The State Transportation Map, first published in 1916, is a popular and useful travel resource. Updated every two years, it features North Carolina's extensive highway system as well as important safety information.
Free copies of the most recent map, published in 2023, are available at
VisitNC.com or by calling 800-VISITNC. Maps are also available at welcome centers and rest areas across the state.
A digital version – both front and back – is available for download.
Map Insets
There are 24 insets showing additional detail covering major cities and regions as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway.
State Transportation Map History
In addition to the detail and the number of roads, there have been quite a few changes to the map since it was first printed in 1916.
In 1923, a mileage chart was added so travelers could estimate the distance between major cities. Seven years later, printed illustrations instructed motorists how to properly use hand signals when turning left and right and for stopping.
The first color map was printed in 1936 and featured a 40-inch hand-drawn panorama of the Blue Ridge Parkway, then under construction.
For three decades, beginning in the 1940s, two versions were printed – a black-and-white map featuring regulatory information for commercial vehicles and a color map highlighting points of interest for tourists.
Links to some of the State Transportation Maps from over the years (available in PDF format) are below.