View west near the east end of SR 256 at US 340 in Grottoes
SR 256 begins at an intersection with US 11 (Lee Highway) west of Weyers Cave. The state highway heads east as two-lane undivided Weyers Cave Road, which immediately has a
diamond interchange with I-81. SR 256 has a grade crossing of the
Chesapeake Western Railway and meets the southern end of
SR 276 (Keezletown Road) in the community of Weyers Cave. The state highway passes
Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and crosses the
Middle River, a tributary of the
North River. SR 276 then crosses the
South River—which with the North River forms the
South Fork Shenandoah River—into Rockingham County and the town of Grottoes. The state highway passes along the southern edge of the town as 3rd Street and provides access to Grand Caverns, a
National Natural Landmark that was originally known as Weyer's Cave and is the oldest
show cave in the United States. SR 256 has a grade crossing of
Norfolk Southern Railway's Roanoke District before reaching its eastern terminus at US 340 (East Side Highway).[1][2]