Blue Ridge Parkway
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Blue Ridge Parkway is a very scenic stretch of road in the states of North Carolina and Virginia in the United States of America. The parkway wanders 469 mi between Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park
UnderstandAlthough the Blue Ridge Parkway is often seen primarily as a scenic byway with many natural attractions, it is also a cross-section of Appalachian mountain history.
Get in
Fees and permitsThere is no fee to travel the Blue Ridge Parkway and entrances and exits are available at intersections with all major highways.
Get aroundThe Parkway connects Shenandoah National Park near Waynesboro, Virginia at Milepost 0 (MP 0) with Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina at Milepost 469 (MP 469).
SeeThe Folk Art Center in Asheville, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals at Spruce Pine, and the Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant north of Roanoke are open year round.
Do
EatSeasonal 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.
SleepFour lodges along the Parkway provide accommodations from spring through the fall foliage season.
Stay safe
Go nextBe sure to visit some of the towns nearby the parkway to get a "real feel" of the region.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Blue Ridge Parkway" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons