List of bicycle routes in North Carolina

North Carolina Bicycle Route 3
North Carolina Bicycle Route 3
Ports of Call
Location	SC State Line–VA State Line
Length	300 mi (480 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 2
North Carolina Bicycle Route 2
Mountains to Sea
Location	Murphy–Manteo, NC
Length	700 mi (1,100 km)

U.S. Bicycle Route 1
U.S. Bicycle Route 1
Carolina Connection
Location	SC State Line–VA State Line
Length	200 mi (320 km)

Last updated August 03, 2023

The following is a List of bicycle routes in North Carolina. These routes are designated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Division.

State
U.S. Bicycle Route 1
North Carolina Bicycle Route 2
North Carolina Bicycle Route 3
North Carolina Bicycle Route 4
North Carolina Bicycle Route 5
North Carolina Bicycle Route 6
North Carolina Bicycle Route 7
North Carolina Bicycle Route 8
North Carolina Bicycle Route 9
Regional
Lake Norman Bicycle Route
Pottery Loop
External links
References

State

U.S. Bicycle Route 1

The North Carolina portion of U.S. Bicycle Route 1 is known as the Carolina Connection and runs north–south through the central portion of the state, passing through Raleigh.^[2]

North Carolina Bicycle Route 2

North Carolina Bicycle Route 2 is known as The Mountains to the Sea. Running 700 miles from Murphy in the western mountains to Manteo on the Atlantic coast, this route crosses most of the nine statewide signed and mapped bicycle routes that the North Carolina Department of Transportation has designated.

North Carolina Bicycle Route 3

North Carolina Bicycle Route 3, the Ports of Call Route, is one of nine bicycle routes designated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. It runs along North Carolina's coast for 300 miles (480 km) from South Carolina to Virginia near major ports of the US colonial era—Southport, Wilmington, New Bern, Bath, and Edenton. Near Wilmington it connects with North Carolina Bicycle Route 5. It crosses North Carolina Bicycle Route 2 near Washington and North Carolina Bike Route 4 near the Virginia border. Other points of interest along this route include Fort Fisher State Historic Site, Carolina Beach State Park, the Croatan National Forest Recreation Areas, Tryon Palace, Goose Creek State Park and Merchants Millpond State Park.

North Carolina Bicycle Route 4

North Carolina Bicycle Route 4
North Line Trace

Location	Piney Creek–Knotts Island, NC
Length	400 mi^[1] (640 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 4, known as the North Line Trace, is a bicycle path that runs from east to west across North Carolina just south of the state's border with Virginia.^[2]

The route, which is nearly 400 miles (640 km) in length, reaches six state parks and several other recreation areas, including Stone Mountain State Park, Pilot Mountain State Park, Hanging Rock State Park, and Merchants Millpond State Park; Hyco Reservoir, Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston Recreation Areas; and the Dismal Swamp and Currituck Sound areas. Campgrounds are located roughly every 75 miles (121 km) along the route.^[2]

North Carolina Bicycle Route 5

North Carolina Bicycle Route 5
Cape Fear Run

Location	Apex–Southport, NC
Length	160 mi^[1] (260 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 5, the Cape Fear Run, travels 160 miles (260 km) along the Cape Fear River from Apex through the southeast coastal plain to Wilmington at the sea. In Wilmington, it connects with North Carolina Bicycle Route 3, the Ports of Call Route. Rolling hills soon give way to flat land in the swamps and Carolina bays typical of this region of the state. Notable points of interest include Jones Lake State Park, Moore's Creek National Military Park, the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial, Brunswick Town State Historic Site, Carolina Beach State Park, and Fort Fisher State Historic Site.

North Carolina Bicycle Route 6

North Carolina Bicycle Route 6
Piedmont Spur

Location	Upper Creek–Snow Camp, NC
Length	200 mi^[1] (320 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 6, the Piedmont Spur, is a 200 miles (320 km) southern alternate route of the Mountain to the Sea through the North Carolina Piedmont.^[2]

The route begins at the intersection of NC 181 (Beatrice Cobb Highway) and Brown Mountain Beach Road. The route goes south to Morganton and Lincolnton; then east to Boger City, Huntersville, Concord, and Albemarle. After entering Montgomery County, it goes northeast through the communities of Ophir, Seagrove, and Staley, before ending in Snow Camp at the intersection of Pleasant Hill Church Road and Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road.

