McDowell County Rest Area Photos
You might also consider
More like McDowell County Rest Area
Recommended Reviews - McDowell County Rest Area
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
Fairly clean and easy to access rest area. Parking in the car area is on a slope so make sure your kids watch their doors as they tend to fly open when they are on the downhill side. The restrooms are decently clean with two different sides for men and women, so a total of four different areas. The sinks with their auto activation are pretty bad though I couldn't get hardly any water to come out and you end up, bumping your hands against the sink itself, which isn't clean. Everything else was great.
Honestly. Probably the only rest area that is pretty much a mandatory stop for me. I make the drive from Greensboro to the Asheville area several times a year, and this one is just far enough that after 2 hours of driving, it is the perfect time to get out, stretch the legs, and hit the restroom before climbing up black mountain into the highlands. As a frequent stopper, I can attest to the fact this place deserves its high ratings. It has never been anything less than spotless even on busy travel days, or even the dreaded "leaf season." The settings is serene, with well kept facilities, and you have to love the water features. Plenty of room for a short walk especially for dog owners, or to let the kids get a little energy out. The bathrooms have never been less than clean, and considering the volume, that is pretty remarkable. The only restrooms I have ever seen cleaner are the ones at Buc-ees where you basically get your own NY size studio apartment to do your business. The vending options are numerous and accept credit cards as well as most phone app payment options. Even the banter scratch into the bathroom stall walls is clean. Who's your favorite pokemon? These forums have changed a lot in my time.
We came thru with our camper 29 ft and didn't have to park over with the trucks . They had few nice pull over spots by restroom you could easily pull out of. The whole spot was beautiful.. and very well kept. There was a small creek set up rolling over some rocks . The bathroom was well maintained.. great place to put stop before heading out..
Just beautiful! I enjoyed the landscaping. A very nice shaded picnic area is available. Restrooms are clean and modern. Large vending building. Easily accessed from I 40. Thanks to the hard working crew!!!
Nice, clean and conveniently located right off of I-40. There is plenty of parking and the bathrooms were not crowded either. There were also quite a few picnic tables and a dog waste facility. Vending machines were also on the premises. The landscaping was very nice and unexpected from a rest area.
when nature calls, I answer, and the answer is usually "Yes, I will get that done as soon as I can..." which is how I wound up at the McDowell County Rest Area. yea coffee! Apparently two rest areas directly across I-40 from each other are included at this location which keeps life easy until it doesn't. the north side (west bound) stop is smallish and elevated and looking somewhat a-tilt because the drive mostly conforms to the hillside sort of. would be nice to have another grill to prepare a hot lunch at the furthest reaches of parking loop; the elevation provides an unexpectedly tranquil view of the interstate and the eastbound stop below :-) buildings and grounds seem well kept and tidy; the facilities are facile and the lot is parkable (truck parking is on the low ground and includes a bit of a walk-up)
Clean and easy and probably one of the prettiest highway rest areas I've seen in a very long time. This is a lovely spot to spend a few minutes decompressing from the highway as there are trees and benches and the most lovely waterfall set up. Inside, bathrooms are clean and there is a water fountain. Excellent rest area to relax for a few and get some strength before starting into the mountains toward Asheville. [Review 12659 overall, 2451 of 2019.]
Extremely clean rest stop with plenty of parking for trucks and cars. Although we used it late at night in the midst of pouring rain it looks like it would be a good stop on a nice day. There appeared to be a variety of picnic tables. The exit off and on Highway 40 are well designed. It came at a convenient time, about 40 miles before our Asheville destination.
This is pretty good rest area. This one is on the east bound side of I40. The restrooms are clean. I think the chances of catching something from the toilets is very low. Of course keep in mind this is a rest area off a busy interstate and you never know who was there before you. The grounds are nice. Lots of space to walk and hang out. Also dog friendly. The vending machines are very nice. Nice selection and most of them take cards and Apply Pay.
