Granite Falls, NC

united states

Granite Falls is a small mountain foothills city about 15 miles northwest of Hickory via US Highway 321. The town sits where NC 16 crosses US 321, making it a natural stopping point between Charlotte (60 miles southeast) and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Most visitors arrive on these state highways rather than interstates, though I-40 runs through Hickory for longer trips. The city gets its name from actual granite falls along the South Fork Catawba River that flows right through downtown.