The Blue Ridge Parkway is a
National Parkway and
All-American Road
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by C ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest
linear park,
runs for through 29
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
counties, linking
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park (often ) is an American national park that encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The park is long and narrow, with the Shenandoah River and its broad valley to the west, and the ...
to
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...
. It runs mostly along the spine of the
Blue Ridge, a major
mountain chain that is part of the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
. Its southern terminus is at
U.S. Route 441 (US 441) on the boundary between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the
Qualla Boundary of the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, from which it travels north to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The roadway continues through Shenandoah as
Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive is a National Parkway that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The drive's northern terminus is a ...
, a similar scenic road which is managed by a different
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...
unit. Both Skyline Drive and the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway are part of
Virginia State Route 48 (SR 48), though this designation is not signed.
The parkway has been the most visited unit of the
National Park System
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
every year since 1946 except four (1949, 2013, 2016 and 2019). Land on either side of the road is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, and in many places parkway land is bordered by
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...
property. There is no fee for using the parkway; however, commercial vehicles are prohibited without approval from the Park Service Headquarters, near
Asheville, North Carolina.
The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections that pass over especially high elevations and through tunnels are often impassable and therefore closed from late fall through early spring. Weather is extremely variable in the mountains, so conditions and closures often change rapidly. The speed limit is never higher than and is lower in some sections.
In addition to the road, the parkway has a folk art center located at mile marker 382 and a visitor center located at mile marker 384, both near Asheville. There are also numerous parking areas at trailheads for the various hiking trails that intersect the parkway, and several campgrounds located along the parkway allow for overnight stays. The
Blue Ridge Music Center (also part of the park) is located in Galax, and
Mount Mitchell (the highest point in eastern
North America) is only accessible via
North Carolina Highway 128 (NC 128), which intersects the parkway at milepost 355.4.
Route description
The parkway runs from the southern terminus of
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park (often ) is an American national park that encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The park is long and narrow, with the Shenandoah River and its broad valley to the west, and the ...
's
Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive is a National Parkway that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The drive's northern terminus is a ...
in Virginia at
Rockfish Gap
Rockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlottesville and Waynesboro, Virginia, United States, through Afton Mountain, which is frequently used to refer to the gap.
Joining the Shenandoah Valley to the Piedmont r ...
to
U.S. Route 441 (US 441) at
Oconaluftee in the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...
near
Cherokee, North Carolina. In terms of design, the parkway is an undivided
two-lane expressway
A two-lane expressway or two-lane freeway is an expressway or freeway with only one lane in each direction, and usually no median barrier. It may be built that way because of constraints, or may be intended for expansion once traffic volumes ris ...
for most of its route; access to the parkway is controlled via
interchanges with local roads and state/US highways. It crosses (but does not interchange with) several
interstate highways along its route and is carried across streams, railway ravines and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts. Frequent pull-offs, rest areas, and scenic overlooks line the sides of the road. As it is rarely the fastest or most convenient route for travelers, and it avoids population centers, the road and its vistas is designed to be the attraction itself, rather than a merely a means of efficient travel. The use of interchanges and grade separation at cross roads is designed to allow for freer flowing traffic and better vistas than frequent intersections and stoplights would allow for.
The parkway uses short side roads to connect to other highways, and there are no direct interchanges with
Interstate Highways, making it possible to enjoy wildlife and other scenery without stopping for cross-traffic. Mileposts along the parkway start at zero at the northeast end in Virginia and count to 469 at the southern end in North Carolina. The mileposts can be found on the right-hand side of the road while traveling southbound on the parkway. Major towns and cities along the way include
Waynesboro,
Roanoke, and
Galax in Virginia; and in North Carolina,
Boone and
Asheville
Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous ci ...
, where it runs across the property of the
Biltmore Estate. The
Blue Ridge Parkway tunnels
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...
were constructed through the rock—one in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and 25 in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
.
Cold weather
Much of the parkway is located at high elevation, with colder, wetter and windier conditions than in surrounding areas.
The highest point on the parkway (south of
Waynesville, near
Mount Pisgah in North Carolina) is above sea level on
Richland Balsam at milepost 431. Sections of the parkway may be temporarily closed to repair damage caused by the cold winter climate of the mountains or for other maintenance.
