Blue Ridge Parkway

Watch for rapidily changing weather conditions along the Parkway..... call the park information line at (828) 298 0398.....

View from the summit of Sharp Top

Picture of the Blue Ridge Parkway on January 7, 2010

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A drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway is meant to be slow paced and relaxing. For most of the Parkway the speed limit is 45 MPH.  A stop at almost any overlook or trail will reveal much of the natural and cultural history located along the Parkway. The Parkway meanders 469 miles between Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Enjoy the views, but watch the road.  The Parkway itself is a National Park.

Overlooks, trails, picnic and camping areas, and a multitude of developed areas await visitors who have time to explore. Give yourself at least 7-10 days to truly enjoy this beautiful road and all the recreational activities it has to offer.  There is no fee to travel the Blue Ridge Parkway and entrances and exits are available at intersections with all major highways. There are no gas stations along the parkway.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited of the National Parks and usually you will see other visitors enjoying the views.  During weekends in October, the Parkway can become quite crowded.  In 2010, the Parkway is celebrating its 75th anniversary of the start of construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Construction began on September 11, 1935 near Cumberland Knob in North Carolina.  There is a marker along the Parkway that designates the point of the ground breaking.  The Blue Ridge Parkway took 52 years to complete, as the final seven mile stretch being finished around Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina in 1987.

We visited the parkway in 2006 and 2007.  We truly enjoyed the Parkway and hope to return again.  I'd recommend exploring the Parkway to everyone, however, learn all the hidden gems along the Parkway.  Don't just drive it, explore it!

 

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Outdoor Activities

The Blue Ridge Parkway is designed as a "drive awhile and stop awhile" experience.

Overlooks, picnic areas, campgrounds, visitor centers, hiking trails, and other areas of interest are available along the road. The best way to experience this place is to take advantage of these opportunities. Short trails offer the chance to get away from the road and see the Blue Ridge up close and personal, even if just for a few minutes. Longer trails are also available for the more adventurous. Bicycling, photography, bird watching, and practically any other responsible outdoor activity is available for the Parkway visitor.

Hundreds of overlooks allow opportunities to catch a glimpse of sunrises or sunsets, have a picnic, or just enjoy the view across the mountains and valleys of the region.

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Food and Lodging

Four lodges along the Parkway provide opportunities for overnight accomodations from spring through the fall foliage season. Many Parkway travelers may find that getting off of the road and into the local towns and communities in the region is an enjoyable option for lodging as well.

In addition to lodging, seasonal restaurants at Otter Creek (MP 63), Mabry Mill (MP 176), Bluffs Coffee Shop (MP 242), and Crabtree Meadows (MP 340) offer local cuisine and the opportunity to extend your Parkway travels.

The Peaks of Otter Lodge is located twenty miles north of Roanoke, VA at Milepost 86. Phone 1-800-542 5927 for reservations. This is the only year-round lodging on the Parkway and offers dining, trails, fishing and seasonal interpretive programs at the park amphitheater.

Rocky Knob Cabins is open from May through the fall foliage season. Phone (540) 593-3503 for reservations. Located at Milepost 174 near Meadows of Dan, Va, these are small, rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the early days of Parkway construction.

Bluffs Lodge is open from May through the fall foliage season. Phone (336) 372 4499 for reservations. Located at Milepost 240 Doughton Park in North Carolina, this is one of the largest developed areas on the Parkway. Extensive hiking trails are available and the Bluffs Coffee Shop offers food service.

Pisgah Inn is open from early spring through the fall foliage season. Phone (828) 235 8228 for reservations. Located south of Asheville, NC at Milepost 408.6, Pisgah Inn is the highest elevation lodging on the Blue Ridge Parkway at over 5,000 feet.

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Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail runs parallel to the parkway for 97 miles in Virginia, allowing many hiking opportunities.  The links below will give you more detail and maps of the sections of the Appalachian Trail that run close to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Price Lake

Enjoy the day on beautiful Price Lake and soak in the warm North Carolina sunshine. Visit Price Lake Boat Dock and rent small row boats and canoes for relaxing, fishing or cruising around this beautiful Lake.

Mount Mitchell State Park

At MP 355 is Mount Mitchell State Park.  Take a drive up to the top of the highest peak east of the Mississippi River.  Great hiking trail, food and camping is available at the state park.

Camping on the Parkway

Camping is a traditional and enjoyable way for families to enjoy their National Parks. On the Blue Ridge Parkway, nine campgrounds serve visitors from early May through the fall color season. Camping is $16 for all campgrounds.

Otter Creek (MP 61) is located at the Parkway's lowest elevation near Virginia's James River.

Peaks of Otter (MP 86) near the Peaks of Otter Lodge, Abbott Lake, the restored 1930s Johnson Farm, and a magnificent trail system.

Roanoke Mountain (MP 120) with easy access to Virginia's Explore Park and the largest city along the Parkway corridor.

Rocky Knob (MP 167) with easy access to Rockcastle Gorge and just nine miles from Mabry Mill.

Doughton Park (MP 241) near Basin Cove, Bluffs Lodge, and an extensive trail system

Julian Price Park (MP 297) near Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina and close to the Moses Cone Estate. This is the Parkway's largest campground and reservations can be made for portions of this campgound on-line at RECREATION.gov or by calling 1-877-444 6777.

Linville Falls (MP 316) on the Linville River and with access to the trail system into Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Reservations can be made for portions of this campgound on-line at RECREATION.gov or by calling 1-877-444 6777.

Crabtree Meadows (MP 340) near the Crabtree Falls Trail and within fifteen miles of Mt. Mitchell State Park.

Mt. Pisgah (MP 408) is the highest Parkway campground at almost 5,000 feet elevation. Formerly part of the Vanderbilt Estate and near the US Forest Service's Cradle of Forestry site. Reservations can be made for portions of this campgound on-line at RECREATION.gov or by calling 1-877-444 6777.