U.S. Route 221 (US 221) is a spur of

U.S. Route 21 U.S. Route 21 or U.S. Highway 21 (US 21) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway in the Southeastern United States that travels . The southern terminus is in Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, south of the ...

. It travels from

Perry, Florida Perry is a city in Taylor County, Florida, Taylor County, Florida, United States. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,017. It is the county seat. The city was named for Madison Perry, fourth Governors of Florida, Gov ...

, at US 19/ US 98/ US 27 Alternate to

Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...

, at US 29 Business (

Lynchburg Expressway The Lynchburg Expressway is a freeway in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It con ...

). It travels through the states of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, Georgia,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. It travels through the cities of Valdosta, Georgia;

Spartanburg, South Carolina Spartanburg is a city in and the county seat, seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest c ...

; Marion, North Carolina; Roanoke, Virginia; and Lynchburg, Virginia. Throughout western North Carolina, from the Virginia state line to the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...

, US 221 is a challenging drive, and can be described as one climb after another. In some places, the route skirts around large foothills.

Route description

Florida

U.S. Route 221 originates just south of the city of Perry, with its southern terminus intersecting with the cosigned

U.S. Route 19 U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie. The highway's southern ...

U.S. Route 98 U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...

and U.S. Route 27 Alternate, taking hidden SR 55 with it away from US 19. It continues through the city of Perry and intersects

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...

and U.S. Route 90 in rural Madison County before crossing into Georgia.

Georgia

U.S. Route 221 runs through the cities of Quitman,

Valdosta Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. As of 2019, Valdosta had an estimated population of 56,457. Valdosta is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in 2021 had a ...

, Lakeland,

Pearson Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education *Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC *Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based int ...

, and

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals *Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking *Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...

in southern Georgia. In Quitman, it joins

U.S. Route 84 U.S. Route 84 (US 84) is an east–west U.S. Highway that started as a short Georgia–Alabama route in the original 1926 scheme. Later, in 1941, it had been extended all the way to Colorado. The highway's eastern terminus is a short distan ...

(cosigned Georgia State Route 38) to Valdosta. From Valdosta to Douglas, it joins with

Georgia State Route 31 State Route 31 (SR 31) is a state highway that travels south-to-north through portions of Lowndes, Lanier, Clinch, Atkinson, Coffee, Telfair, Wheeler, Dodge, Laurens, and Johnson counties in the south-central part of the U.S. state ...

. It also joins with Georgia State Route 135 and State Route 56. From Pearson to Douglas, it joins with

U.S. Route 441 U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...

as a four-lane highway, which was completed in 2000. In Douglas, U.S. Route 221 runs as the eastern part of Bowens Mill Rd. and will be widened in the future. It passes through Hazelhurst, Mount Vernon and Soperton before crossing Interstate 16, then later joins up with U.S. Route 1 and

Georgia State Route 4 State Route 4 (SR 4) is a state highway in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. Except for its northernmost portion, it is completely concurrent for its entire length with U.S. Route 1 (US 1). It traverses south-to ...

after passing through Louisville. After going through

Wrens Wrens are a family of brown passerine birds in the predominantly New World family Troglodytidae. The family includes 88 species divided into 19 genera. Only the Eurasian wren occurs in the Old World, where, in Anglophone regions, it is common ...

, it splits off to the north, cosigned with

Georgia State Route 47 State Route 47 (SR 47) is an arc-shaped state highway that travels through portions of Taliaferro, Wilkes, Lincoln, Columbia, McDuffie, and Jefferson counties in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway conne ...

and passes through

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

before crossing

Interstate 20 Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with Interstate 10, I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with Interstate 95, I-95 in Flo ...

/ Georgia State Route 402 approximately 20 miles west of Augusta. Shortly before crossing into South Carolina, Georgia State Route 150 merges with Route 221 at the Pollards Corner intersection as Georgia 47 turns away. The passage into South Carolina takes place on top of the J. Strom Thurmond Dam, which forms the southern shore of J. Strom Thurmond Lake.

South Carolina

U.S. Route 221 enters South Carolina in rural

McCormick County McCormick County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 9,526, making it the second least-populous county in South Carolina. Its county seat is McCormick. The county was formed in 191 ...

at the southeastern edge of

Lake Strom Thurmond Lake Strom Thurmond, officially designated J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir at the federal level, and Clarks Hill Lake by the state of Georgia, is a reservoir at the border between Georgia and South Carolina in the Savannah River Basin. Description ...

. It continues north and northwestward to the town of

McCormick McCormick may refer to: Business * McCormick & Company, an American food company specializing in spices and flavorings * McCormick & Schmick's, an American restaurant chain specializing in seafood * McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, a manufact ...

. From McCormick, it continues northerly to the city of

Greenwood Green wood is unseasoned wood. Greenwood or Green wood may also refer to: People * Greenwood (surname) Settlements Australia * Greenwood, Queensland, a locality in the Toowoomba Region * Greenwood, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth C ...

