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Highway 28: Lauada to Franklin, Little Tennessee River, North Carolina
Photo: Matthew Timothy Bradley · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives North Carolina The Smokies

Highway 28: Lauada to Franklin

NC 28, Bryson City Road · Lauada, near Bryson City → Iotla, Franklin

Intense16.1 mi30 min2,000 ft climbHigh point ≈ 2,300 ftOne way
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The drive

North of Franklin, NC 28 follows the Little Tennessee River valley and passes Fontana Lake. This drive runs the other way, from Lauada near Bryson City south along the river to Iotla, on the edge of Franklin. It is 16.1 miles and takes about 30 minutes.

NC 28 is an 81.2-mile highway through Nantahala National Forest and overlaps parts of the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway. The current road was established in 1938.

Along the way

  1. Lauada (US-19/74), near Bryson City
  2. Iotla, Franklin
Elevation
2,000 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 2,300 ft
Lauada, near Bryson CityIotla, Franklin
Curves
Twisty most of the way
Lauada, near Bryson CityIotla, Franklin
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • NC 28 overlaps parts of the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway, whose Forest Service page lists no fee.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check NCDOT DriveNC: traffic and road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does NC 28 from Lauada to Franklin take?

NC 28 from Lauada to Iotla near Franklin is 16.1 miles and takes about 30 minutes.

Which river does NC 28 follow north of Franklin?

North of Franklin, NC 28 follows the Little Tennessee River valley and passes Fontana Lake.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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More drives near here

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 28: Lauada to Franklin, from Lauada, near Bryson City to Iotla, Franklin