The route is well marked with directions, also "Share the Road" signs are typical along portions of the North Carolina Highways that overlap with the bicycle route. A few locations along the route, specifically in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, and Stanly counties, can be considered dangerous because of either construction or high traffic volumes along route.^[3]

North Carolina Bicycle Route 7

North Carolina Bicycle Route 7
Ocracoke Option

Location	Wilson–Ocracoke, NC
Length	170 mi^[1] (270 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 7, the Ocracoke Option, connects Bike Route 2 near Wilson 170 miles (270 km) southeast to Ocracoke. The route passes through New Bern and Beaufort and utilizes the Cedar Island Ferry to Ocracoke.^[2]

North Carolina Bicycle Route 8

North Carolina Bicycle Route 8
Southern Highlands

Location	Blue Ridge Parkway–Lincolnton, NC
Length	120 mi^[1] (190 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 8, the Southern Highlands, runs 120 miles (190 km) through the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern North Carolina. The east end of the route is Bike Route 6 near Lincolnton.^[2]

North Carolina Bicycle Route 9

North Carolina Bicycle Route 9
Sandhills Sector

Location	Lake Tillery–Gum Springs, NC
Length	125 mi^[1] (201 km)

North Carolina Bicycle Route 9, the Sandhills Sector, is a 125-mile (201 km) moderate difficulty route from NC Bicycle Route 6, east of Lake Tillery/Pee Dee River, to NC Bicycle Route 5, in Gum Springs. The route travels through the Uwharrie National Forest, Mount Gilead, Aberdeen, Raeford and Hope Mills.^[4]

Regional

Lake Norman Bicycle Route

Lake Norman Bicycle Route

Location	Catawba, Iredell, and Mecklenburg Counties
Length	60 mi^[5] (97 km)

The Lake Norman Bicycle Route connects five towns and cities in three counties that surround Lake Norman, the largest inland body of water in the state. The overall route, using the "LN" signage, traverses between Huntersville and Sherrills Ford, with loops and spurs that also connect Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, Troutman, and Lake Norman State Park. The route was established jointly between the Centralina Council of Governments and NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Division.^[5]

Pottery Loop

Pottery Loop

Location	Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, and Richmond Counties
Length	155 mi^[6] (249 km)

The Pottery Loop connects 13 small towns in four counties in central North Carolina. The route highlights potters, equestrian ranches, peach growing farms as well as several game lands and wildlife reserves. Signage along the route use the letters "PL," and overlaps in some sections with USBR 1, NCBR 6, and NCBR 9. The route was established as part of the Central Park Bicycle Plan, jointly between the Piedmont Triad Regional Council and NCDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Division.^[6]^[7]

External links

North Carolina Bike Routes (NCDOT)

Related Research Articles

U.S. Route 74 (US 74) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 515 miles (829 km) from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Primarily in North Carolina, it serves as an important highway from the mountains to the sea, connecting the cities of Asheville, Charlotte and Wilmington. The entire length of the route is known as Andrew Jackson Highway.

U.S. Route 321 (US 321) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for 516.9 miles (831.9 km) from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Lenoir City, Tennessee; with both serving as southern termini. It reaches its northernmost point at Elizabethton, Tennessee, just northeast of Johnson City. Because of its unusual "north–south–north" routing, U.S. Route 321 intersects both Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70 three separate times. The highway serves different roles in each state: An alternate route to interstates in South Carolina, a major highway in North Carolina, and a scenic route in Tennessee.

North Carolina Highway 12 (NC 12) is a 148.0-mile-long (238.2 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina, linking the peninsulas and islands of the northern Outer Banks. Most sections of NC 12 are two lanes wide, and there are also two North Carolina Ferry System routes which maintain continuity of the route as it traverses the Outer Banks region. NC 12 is part of the Outer Banks Scenic Byway, a National Scenic Byway. The first NC 12 appeared on the 1924 North Carolina Official Map and at its greatest length ran from NC 30 in Pollocksville to NC 48 near Murfreesboro. Over time it was replaced by both U.S. Route 258 (US 258) and NC 58 and ceased to exist in 1958. The current NC 12 first appeared on the 1964 state highway map running from US 158 in Nags Head to Ocracoke. In 1976 NC 12 was extended to US 70 on the mainland and in 1987 was extended north to Corolla.

North Carolina Highway 8 (NC 8) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The route connects the cities of Lexington and Winston-Salem to various recreational and natural sites including Uwharrie National Forest, High Rock Lake and Hanging Rock State Park.

North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16) is a 143.8-mile primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south direction, it connects the cities and towns of Charlotte, Newton, Conover, Taylorsville, Wilkesboro and Jefferson, linking the Charlotte metropolitan area with the mountainous High Country. NC 16 is part of a three-state route 16 that connects the Charlotte region with northwestern West Virginia.

North Carolina Highway 150 (NC 150) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves the Foothills and Piedmont Triad areas of the state, connecting the cities of Shelby, Mooresville, Salisbury and Winston-Salem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Highway System</span>

The North Carolina Highway System consists of a vast network of Interstate, United States, and state highways, managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. North Carolina has the second largest state maintained highway network in the United States because all roads in North Carolina are maintained by either municipalities or the state. Since counties do not maintain roads, there is no such thing as a "county road" within the state.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division is a branch of NCDOT that is responsible for the operation of over two dozen ferry services that transport passengers and vehicles to several islands along the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is responsible for building, repairing, and operating highways, bridges, and other modes of transportation, including ferries in the U.S. state of North Carolina.

