North Carolina Highway 261

North Carolina Highway 261
Route information
	Maintained by NCDOT
Length	12.8 mi[1] (20.6 km)
Existed	1952–present
Major junctions
South end	NC 226 in Bakersville
North end	SR 143 at the Tennessee line
Location
Counties	Mitchell
Highway system

North Carolina Highway 261 (NC 261) is a short state highway going from Bakersville to the Tennessee state line where the road turns into Tennessee State Route 143 (SR 143). The road is only 12.8 miles (20.6 km) long and is very curvy. The road is close to Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee.

Route description

NC 261 begins in the town of Bakersville, the county seat of Mitchell County, at a stop-controlled T-intersection with NC 226 (Crimson Laurel Way). It immediately climbs a short hill out of the town and into the Pisgah National Forest. As it starts to head in a northeastern general direction, NC 261 begins a winding course between the Cub Creek and Pumpkin Patch Mountain. After crossing Pumpkin Patch Gap (elevation approximately 3,140 feet (960 m)), the road begins to follow the Little Rock Creek and pass through the communities of Cookstown and Glen Ayre. three miles (4.8 km) outside of Glen Ayre, after paralleling more streams, NC 261 starts a climb up to Roan Mountain. Afters some hairpin turns, the road reaches Carvers Gap (elevation 5,500 feet (1,680 m)) where the state line and Appalachian Trail crosses the road. Tennessee SR 143 continues ahead towards the community of Roan Mountain.[1][2][3]

History

What became NC 261 was an unnumbered gravel and dirt road between Bakersville and Carvers Gap. Between 1949 and 1953, the state took over the road and paved it with asphalt.[4][5] The routing has not changed since its original designation.

Junction list

The entire route is in Mitchell County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Bakersville	0.0	0.0	NC 226 (Crimson Laurel Way)
	12.8	20.6	SR 143 north – Roan Mountain	Tennessee state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

Google (June 20, 2014). "North Carolina Highway 261" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
Bakersville, NC/TN Quadrangle (Map). 1 : 24,000. 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic). United States Geological Survey. 1997. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
Carvers Gap, NC/TN Quadrangle (Map). 1 : 24,000. 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic). United States Geological Survey. 1994. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
Mitchell County - Tenth Division (PDF) (Map). North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. June 30, 1949. p. 94. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
Mitchell County - Thirteenth Division (PDF) (Map). North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. January 1, 1953. p. 96. Retrieved March 6, 2016.

External links

NCRoads.com: N.C. 261

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[GM-1] Google (June 20, 2014). "North Carolina Highway 261" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 20, 2014.

[1997BakersvilleTopo-2] Bakersville, NC/TN Quadrangle (Map). 1 : 24,000. 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic). United States Geological Survey. 1997. Retrieved March 6, 2016.

[1994CarversGapTopo-3] Carvers Gap, NC/TN Quadrangle (Map). 1 : 24,000. 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic). United States Geological Survey. 1994. Retrieved March 6, 2016.

[NCDOT1949Map-4] Mitchell County - Tenth Division (PDF) (Map). North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. June 30, 1949. p. 94. Retrieved March 6, 2016.

[NCDOT1953Map-5] Mitchell County - Thirteenth Division (PDF) (Map). North Carolina State Highway and Public Works Commission. January 1, 1953. p. 96. Retrieved March 6, 2016.