Winter weather conditions can force temporary and fast-changing closures, stay up to date with the Blue Ridge Parkway road closure map.
One of the larger protected tracts along the Blue Ridge Parkway is Doughton Park, a 6,000-acre landscape of open meadows and pioneer cabins near Sparta, North Carolina.
Miles of Great Hiking on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Thirty miles of hiking trails run through Doughton Park, through pastures and meadows, coves and valleys, and along streams. The park is one of the best places on the Blue Ridge Parkway to view wildlife, including white-tailed deer, raccoons, red and gray foxes and bobcats. Flame azalea and rhododendron bloom in the late spring. Guided nature walks and craft demonstrations are offered in the summer season.
Visit a Pioneer Cabin in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge
The pioneer cabins include the Brinegar Cabin (ca. 1885) and the one-room Caudill Cabin (ca. 1895). Other structures were lost in the great flood of 1916.
Doughton Park also offers picnic areas, a campground, trailer sites, and comfort stations.
Hours of Operation
Open year-round, with facilities open May through October.
Hours of operation are subject to change. Contact directly for most current information.
Admission Fees
None.
Location
Doughton Park is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 238.5 and 244.7.
