NC 88 starts at the terminus of
Tennessee State Route 67 at the
Tennessee state line (at a location called State Line Gap), just from
U.S. Route 421 (US 421). The road follows the Hoskin Fork through its brief stay in
Watauga County into
Ashe County where it meets up with the
North Fork New River at Sutherland Road. Until
Warrensville, the highway is constantly curving along the banks of the Hoskin Fork and North Fork New River, though there is not much elevation change. ==History==