US 52 parallels
I-77 through the state. It enters Virginia from
North Carolina in the town of
Cana, Virginia as a two-lane road known as Fancy Gap Highway. In the town of
Fancy Gap there is an interchange with the
Blue Ridge Parkway, and at the center of town an intersection with SR 755 (Chances Creek Road) provides access to I-77. In
Hillsville the route enters town as South Main Street and has an interchange with
US 58 at the south edge of town, and in the center of town, it meets
US 221 (Stuart Drive) at an intersection, where South Main Street becomes North Main Street, before leaving north out of town along Poplar Camp Road. Gradually climbing through the rolling foothills of the
Appalachian Mountains, an intersection with
SR 69 provides another access point for I-77, before it crosses over the
New River and passes under, but does not interchange with, I-77. In
Fort Chiswell, US 52 meets
SR 94 at the center of town before merging with I-77 North/
I-81 South/
US 11 South. The four routes continue along a freeway together to the city of
Wytheville, Virginia, where US 11 leaves along Lee Highway/East Main Street, then I-77 leaves northward along its own freeway, and finally US 52 leaves the freeway at North 4th Street. Leaving Wytheville along Stoney Fork Road, US 52 begins its steep climb across the peak of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, passing
Big Walker Lookout tower at a
hairpin turn just at the ridge of the mountains. Descending via a long series of short switchbacks down the other side of the mountain ridge, there is an interchange with I-77 in the community of
Bland. From here northwards, the road is known as Scenic Highway, and it again crosses another ridge of mountains, steeply climbing to meet the
Appalachian Trail south of the community of
Bastian. Past Bastian, SR 666 provides access to I-77 yet again, and US 52 passes through the small community of
Hicksville before a complex interchange with I-77 and SR 606 at
Wolf Creek. US 52 closely hugs I-77 as the two routes follow the narrow Wolf Creek valley, as US 52 serves as a
frontage road to the southbound lanes of I-77. At
Rocky Gap there is a brief concurrency with
SR 61 and an interchange with I-77. US 52 merges with I-77 just south of the
East River Mountain Tunnel entrance. The two routes pass into
West Virginia through the tunnel. ==History==