. From Greenwood, U.S. Route 221 continues northeasterly to the city of Waterloo, South Carolina. U.S. Truck Route 221 bypasses the city of Laurens on the east side. It continues northerly and intersects Interstate 385 in rural Laurens County and proceeds to intersect Interstate 26 in rural

Spartanburg County Spartanburg County is a county located on the northwestern border of the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 327,997, making it the fifth-most populous county in South Carolina. Its county seat is Spartanburg ...

. U.S. Route 221 continues through the center of the city of Spartanburg before intersecting Interstate 85 just north of the city. It continues to the city of Chesnee before exiting the state in a rural area of

Cherokee County Cherokee County is the name of eight counties in the United States: * Cherokee County, Alabama * Cherokee County, Georgia * Cherokee County, Iowa * Cherokee County, Kansas * Cherokee County, North Carolina * Cherokee County, Oklahoma * Cherokee Cou ...

. The southern terminus of U.S. Alternate Route 221 intersects the main route in the city of Chesnee and exits the state a few miles to the east of the main route.

North Carolina

U.S. Route 221 runs through the cities of Rutherfordton,

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...

Blowing Rock Blowing Rock may refer to: * The town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina ** The rocky outcropping Blowing Rock (land feature), near the town of the same name * Blowing Rock, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Caribbean island belonging to Anguil ...

, Boone, and

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

. The highway is predominantly two-lane, while four-lane in Marion, Blowing Rock, and Boone. The section from the U.S. Route 321 interchange just east of Boone and into

in Ashe county is now a divided, four-lane controlled-access road, making this section a much more pleasant and scenic one. Two sections of the highway can be considered challenging and twisty: 13-mile stretch between Linville and Blowing Rock, and a 21-mile stretch between Jefferson and Twin Oaks. U.S. Route 221 has one Alternate (continuing from South Carolina) and two Business Routes (in Marion and Jefferson). It intersects two major highways:

U.S. Route 74 U.S. Route 74 (US 74) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Primarily in North Carolina, it serves as an important highway from the mountains to the ...

near Rutherfordton and I-40 near Marion; and also intersects with the

four times.

Virginia

, US 221 runs from the

state line near

Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

north to its northern terminus at US 29 Business, US 460 Business, and US 501 Business in Lynchburg. US 221 connects Independence,

Galax ''Galax'', the wandplant, wandflower, or beetleweed, is a genus in the flowering plant family Diapensiaceae, containing a single species, ''Galax urceolata'' (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''G. rotundifolia'', ''G. aphylla''). It is native to the sou ...

, and Hillsville in Southwest Virginia while running concurrently with

US 58 U.S. Route 58 (US 58) is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee, to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran only ...

. The U.S. Highway connects those communities with Roanoke via Floyd County, within which US 221 is the main west–east highway. The U.S. Highway also runs concurrently with US 460 from Roanoke to

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

and parallels that U.S. Highway from Bedford to Lynchburg.

Major intersections

;Florida : in Perry : in Perry : south-southeast of Greenville : in Greenville. The highways travel concurrently through Greenville. ;Georgia : in Quitman. The highways travel concurrently to

. : in Valdosta : in Valdosta. US 41/US 221 travels concurrently through Valdosta. : in Lakeland. The highways travel concurrently to east-northeast of Lakeland. : south-southwest of

. The highways travel concurrently to

. : in Pearson : in Hazlehurst. The highways travel concurrently through Hazlehurst. : in Mount Vernon : south of Norristown : north-northeast of Norristown : south-southwest of Bartow. The highways travel concurrently to Bartow. : in Louisville. The highways travel concurrently to

. : in Wrens : in

: south of Appling ;South Carolina : in

. The highways travel concurrently through McCormick. : south-southeast of

. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Greenwood. : in Laurens : north of Laurens : east-northeast of

Moore Moore may refer to: People * Moore (surname) ** List of people with surname Moore * Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador * Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior officer in the British Army * Moore Powell (died c. 1573 ...

: in Spartanburg : north of Spartanburg : east of Valley Falls ;North Carolina : southwest of Forest City : in Rutherfordton : southeast of West Marion : in

: in

. The siblings travel concurrently to Boone. : in Boone. The siblings travel in a wrong-way concurrency to north-northeast of Deep Gap. : in Twin Oaks. US 221 travels concurrently with its parent to Independence, Virginia. ;Virginia : in Independence. US 58/US 221 travels concurrently to Hillsville. : in Woodlawn : in Hillsville : in Roanoke. The highways travel concurrently through Roanoke. : in Roanoke : in Roanoke. US 221/US 460 travels concurrently to

. : in Lynchburg : in Lynchburg

Special routes

References

External links

Endpoints of U.S. Highway 221 on USEnds.com
{{US 21 21-2 2