US 221 enters from
South Carolina as a rural superstreet highway, with mostly farms, wooded areas, or homes dotting the road. After it connects with
US 74, where
US 74 Business begins its overlap towards
Rutherfordton as a two lane highway (signs of US 74 Business are scarce throughout). At Rutherfordton, the first major intersection is Charlotte Street, where US 74 Business and
US 221A go east. After Rutherfordton, the road reverts to a rural highway, and continues on to
Marion. Before entering Marion city limits,
I-40 intersects with US 221. US 221 then joins with
NC 226, going west around the city on the Marion Bypass. After the expressway passes the shopping centers along
US 70, it continues as a four-lane highway with a turning median all the way to Woodlawn. Along the way, several business can be seen including shrubbery farms, stone/rock cutters, and a chemical plant. NC 226 splits at
Woodlawn, for travelers that want to go to
Spruce Pine while US 221 continues as a divided highway to Pitts Station Road at North Cove. The climb to
Linville Falls is somewhat curvy. It is a route heavily traveled by trucks, and a
runaway truck ramp is located along this section. Also located in this section is
Linville Caverns, a small tourist destination. At Linville Falls, nearby sites include
Linville Gorge Wilderness,
Linville Falls, (via
NC 183) and the
Blue Ridge Parkway. Between Linville Falls and
Linville, the highway goes through large tracts of
fraser fir farms, from the mountain tops to the valleys. At Linville, motorists are recommended to follow
NC 105/
US 221 Truck to
Boone and
Blowing Rock, which is faster and flatter. Those that continue on what is known as the Little Parkway Scenic Byway come upon an segment of numerous curves and elevation changes. The entrance to
Grandfather Mountain is located near Linville; also nearby is the
Linn Cove Viaduct, via the Blue Ridge Parkway. Those that continue along the scenic route can take a short break at the state rest area. Near Blowing Rock, visitors may also visit the
Julian Price Memorial Park and
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, via Blue Ridge Parkway. Blowing Rock and Boone are popular year-round tourist destinations; as such the highway between the two towns offers an array of activities include skiing, shopping, amusement rides, and golf. In Boone, US 221 turns early along NC 105 to King Street, avoiding
Appalachian State University and the downtown area; once on King Street (with
US 421/
NC 194 concurrency), it heads east out of town on a four-lane expressway. At
Deep Gap, US 221 goes north again on what was formerly a slightly curvy two-lane road to
Jefferson. This road has been twinned. As the road nears
West Jefferson, the road appears to open up, allowing for more views of the surrounding areas. At West Jefferson and Jefferson, the road serves as a bypass, as well as the last commercialized area along US 221 until
Galax, Virginia. The next of US 221 is very curvy, similar to the stretch between Linville and Blowing Rock (minus the continuous elevation changes). Between the southern terminus of
NC 93 and
US 21 in
Twin Oaks, US 221 is concurrent with
North Carolina Bicycle Route 4. US 221 and US 21 form a concurrency north from Twin Oaks to the Virginia state line.
Dedicated and memorial names US 221 in North Carolina features a few dedicated or memorialized stretches of highway. •
Dr. Mary Martin Sloop Highway – official North Carolina name of US 221 between
Crossnore and
Linville. It is named in honor of Dr. Mary Martin Sloop, the founder of the Crossnore School in 1913. •
Robert C. Hunter Expressway – official North Carolina name of the Marion Bypass in
McDowell County. It is named in honor of
Robert C. Hunter, who was a judge in the
North Carolina Court of Appeals (approved on November 3, 1989). •
Robert G. Barr Expressway – official North Carolina name of US 221 between
Baldwin and
Jefferson, named after a politician from
West Jefferson (approved on August 14, 1981). ==History==