part of North Carolina Highway 194.

New River Valley Bywayis an 32 miles (51 km) byway, split in two sections. The first section (18 miles (29 km)) is traversed by NC 194 from Boone to Baldwin, passing through the community of Todd. The section is noted for its Christmas tree farms, theNorth Fork New River,a site of aRevolutionary Warengagement, and the Todd General Store. The second section is onNC 88,between Jefferson and Laurel Springs.

History

Boone'sKing Street (US 321/US 421/NC 194)

NC 194 is an original state highway that traveled betweenNC 19,inWoodlawn,andNC 69,inMinneapolis;connectingAltamontandNewlandalong its routing.In 1923, NC 194 was rerouted north from Newland to NC 69, inCranberry;its old alignment, which paralleled theETWN "Tweetsie" Railroad,became Old Toe River Road (SR 1157). In 1924, NC 194 was extended to theTennesseestate line, replacingNC 694.In 1930, NC 194 replaced NC 69 north ofElk ParktoUS 321/NC 60,inVilas;its former routing to Tennessee became part of NC 69.

In 1932, NC 194 was replaced byUS 221/NC 28,between Woodlawn andCrossnore.The following year, NC 194 was re-extended south along US 221/NC 28, through Crossnore and Altamont, then replaced NC 691 to its current southern terminus inIngalls.

Around 1953, NC 194 was extended from Vilas, alongUS 421throughBoone,then north replacing an old alignment ofUS 221throughToddtoBaldwin.Overlapping with US 221 toWest Jefferson,it then replacesNC 162throughWarrensvilleto its current northern terminus at theVirginiastate line.

Between 1963 and 1968, NC 194 was realigned onto new road between Newland and Elk Park, leaving behind Blevins Creek Road (SR 1361).In 1981, US 221/NC 194 was placed on road between Baldwin and West Jefferson, leaving behind Beaver Creek School Road (SR 1248).

North Carolina Highway 691

North Carolina Highway 691
Location	Ingalls–Linville Falls, NC
Length	4.2 mi(6.8 km)
Existed	1925–1933

North Carolina Highway 691(NC 691) was established in 1925 as a new primary routing betweenNC 69,in Ingalls, to NC 194, near Linville Falls. In 1926, NC 691 was truncated further north from Linville Falls, at the east end of Three Mile Highway; the old alignment replaced by NC 194. In 1930, NC 691 was extended north, with a concurrency with US 221, toTwin Oaks;its new alignment replaced part of NC 194 to Crossnore, NC 181 to Pineola,NC 176toLinville,NC 175toBlowing RockandNC 69between Boone to Twin Oaks.In 1932, NC 691 was reverted to its pre-1930 alignment, withNC 28replacing it with its former concurrency with US 221. In 1933, NC 691 was decommission with the extension of NC 194 to Ingalls.

Junction list

US 19E/NC 194 inCranberry

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Avery	Ingalls	0.0	0.0	US 19E–Spruce Pine,Cranberry
	​	4.2	6.8	US 221south (Linville Falls Highway) –Marion	South end of US 221 overlap
	Crossnore	9.1	14.6	US 221north (Linville Falls Highway) –Linville,Morganton	North end of US 221 overlap
	Newland	13.0	20.9	NC 181south (Linville Avenue) –Linville
	Cranberry	18.6	29.9	US 19Esouth –Spruce Pine	South end of US 19E overlap
	Elk Park	18.9	30.4	US 19Enorth –Roan Mountain	North end of US 19E overlap
	Banner Elk	25.5	41.0	NC 184north (Beech Mountain Parkway) –Beech Mountain	North end of NC 184 overlap; to Ski Beech
		25.8	41.5	NC 184south (Shawneehaw Avenue) –Linville,Boone	South end of NC 184 overlap; to Ski Sugar
Watauga	Valle Crucis	33.3	53.6	ToNC 105/ Broadstone Road
	Vilas	37.0	59.5	US 321/US 421north –Mountain City	North end of US 321/US 421 overlap
	Boone	42.7	68.7	US 321south (Hardin Street) –Blowing Rock	South end of US 321 overlap
		43.0	69.2	US 221/NC 105south (Highway 105 Extension) –Linville,Banner Elk	South end of US 221 overlap
		43.6	70.2	US 221north /US 421south –Wilkesboro,Winston-Salem	North end of US 221 and south end of US 421 overlap
Ashe	Baldwin	61.7	99.3	US 221south	South end of US 221 overlap
	West Jefferson	65.3	105.1	US 221north /NC 163–Jefferson	North end of US 221 and south end of US 221 Bus. overlap
		67.0	107.8	US 221 Bus.north –Jefferson	North end of US 221 Bus. overlap
	Smethport	68.5	110.2	NC 88east –Jefferson	East end of NC 88 overlap
	Warrensville	72.3	116.4	NC 88west –Trade	West end of NC 88 overlap
	Helton Township	85.5	137.6	Rugby Road	Continuation beyondVirginiastate line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrencyterminus

Special routes

One of several warning signs for truckers along this stretch of NC 194

Banner Elk–Valle Crucis truck route

North Carolina Highway 194 Truck
Location	Banner Elk-Valle Crucis, NC
Length	15.2 mi(24.5 km)

North Carolina Highway 194 Truck (NC 194 Truck) redirects truckers traveling through either Banner Elk or Valle Crucis to not use the mainline highway between the two locations, with explicate flashing warning signs. This 15.2-mile (24.5 km) detour takes truckers, from Banner Elk, south alongNC 184to Tynecastle (a.k.a. Invershield or Linville Gap), then north alongNC 105to Broadstone Road (SR-1112); hugging theWatauga River,it eventually reconnects with mainline NC 194 in Valle Crucis.

External links

Template:Attached KML/North Carolina Highway 194

KML is from Wikidata

• Media related toNorth Carolina Highway 194at Wikimedia Commons
• NCRoads.com: N.C. 194
• NCRoads.com: N.C. 691