There are plenty of reasons to visit the North Carolina High Country in the fall, but one of the best doesn’t require a reservation, a ticket, or even hiking boots.
Just get in the car and take the long way.
The Blue Ridge Parkway may be the most famous scenic drive in the North Carolina mountains, but some of our favorite views are found on the winding two-lane roads and quiet backroads of Ashe County. You’ll pass Christmas tree farms, old barns, mountain churches, open pastures, stretches of the New River, and small communities that still feel wonderfully removed from the rush of everyday life.
And if you’re headed our way, make The Old Store at Grassy Creek your destination.
Located at 710 Grassy Creek Road in Grassy Creek, North Carolina, near the Virginia state line, The Old Store makes an easy stopping point for a scenic drive from West Jefferson, Sparta, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or southwestern Virginia.
Here are some of our favorite ways to get here—and a few ideas for where to wander once you arrive.
Fall Scenic Drives in Ashe County, NC
While these drives are beautiful throughout the year, fall is an especially good time to take the scenic route through Ashe County. The landscape is a patchwork of hardwood forests, open farmland, Christmas tree fields, mountain ridges, and river valleys—and in autumn, the changing leaves add another layer of color to almost every view.
Fall color also varies across the High Country depending on elevation, weather, and location, so you don't necessarily need to hit one perfect “peak” weekend. Higher elevations may begin changing first, while valleys and lower elevations often hold their color later in the season. That makes October a wonderful time to explore different parts of Ashe County and the surrounding mountains.
If you're visiting during fall leaf season, give yourself plenty of time. Traffic can be heavier on the Blue Ridge Parkway and around Boone and Blowing Rock, while the backroads of northern Ashe County offer a quieter way to enjoy the season. Pack a jacket, bring your camera, and don't be afraid to take the road that looks a little less traveled.
And, of course, make time to stop in Grassy Creek. The drive is part of the experience—but so is getting out of the car, sitting on the porch at The Old Store, and enjoying a fall afternoon in the mountains.
1. Take the Crooked Road: Jefferson to Grassy Creek on Old Highway 16
Best for: A classic winding mountain-road experience
If you’re coming from Jefferson or West Jefferson and you have a little extra time, skip the fastest route and find your way onto Old Highway 16.
Sometimes nicknamed the “Crooked Road” by locals, Old Highway 16 is exactly what you might imagine an old mountain highway to be: narrow, winding, and full of curves as it makes its way through the Ashe County countryside toward Grassy Creek. This is not the road to take when you’re in a hurry. That’s also what makes it special.
In the fall, the route winds through colorful hardwood forests and rural farmland, giving you a glimpse of the Ashe County landscape that you simply don’t get from the newer highway.
From Jefferson, follow Old NC Highway 16 north toward Grassy Creek. The Old Store sits at the intersection of Old Highway 16 and Grassy Creek Road, so you can quite literally make the store your destination at the end of the drive.
Local tip: This is a true mountain road, with plenty of curves. Slow down, watch for local traffic, and enjoy the journey.
2. NC Highway 16 North: The Easy Scenic Route from Jefferson
Best for: Mountain scenery without quite so many curves
If Old Highway 16 sounds a little too adventurous, take NC Highway 16 North from Jefferson instead.
This is the more direct route toward Grassy Creek, but “direct” certainly doesn’t mean boring. As you travel north, the landscape becomes increasingly rural, with mountain views, farms, pastures, and plenty of fall color.
From Jefferson, follow NC 16 North toward the Virginia state line. After the state line, take your first right and turn onto Grassy Creek Road at the old Stateline Outpost & Grub. There is a directional sign for The Old Store in the field on your left.
From there, travel up and over the hill. You’ll pass the old Virginia-Carolina High School and the churches as you enter the historic Grassy Creek community. Continue to the intersection with Old Highway 16, where you’ll find The Old Store.
This is probably the simplest scenic route for visitors coming from West Jefferson who want a pretty drive without adding too much time to the trip.
3. West Jefferson to Lansing to Grassy Creek
Best for: Turning the drive into a half-day Ashe County adventure
Have a little more time? Instead of heading directly from West Jefferson to Grassy Creek, take a detour through Lansing.
From West Jefferson, take NC Highway 194 North toward Warrensville and Lansing.
Once you get north of Warrensville, you’ll actually be traveling part of the Big Horse Creek Scenic Byway, an official North Carolina Scenic Byway. The route winds through forests, pastures, Christmas tree farms, and small mountain communities before passing through Lansing.
Spend a little time exploring Lansing, then continue north through the countryside. From the northern Lansing area, set your GPS for The Old Store at Grassy Creek, 710 Grassy Creek Road, and make your way east through northern Ashe County toward Grassy Creek. There are several small backroad routes connecting this part of Ashe County, and that's part of the appeal.
Rather than thinking of this as simply a drive from West Jefferson to The Old Store, make a morning or afternoon of it. Spend some time exploring Lansing, then continue through the beautiful countryside of northern Ashe County before ending in Grassy Creek. Browse The Old Store, grab a treat, and leave a little time to sit on the porch and enjoy the slower pace.
Local tip: If you're visiting during fall leaf season, this is one of the routes we'd put near the top of the list. The combination of mountain communities, farms, Christmas tree fields, and fall color is hard to beat.
4. Sparta to Grassy Creek
Best for: Visitors exploring Alleghany County and northern Ashe County
If you're visiting Sparta, North Carolina, Grassy Creek makes a wonderful addition to a day exploring the mountains.
From Sparta, head toward Piney Creek and NC Highway 93 West. This takes you through the beautiful countryside of northern Alleghany County and toward the New River and the Virginia state line.
