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US 276: Brevard to Bethel, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina
Photo: Ken Thomas

Drives North Carolina Asheville and the Blue Ridge

US 276: Brevard to Bethel

US 276, Pisgah Highway, Cruso Road · Pisgah Forest → Bethel

Twisty29 mi50 min3,100 ft climbHigh point ≈ 4,500 ftOne way
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The drive

US 276 runs north from Pisgah Forest, just past its junction with US 64, into the heart of Pisgah National Forest. This is the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway, and the stops come early: Looking Glass Falls, and then the Cradle of Forestry, where Carl Schenck founded the Biltmore Forest School in 1898, the first forestry school in the country.

Past the Pink Beds, an upland bog covered in rhododendron and laurel, the road crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway at Wagon Road Gap. The drive ends at Bethel, at the NC 215 junction. The drive is 28.8 miles and takes about 50 minutes, with three twisty stretches.

Along the way

  1. Pisgah Forest (US-64)
  2. Looking Glass Falls
  3. Cradle of Forestry
  4. Bethel (NC-215)
Elevation
3,100 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 4,500 ft
Pisgah ForestBethel
Curves
Mostly moderate, with three twisty stretches
Pisgah ForestBethel
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The Forest Service says the byway has 9 percent grades and curves that may slow drivers to about 15 mph, and it is not recommended for RVs or buses.
  • The Cradle of Forestry is a fee site, open seasonally from mid-April to early November, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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 US 276 from Brevard to Bethel take?

US 276 from Pisgah Forest to Bethel is 28.8 miles and takes about 50 minutes, with three twisty stretches.

Is US 276 through Pisgah National Forest good for RVs?

The Forest Service says the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway on US 276 is not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses, because of 9 percent grades and curves that can slow traffic to about 15 mph.

What is there to see on US 276 in Pisgah?

US 276 passes Looking Glass Falls and the Cradle of Forestry, the site of America's first forestry school, and crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway at Wagon Road Gap.

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

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Map of US 276: Brevard to Bethel, from Pisgah Forest to Bethel