Blue Ridge Parkway

America's most visited National Park is also known as "America's favorite drive."  The 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway connect the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.  Along the way it offers stunning views of the Blue Ridge mountains, forests and pastoral landscapes, with abundant hiking trails, picnic areas, campsites and interpretive signage. 

The lead designer of the famous roadway, Stanley Abbott, was a landscape architect, not an engineer.  Influenced by Frederick Law Olmstead, designer of New York's Central Park and the grounds of Biltmore Estate, Abbott's dream was to create a park-like environment as well as a road.  Today, the completed Parkway is a testament to his vision and is enjoyed by millions of visitors each year.

Part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal," the Blue Ridge Parkway was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) starting in 1935 in an effort to create much-needed jobs during the Depression.  Planners saw long-term benefits for the project as well, recognizing that tourism would enhance the economy of the areas surrounding the Parkway – a vision that has also proven true.

The Parkway in North Carolina

Two hundred fifty-two miles of the Parkway wind from the Virginia border to the town of Cherokee in Western North Carolina.  Some of the main attractions include:

• Hiking and scenic walks.  With over 100 hiking trails, the Parkway offers everything from a short leg-stretch to a challenging cross-country trek.  Some favorite trails include:
 Cumberland Knob, milepost 217.5.
 Linville Falls and Gorge, milepost 316.3.
 Crabtree Meadows and Falls, milepost 339.5-340.3.
 Mt. Mitchell State Park, milepost 355.4.
 Craggy Gardens, milepost 364.4.
 Mt. Pisgah, milepost 408.6.
 Looking Glass Rock, milepost 417.
 Graveyard Fields, milepost 418.8.
 Devil's Courthouse, milepost 422.4.
 Mount Hardy, milepost 422.8.
 Richland Balsam, milepost 431
• Camping.  From tent sites to full service trailer and RV areas, Parkway camping facilities are among the best to be found in Western North Carolina.  They include:
 Doughton Park, milepost 241.
 Julian Price Memorial Park, milepost 295.
 Crabtree Meadows and Falls, milepost 339.5-340.3.
 Mt. Pisgah, milepost 408.6.
• Historic and interpretive sites.  A number of historic homes, Revolutionary War sites, and interpreted natural sites can enrich the traveler's journey.  Among them are:
 Brinegar Cabin, milepost 238.5.
 Ben Long frescoes at Glendale Springs, milepost 258-259.
 Moses Cone Manor and Memorial Park, milepost 292.7.
 Historic Flat Top Manor House and Parkway Craft Center, milepost 294.
 Museum of North Carolina Minerals, milepost 331.
 Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, milepost 331.
 Mt. Mitchell State Park, milepost 355.4.
 Folk Art Center, milepost 382.
• Restaurants and visitor services.  Only one service station offers gas on the Parkway itself, but there are a number of excellent restaurants along the way, including:
 Bluff's Lodge and Restaurant, milepost 241.
 Linn Cove Viaduct Information Center, milepost 304.4.
 Craggy Gardens Visitor Center, milepost 364.4.
 Mt. Pisgah Inn and Restaurant, milepost 408.6.
 Waterrock Knob Visitor Information Center, milepost 451.2.

The National Park Service offers ranger-guided walks and evening campfire programs at some locations.

The town of Cherokee, at milepost 455.7, is the southern entrance to the Parkway and the North Carolina gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The Cherokee Qualla Boundary is the home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is also a favorite route for bicyclists.  Because the Parkway is off-limits to commercial vehicles, it is safer for cyclists than conventional highways.

The Parkway is open year-round, but sections may be closed in winter due to ice and snow.  Year-round attractions located on the Parkway include the Museum of North Carolina Minerals near Spruce Pine and the Folk Art Center and Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center in Asheville.  For information on road conditions, call (828) 298-0398.

Blue Ridge Parkway Headquarters                                                                                          
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, NC 28803
Visitor Information Recorded Message: (828) 298-0398                       (828) 271-4779
www.nps.gov/blri