Quickest route from Boone to Asheville (Hickory, Morganton: construction, county, directions)

[JayJayCB]

I know windy mountain roads take forever, but what's the fastest route between Boone and Asheville? Not concerned with scenery, just want to know the quickest way. Would it be going down to Hickory and hopping on I-40?

[carolinadawg2]

105 to 183 to 221 to Marion, then I-40.

[roadpony]

Originally Posted by carolinadawg2

105 to 183 to 221 to Marion, then I-40.

You missed a couple of hwy links in your directions. 105 > 221 >181 > 183 > 221 to Marion... Hwy 105 ends at the stoplight at the Linville PO. That's where 221 picks up, then you take a left onto 181 at Pineola (for just a few miles toward Morganton) and a right on 183 to 221 south. A late truck driver I knew many years ago in Watauga County always swore by this route.

Or the OP could skip the 181/183 part and just stay on 221. I've driven both alternatives many, many times and there's really not a lot of difference, though 181/183 looks a lot shorter on the maps. Since the OP is not familiar with this route, it might be simpler to stay on 221 (fewer turns). The time difference is not really appreciable.

If the OP takes 321 from Boone to Hickory, he'll run into construction hold-ups in Blowing Rock and a LOT of stoplights between Lenoir and Hickory, and lot more miles than the above route. If taking this route, it's shorter mileage-wise, but maybe not time-wise if not familiar, to go to Morganton > to I-40 from Lenoir than going all the way to Hickory, but I'd advise the Linville > Marion route.

[JayJayCB]

I'll swing down to Marion from 221, then. From Marion, would I continue on 70 to Old Fort and then hop on I-40? Or just hop on I-40 in Marion?

[carolinadawg2]

Just get on 40.

[roadpony]

Originally Posted by carolinadawg2

Just get on 40.

Agreed - get on 40 at Marion.