It's not easy to travel and find dependable, clean and safe rest areas. Well for a first time stop at McDowell I pretty much can say they have all the amenities that a road warrior could ask for. Keep in mind this is not a welcome center with staff assisting travelers. Easy access off the highway divides the cars in rear and trucks up front. The building appears newer and i would consider it even attractive for a rest area with stone facade and a water feature by vending. The restrooms are the priority for most travelers. I found the men's room spotless. My wife reported the same of the women's. The facilities also appear newer with modern sinks and stools. Everything worked and proper supplies on hand. I also saw in-house staff cleaning. A vending area is adjacent to the main building. Sodas and snacks, but not a lot of variety to choose from. There are grassy areas to walk pets and it is maintained. A few tables around, but no shelters that I recall. My visit was during a weekday afternoon. I would consider the area safe to make a stop. However, usual precautions should always take place of locking the car when in the building and being aware of surroundings. I would not hesitate recommending. WTG North Carolina.
The McDowell County Rest Area is located along Interstate 40 West at Milepost 82. I will note that the next rest area westbound will be 70 miles down the road. My stop here was on July 30, 2018 heading to our destination of Asheville, which is about 30 miles from this rest area. As you enter the rest area, cars veer off to the right, while trucks go to the left. When you come to this rest area, there was enough parking at the time of the visit. It wasn't too busy. This rest area can accommodate 28 cars, 8 cars with trailers, and 16 slots for trucks. Stopping here was probably for the same reason as many others: needing to use the restroom. The men's room was clean and well maintained. There were staff there that were tending to the property. It was quite easy to get the crap out of your body when it doesn't want to wait. Since the goal was to get to the hotel in Asheville, the length of stay was short, so I didn't get a chance to take many pictures this go around. There are plenty of outside spaces to relieve your pets if they need that. Also, there's just quite a bit of area to just walk around, de-stress and just stretch the legs after sitting in a car for a while. Overall, this is a very nice rest area, along with most others I have visited in the state of North Carolina. If your travels take you this way, be sure to stop in since it will be quite a while before the next rest area. You'll be glad you did.
This is a set of two facilities across I-40 from each other. One serves east bound traffic heading toward Hickory/Statesville and the other serves west bound heading toward Asheville. We stopped in the east bound one last Sunday on our way back from a HS Reunion. This one is east of Old Fort near Marion. What can you say about a rest area other than this one is exceptionally clean and well maintained. Not too many staff to interact with were very friendly. Grounds are well maintained with ample room to walk around and walk your dogs. Good place to stop and rest for a couple of minutes before heading down the road.
Lots of parking spaces. Beautiful landscaping. Vending machines available. Women's bathroom was a bit messy with tissue paper all over the floor.
