Your source for exploring the heritage treasures
of the North Carolina mountains and foothills.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville, NC features an award-winning film and exhibits on natural and cultural heritage.
Welcome to the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
a place unlike any other on earth, where ancient landscapes enchant the eye and age-old traditions warm the heart. Congress designated the mountains of North Carolina the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in recognition of their natural abundance and richly varied cultural history. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area nonprofit organization works to preserve, interpret and celebrate this heritage for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area includes the Cherokee Qualla Boundary and 25 Western North Carolina counties.
For Friends & Partners

Featured Grant
Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree Retail Store Expansion
Celebrating Blue Ridge Heritage and Appalachian Crafts in Spruce Pine NC
Featured Artist
Buddy Davis
Oldtime, country, and bluegrass musician, Buncombe County
Buddy Davis, a seventh-generation descendant ...
Traditional Artist Directory
Featured Destination
Looking Glass Rock
The sheer face of Looking Glass Rock, located in the Pi...
Attractions Directory