From there, follow your GPS toward Grassy Creek and The Old Store. Depending on the route selected, don't be surprised if your drive briefly takes you across the Virginia state line before bringing you back into North Carolina. That's normal around here!
The communities of Alleghany County, Ashe County, and Grayson County, Virginia, sit close together, and the little roads connecting them can be some of the prettiest in the area.
Once you arrive in Grassy Creek, give yourself some time to get out of the car, browse The Old Store, and enjoy the countryside before heading on to your next stop.
5. Independence, Virginia to Grassy Creek
Best for: A scenic cross-state drive through Grayson County and Ashe County
We're so close to Virginia that visitors sometimes don't realize The Old Store is in North Carolina at all.
If you're staying around Independence, Virginia, head west on US Highway 58 through the Grayson County countryside. From the US 58 corridor, follow your GPS south on Jefferson Highway/Highway 16 toward Grassy Creek and The Old Store.
You'll travel through a wonderfully rural part of southwestern Virginia before crossing the state line into North Carolina. Farms, wooded ridges, mountain views, and winding country roads make this a beautiful way to connect a visit to Grayson County with a day in Ashe County.
You can also reverse the trip: stop at The Old Store first and then continue into Virginia for more exploring.
6. Blue Ridge Parkway to Grassy Creek
Best for: Combining the Parkway with a quieter mountain destination
Of course, no list of scenic drives in the High Country would be complete without the Blue Ridge Parkway.
But here's our suggestion: don't spend your entire day on the Parkway. Enjoy the overlooks and long-range mountain views, then get off the Parkway and explore some of the communities beyond it.
One easy way to reach us is to leave the Blue Ridge Parkway at NC Highway 16 near Milepost 261. Take NC Highway 16 North toward Jefferson. Continue through the Jefferson area and stay on NC 16 North toward the Virginia state line.
After the state line, turn onto Grassy Creek Road at the old Stateline Outpost & Grub. There is a directional sign for The Old Store in the field on your left. Travel up and over the hill, passing the old Virginia-Carolina High School and the Grassy Creek churches. Continue into the community until you reach The Old Store at the intersection of Grassy Creek Road and Old Highway 16.
It's a wonderful contrast: the sweeping vistas of the Parkway followed by the farms, creeks, churches, and small communities of rural Ashe County.
And remember that driving the Parkway almost always takes longer than you expect. The speed limit is lower, the road is winding, and you're going to want to stop at an overlook or two.
Before you go: Always check current Blue Ridge Parkway road conditions. Sections can close because of weather, construction, or maintenance.
7. Our Favorite: Explore the New River Backroads from The Old Store
Best for: Getting off the beaten path
Once you make it to The Old Store, you don't necessarily have to turn around and head home. In fact, this might be our favorite part of the drive.
Grassy Creek sits just a short distance from the New River, and some of the prettiest scenery around here is found on the network of quiet country roads—some gravel—that wind between the store and the river.
One route follows Grassy Creek Road to New River Cemetery Road (both gravel), then turns left onto paved Weaver Ford Road. Follow it to the Weaver Ford Road bridge, where Weaver's Ford Road becomes gravel again and continues along the river.
Another option is to follow Grassy Creek Road toward Red Hill Road. The roads come together before reaching Double Branch Road, which takes you toward Garvey Bridge Road and the New River. The entire route is gravel.
Whichever way you go, this is a drive to take slowly. You'll pass farms, wooded hillsides, old homes, and quiet stretches of countryside before reaching the river. Most of the roads are gravel, but that's part of the experience—and part of what makes this such a beautiful way to see a quieter side of Grassy Creek.
Once you reach the New River, cross one of the bridges and continue exploring the public roads along the water. You can also make your way toward the "confluence" - the area where the North Fork and South Fork of the New River come together, forming the main stem of the river before it continues north into Virginia.
This isn't a drive about checking attractions off a list. Roll down the windows. Take your time. Stop and look at the river. Admire an old barn, a Christmas tree farm, or the mountains rising above the valley. That's part of the experience.
Make The Old Store Your Scenic-Drive Stop
However you get here, plan to stay awhile.
The Old Store at Grassy Creek is a restored historic general store that has been part of this community for more than a century. Inside you'll find local foods, Appalachian crafts, gifts, and products from North Carolina and Virginia makers.
Outside, you'll find porches, rocking chairs, and plenty of room to slow down and enjoy the Grassy Creek countryside.
Browse the store. Sit on the porch. Explore the community. Then choose another pretty road for the trip home. Because around here, getting there really can be half the fun.
Plan Your Visit
The Old Store at Grassy Creek
710 Grassy Creek Road
Grassy Creek, NC 28631
Hours:
Monday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday: 1–6 p.m.
And if one day isn't enough, make a weekend of it. Grassy Creek is a peaceful home base for exploring Ashe County, the New River, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Alleghany County, and nearby southwestern Virginia.
One last piece of advice: when your GPS gives you a choice between the fastest route and the scenic route, every once in a while, choose the scenic one.
We'll see you when you get here!
Planning a Visit to Grassy Creek?
There’s plenty more to explore once you get here. Visit our Plan a Visit page for ideas on what to see and do around Grassy Creek, the New River, Ashe County, and nearby southwestern Virginia.
And if you’re planning a day trip or mountain getaway, read more from The Old Store blog for local tips, seasonal happenings, things to do in Ashe County, and more ideas for exploring this quieter corner of the North Carolina mountains.
→ A Perfect Weekend Getaway in Grassy Creek NC