This is a great rest stop during long roadtrips! There's dog walking areas, plenty of parking spots, vending machines, and the bathrooms are well stocked and clean! Definitely get out and walk around, there's a cute little man-made creek in front of the vending machine area and the scenery is green, wooded, and mountainous. I hope to find this rest stop again on our next adventure because you don't always find the greatest rest stops along the way. read more
5 months ago
Cow was here Saturday March 21st. 2026. We stopped by to use the restrooms. Big restrooms. Walking area. Dog walking in back. Vending machines read more
11 months ago
Fairly clean and easy to access rest area. Parking in the car area is on a slope so make sure your kids watch their doors as they tend to fly open when they are on the downhill side. The restrooms are decently clean with two different sides for men and women, so a total of four different areas. The sinks with their auto activation are pretty bad though I couldn't get hardly any water to come out and you end up, bumping your hands against the sink itself, which isn't clean. Everything else was great. read more
2 years ago
Honestly. Probably the only rest area that is pretty much a mandatory stop for me. I make the drive from Greensboro to the Asheville area several times a year, and this one is just far enough that after 2 hours of driving, it is the perfect time to get out, stretch the legs, and hit the restroom before climbing up black mountain into the highlands. As a frequent stopper, I can attest to the fact this place deserves its high ratings. It has never been anything less than spotless even on busy travel days, or even the dreaded "leaf season." The settings is serene, with well kept facilities, and you have to love the water features. Plenty of room for a short walk especially for dog owners, or to let the kids get a little energy out. The bathrooms have never been less than clean, and considering the volume, that is pretty remarkable. The only restrooms I have ever seen cleaner are the ones at Buc-ees where you basically get your own NY size studio apartment to do your business. The vending options are numerous and accept credit cards as well as most phone app payment options. Even the banter scratch into the bathroom stall walls is clean. Who's your favorite pokemon? These forums have changed a lot in my time. read more
2 years ago
We came thru with our camper 29 ft and didn't have to park over with the trucks . They had few nice pull over spots by restroom you could easily pull out of. The whole spot was beautiful.. and very well kept. There was a small creek set up rolling over some rocks . The bathroom was well maintained.. great place to put stop before heading out.. read more
Nice, clean and conveniently located right off of I-40. There is plenty of parking and the bathrooms were not crowded either. There were also quite a few picnic tables and a dog waste facility. Vending machines were also on the premises. The landscaping was very nice and unexpected from a rest area. read more
when nature calls, I answer, and the answer is usually "Yes, I will get that done as soon as I can..." which is how I wound up at the McDowell County Rest Area. yea coffee! Apparently two rest areas directly across I-40 from each other are included at this location which keeps life easy until it doesn't. the north side (west bound) stop is smallish and elevated and looking somewhat a-tilt because the drive mostly conforms to the hillside sort of. would be nice to have another grill to prepare a hot lunch at the furthest reaches of parking loop; the elevation provides an unexpectedly tranquil view of the interstate and the eastbound stop below :-) buildings and grounds seem well kept and tidy; the facilities are facile and the lot is parkable (truck parking is on the low ground and includes a bit of a walk-up) read more
Clean and easy and probably one of the prettiest highway rest areas I've seen in a very long time. This is a lovely spot to spend a few minutes decompressing from the highway as there are trees and benches and the most lovely waterfall set up. Inside, bathrooms are clean and there is a water fountain. Excellent rest area to relax for a few and get some strength before starting into the mountains toward Asheville. [Review 12659 overall, 2451 of 2019.] read more
Extremely clean rest stop with plenty of parking for trucks and cars. Although we used it late at night in the midst of pouring rain it looks like it would be a good stop on a nice day. There appeared to be a variety of picnic tables. The exit off and on Highway 40 are well designed. It came at a convenient time, about 40 miles before our Asheville destination. read more
This is pretty good rest area. This one is on the east bound side of I40. The restrooms are clean. I think the chances of catching something from the toilets is very low. Of course keep in mind this is a rest area off a busy interstate and you never know who was there before you. The grounds are nice. Lots of space to walk and hang out. Also dog friendly. The vending machines are very nice. Nice selection and most of them take cards and Apply Pay. read more
9 years ago
