Blue Ridge Parkway

A national park road winding 755 km along the Blue Ridge of the Appalachians. It connects Shenandoah in the north with the Great Smoky Mountains in the south. The autumn foliage here is among the best in the United States.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Construction began in 1935, and the full route was completed in 1987. It runs from Rockfish Gap in Virginia, where it connects with Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive, south to Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina. The route is 469 miles (about 755 km) long and has more than 200 overlooks and over 20 tunnels. There are no traffic lights, and trucks are prohibited. Highlights in Virginia include Humpback Rock, Otter Peak and Roanoke, and Mabry Mill. In North Carolina, highlights include Blowing Rock and Boone, the Linn Cove Viaduct, the Rough Ridge Trail, Grandfather Mountain, and Linville Falls. Around Asheville, you'll find Mount Mitchell (the highest peak east of the Mississippi River), Craggy Gardens, Mount Pisgah, Graveyard Fields, and Black Balsam Knob. The highest point, Richland Balsam, sits at 1,845 m. The speed limit is 45 mph. The full route takes at least 3 days, and 4 to 6 days is recommended. It is often combined with Shenandoah's Skyline Drive. Gas stations and restaurants are few along the parkway, so you'll need to go down into nearby towns to resupply. In winter and during foggy or rainy weather, some sections close, so check the NPS real-time road conditions before departure. On autumn weekends, parking at overlooks is tight.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Along the route