U.S. 19

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U.S. 19 travels in a southwest to northeast orientation across the Appalachian Mountains in western North Carolina. The U.S. highway flows northward out of the Atlanta metropolitan area into the North Georgia Mountains before crossing the state line with U.S. 129 near Ranger. Four miles beyond the state line, U.S. 19/129 combine with U.S. 64/74 for seven miles to Murphy. Once at Murphy, U.S. 19 Business loops into town and U.S. 64 leaves for Hayesville and Franklin. U.S. 19-29-129 continue 28 miles to Topton, where U.S. 129 departs for Robbinsville. A U.S. 19 Business loop serves the town of Andrews midway between Ranger and Topton.

Beyond the separation with U.S. 129, U.S. 19/74 continue with two lanes through Nantahala, Wesser and the southern reaches of Fontana Lake. U.S. 19 partitions with U.S. 74 at the west end of the Great Smoky Mountain Expressway at Bryson City. U.S. 19 is the main highway through Bryson City en route to Ela, Birdtown and the resort town of Cherokee. Cherokee, where U.S. 19 overlaps with U.S. 441, lies just south of Great Smoky Mountains National Park within the Cherokee Indian Reservation.

An older concrete bridge carries U.S. 19/74 across the Nantahala River between U.S. 129 at Topton and Nantahala Gorge. Photo by Carter Buchanan. - 09/12/2004

U.S. 19 continues east from Cherokee with two lanes along a winding course not recommended for trucks through Soco Gap to Maggie Valley. The truck route for U.S. 19 circumvents this stretch south along U.S. 441 to U.S. 74 (Great Smoky Mountains Expressway) at Gateway, and east along U.S. 74 to Lake Junaluska.

Within the town of Maggie Valley, U.S. 19 expands to four lanes leading east to U.S. 276 at Dellwood and Lake Junaluska. A short overlap along the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway takes U.S. 19 east alongside U.S. 23/74 to Clyde. U.S. 19/23 shift east from U.S. 74 to Canton while U.S. 74 continues north onto Interstate 40.

North from Asheville, U.S. 19/23 follows I-26 to Madison County. U.S. 19 splits into Eastern and Western branches from Cane River, North Carolina to Bluff City, Tennessee.

U.S. 19 North Carolina Guides

North

U.S. 19-129 - Georgia to Murphy - 7 photos

U.S. 19-74-129 - Murphy to Bryson City - 45 photos

Bryson City to Lake Junaluska - 11 photos

U.S. 19/23 - Clyde to Asheville - 7 photos

South

Lake Junaluska to Bryson City - 16 photos

U.S. 19-74-129 - Bryson City to Murphy - 47 photos

U.S. 19-129 - Murphy to Georgia - 8 photos

North

U.S. 19 splits into U.S. 19E/W at Cane River in Yancey County. U.S. 19E comprises a 74.4 mile long loop east to Spruce Pine and north to Elizabethton, Tennessee. U.S. 19W runs 62.6 miles north to Ramseytown and alongside I-26/U.S. 23 to Erwin and Johnson City, Tennessee. The two converge at Bluff City.

06/17/05

scenes

Wiggins Road (SR 1200) links Interstate 40 with U.S. 19/23 (Smokey Park Highway) to the immediate south of Exit 37.

04/22/17

U.S. 19 Connector (Veterans Boulevard) north at U.S. 19 (Main Street) in Bryson City.

09/12/04

Everett Street south at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad crossing and Depot Street in Downtown Bryson City. Everett Street crosses the Tuckasegee River in three blocks ahead of U.S. 19 (Main Street).

08/12/04

NC 194 concludes at U.S. 19E at Ingalls. NC 194 (Three Mile Highway) meanders 4.2 miles eastward, linking U.S. 19E with U.S. 221 near Blue Ridge Parkway. U.S. 221 and 19E do not meet otherwise.

06/17/05