It's not easy to travel and find dependable, clean and safe rest areas. Well for a first time stop at McDowell I pretty much can say they have all the amenities that a road warrior could ask for. Keep in mind this is not a welcome center with staff assisting travelers. Easy access off the highway divides the cars in rear and trucks up front. The building appears newer and i would consider it even attractive for a rest area with stone facade and a water feature by vending. The restrooms are the priority for most travelers. I found the men's room spotless. My wife reported the same of the women's. The facilities also appear newer with modern sinks and stools. Everything worked and proper supplies on hand. I also saw in-house staff cleaning. A vending area is adjacent to the main building. Sodas and snacks, but not a lot of variety to choose from. There are grassy areas to walk pets and it is maintained. A few tables around, but no shelters that I recall. My visit was during a weekday afternoon. I would consider the area safe to make a stop. However, usual precautions should always take place of locking the car when in the building and being aware of surroundings. I would not hesitate recommending. WTG North Carolina. read more
The McDowell County Rest Area is located along Interstate 40 West at Milepost 82. I will note that the next rest area westbound will be 70 miles down the road. My stop here was on July 30, 2018 heading to our destination of Asheville, which is about 30 miles from this rest area. As you enter the rest area, cars veer off to the right, while trucks go to the left. When you come to this rest area, there was enough parking at the time of the visit. It wasn't too busy. This rest area can accommodate 28 cars, 8 cars with trailers, and 16 slots for trucks. Stopping here was probably for the same reason as many others: needing to use the restroom. The men's room was clean and well maintained. There were staff there that were tending to the property. It was quite easy to get the crap out of your body when it doesn't want to wait. Since the goal was to get to the hotel in Asheville, the length of stay was short, so I didn't get a chance to take many pictures this go around. There are plenty of outside spaces to relieve your pets if they need that. Also, there's just quite a bit of area to just walk around, de-stress and just stretch the legs after sitting in a car for a while. Overall, this is a very nice rest area, along with most others I have visited in the state of North Carolina. If your travels take you this way, be sure to stop in since it will be quite a while before the next rest area. You'll be glad you did. read more
This is a set of two facilities across I-40 from each other. One serves east bound traffic heading toward Hickory/Statesville and the other serves west bound heading toward Asheville. We stopped in the east bound one last Sunday on our way back from a HS Reunion. This one is east of Old Fort near Marion. What can you say about a rest area other than this one is exceptionally clean and well maintained. Not too many staff to interact with were very friendly. Grounds are well maintained with ample room to walk around and walk your dogs. Good place to stop and rest for a couple of minutes before heading down the road. read more
5 years ago
Lots of parking spaces. Beautiful landscaping. Vending machines available. Women's bathroom was a bit messy with tissue paper all over the floor. read more
Pleasant surprise and a nice rest area. It has a water feature and a very informative education sign about concrete pavement. Also, the bathroom area is well kept. I mean, what else can you ask for in a rest area? The only thing that might be better is if it is located at a super scenic location. A Must Stop. read more
3 years ago
14 years ago
Probably the best place to stop when heading back east to Charlotte from Asheville or any other place off of I-40. Looks more like a log cabin than a rest stop and it definitely houses the same hospitality. Even for the winter time, this place is brilliantly landscaped. Flowers, edged grass, and other nice plants giving the space some green. The bathrooms were immaculate. Very clean, two separate entrances for each, and the hand soap smells amazing. Not like some of those other rest stop where the soap is an obligatory element and typically smells like bandaids. The parking situation is great, too. Not too many spaces outlying too far from the main facility and all angled for a quick get away! Really easy entrance and exit for this rest stop. read more
4 years ago
10 years ago
Clean facilities and great scenic rest stop! Great place to stop and stretch while taking in the scenery and natural landscape. Trash receptacles galore (that were obviously emptied on a regular basis) along with companion recycling bins - way to go NC!! read more
11 years ago
7 years ago
11 years ago
7 years ago
13 years ago
11 years ago
More info about McDowell County Rest Area
Ask the Community - McDowell County Rest Area
Review Highlights - McDowell County Rest Area
McDowell County Rest Area - reststops - Updated August 2026
Best of McDowell
People found McDowell County Rest Area by searching for…
Casinos With Slot Machines in McDowell, NC
Scenic Restaurants in McDowell, NC
Transportation in McDowell, NC
Things to Do on a Rainy Day in McDowell, NC
Waterfalls and Swimming Holes in McDowell, NC
Cheap Extended Stay Hotel in McDowell, NC
Long Term Rv Parking in McDowell, NC
New Businesses in McDowell, NC
Hotels & Travel in McDowell, NC
Off Road Trails in McDowell, NC
Semi Truck Wash in McDowell, NC
