The highway connects the White Rock community, through the Bald Mountains, in Madison County.

Traveling in a northeasterly direction, it hugs along the banks of the Shelton Laurel Creek, arriving in the community of White Rock four miles (6.4 km) into the trip.

Continuing on, it travels through the heart of the Pisgah National Forest, going between Limestone and Sugarloaf Mountains.

At Devil Fork Gap (3,107 ft (947 m), highest point on route), it crosses both the Appalachian Trail and the Tennessee state line, continuing on as SR 352 towards Johnson City.

[3] In 1984, NCDOT reversed their decision and reinstated NC 212 to the Tennessee state line.