North Carolina Highway 101 (NC 101) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina that serves as a shortcut for U.S. Route 70 (US 70). It links Havelock to Beaufort, bypassing Morehead City. Most of the area along NC 101 is rural with many farms and swamps.

North Carolina Highway 27 (NC 27) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The route traverses 198 miles (319 km) through southern and central North Carolina, about 100 miles (160 km) of it as a concurrency with NC 24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 40 in North Carolina</span> Highway with its western terminus at the Tennessee state line

Interstate 40 (I-40) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that travels 2,556.61 miles (4,114.46 km) from Barstow, California, to Wilmington, North Carolina. In North Carolina, I-40 travels 420.21 miles (676.26 km) across the entirety of the state from the Tennessee state line along the Pigeon River Gorge to U.S. Route 117 (US 117) and North Carolina Highway 132 (NC 132) in Wilmington. I-40 is the longest Interstate Highway in North Carolina and is the only Interstate to completely span the state from west to east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 77 in North Carolina</span> Highway in North Carolina

Interstate 77 (I-77) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Columbia, South Carolina, to Cleveland, Ohio. In North Carolina, I-77 enters the state at Charlotte, from South Carolina. Crossing the Piedmont, it connects with Statesville before continuing north into Virginia. The landscapes traversed by I-77 is a contrast of urban and rural foothills, with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains seen from a distance on its most northern section. The Interstate extends for 105.7 miles (170.1 km) and has one auxiliary route.

North Carolina Highway 903 (NC 903) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves as predominantly rural highway in the Inner Banks region and arterial road in and around Greenville. The road covers a total of 200 miles (320 km), in a zigzag pattern through the state.

North Carolina Highway 73 (NC 73) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina that travels through south-central North Carolina in the United States. Most of the route is a two-lane highway that passes through both rural scenic areas; however, it also serves several small and moderate-sized cities in the state, including Concord and Albemarle. The western terminus of NC 73 is at an intersection with NC 27 east of Lincolnton and its eastern terminus is at a junction with US 15/US 501 in Eastwood.

U.S. Route 421 (US 421) is part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Fort Fisher, North Carolina to Michigan City, Indiana. In the U.S. state of North Carolina, US 421 travels 328 miles (528 km) from its southern terminus at Fort Fisher to the Tennessee state line near the community of Zionville, North Carolina. US 421 traverses the state from east to west travelling from the coastal plains to Appalachian Mountains. It provides an important connection between the cities of Wilmington, Sanford, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Boone. Despite being signed as north–south, much of the routing of US 421 in North Carolina runs in an east–west direction, particularly between Greensboro and the Tennessee state line. Portions of US 421 have been upgraded to freeway standards including the majority of its routing between Sanford and North Wilkesboro.

U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a north–south United States highway that runs for 150 miles (240 km) from the South Carolina state line, near McFarlan, to the Virginia state line, near Mount Airy. It serves as a strategic highway through the central North Carolina Piedmont. Because of its alignment in the state, US 52 does not follow the standard convention of an even U.S. route number going east–west.

In the U.S. state of North Carolina U.S. Route 221 (US 221) is a north–south highway that travels through Western North Carolina. From Chesnee, South Carolina to Independence, Virginia, it connects the cities of Rutherfordton, Marion, Boone and Jefferson between the two out-of-state destinations. Its most memorable section, known as the Little Parkway Scenic Byway between Linville and Blowing Rock, offers area visitors a curvier alternative to the Blue Ridge Parkway and access to Grandfather Mountain.

North Carolina Highway 181 (NC 181) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It runs north–south from Morganton to Newland.

North Carolina Highway 182 (NC 182) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves to connect the towns of Polkville and Lawndale with the city of Lincolnton.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "North Carolina Bike Routes". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
1 2 3 4 5 6 "NCDOT: Bike Maps and Routes" . Retrieved 2017-03-23.
↑ "BigBikeMap.com — NC State Bike Route 6 - Piedmont Spur" . Retrieved 2010-12-31.
↑ "NC 9 - Sandhills Sector" . Retrieved March 31, 2016.
1 2 Lake Norman Bicycle Route (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
1 2 "Central Park Bicycle Plan" . Retrieved December 8, 2020.
↑ Central Park NC Regional Bike Map, Route: Pottery Loop (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

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[WalkBikeNC-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "North Carolina Bike Routes". North Carolina Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

[NCDOT-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "NCDOT: Bike Maps and Routes" . Retrieved 2017-03-23.

[3] "BigBikeMap.com — NC State Bike Route 6 - Piedmont Spur" . Retrieved 2010-12-31.

[4] "NC 9 - Sandhills Sector" . Retrieved March 31, 2016.

[LNBR-5] 1 2 Lake Norman Bicycle Route (PDF) (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

[CPBP-6] 1 2 "Central Park Bicycle Plan" . Retrieved December 8, 2020.

[7] Central Park NC Regional Bike Map, Route: Pottery Loop (Map). North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

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See also	Bicycle law California Helmets Idaho stop List of cities with the most bicycle commuters Bike stations California bikeway classifications