The parkway's natural resource protection protocol limits the use of ice melting chemicals, and certain areas could remain closed for extended periods. During road closures alternative routes are used, but short-term closures may not have a signed detour route. Sections of the parkway near the tunnels are often closed in winter due to icy conditions.
Highlights in Virginia
*Mile 0
Rockfish Gap
Rockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlottesville and Waynesboro, Virginia, United States, through Afton Mountain, which is frequently used to refer to the gap.
Joining the Shenandoah Valley to the Piedmont r ...
near
Waynesboro, Virginia
Waynesboro (formerly Flack) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a principal city of the Staunton-Waynesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area. Waynesboro is located in the Shenandoah Valley and is surrounded by Augusta Co ...
, is the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. To the north the parkway connects directly to
Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive is a National Parkway that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The drive's northern terminus is a ...
, which winds through
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park (often ) is an American national park that encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The park is long and narrow, with the Shenandoah River and its broad valley to the west, and the ...
.
*5 to 9.3
Humpback Rock has a
self-guiding trail through a collection of old
Appalachian farm buildings. A
hiking trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...
from the parking area (at mile 6.1) leads to The Rocks, whose humped appearance gives the area its name. Greenstone self-guiding trail (8.8).
*10.7 Ravens Roost offers vistas of Torry Mountain and the
Shenandoah Valley to the west. The overlook is built above a cliff, so it is frequently used for
rock climbing and
hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...
. There is also a single picnic table.
*16 Sherando Lake is a recreation area in
George Washington National Forest
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is an administrative entity combining two U.S. National Forests into one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. The forests cover of land in the Appalachian Mountai ...
from the parkway via VA 814.
Swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
,
picnicking
A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...
, and
camping
Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more na ...
.
*29 Whetstone Ridge provided many a mountain man with a fine-grained
sharpening stone
Sharpening stones, or whetstones, are used to sharpen the edges of steel tools such as knives through grinding and honing.
Such stones come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and material compositions. They may be flat, for working flat edg ...
.
*34.4 Yankee Horse Ridge supposedly is where a hard-riding
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
soldier's horse fell and had to be shot. A reconstructed spur of an old
logging railroad
A forest railway, forest tram, timber line, logging railway or logging railroad is a mode of railway transport which is used for forestry tasks, primarily the transportation of felled logs to sawmills or railway stations.
In most cases this form ...
provides access to Wigwam Falls.
*58 to 63.6 Otter Creek runs down the Blue Ridge to the
James River.
Otter Lake (63.1),
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
, trail.
*63.8 The
James River and Kanawha Canal
The James River and Kanawha Canal was a partially built canal in Virginia intended to facilitate shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western counties of Virginia and the coast. Ultimately its towpath became the roadbed for a ...
is where a footbridge leads across the river to the restored
canal locks and exhibits. A self-guiding trail follows the river bluff.
*71 Onion Mountain's short loop trail leads through
rhododendron and
mountain laurel.
*83.4 Fallingwater Cascades can be seen along a loop trail.
*84 to 87
Peaks of Otter are three mountain peaks which have been popular viewing sites since the days of
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
. A
shuttle bus
A shuttle bus is a bus that travels a shorter route in comparison to most bus routes. Typically, shuttle buses travel in both directions between two points. Shuttle buses are designed to transport large groups of people who are all travellin ...
provides service to Sharp Top.
*114.9 The
Roanoke River Gorge is visible after a short walk.
*120.4
Roanoke Mountain is a side trip. A one-way loop road, with steep grades, crosses over the mountain. Towed vehicles are prohibited.
*129.6
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley ( ) in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west. The valley includes much of Roanoke County, as well as the ...
Overlook gives a view of the largest city along the parkway.
*154.5 Smart View is named for having "a right smart view". A nearby cabin built in the 1890s is known as a spot for viewing
dogwood
''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shru ...
blooms in early May.
*167 to 174
Rocky Knob Recreation Area overlooks Rock Castle Gorge.
*176.1
Mabry Mill was operated by E.B. Mabry from 1910 to 1935. A trail leads to his
gristmill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...
,
sawmill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
,
blacksmith
A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such as gates, gr ...
shop, and other exhibits. Old-time skills are demonstrated in the summer and fall.
*188.8 Groundhog Mountain has a variety of rural fences:
snake
Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more j ...
,
Post-and-rail,
picket and
buck.
Picnic grounds and observation tower are also nearby.
* 189.1 Groundhog Mountain
*189.9 Aunt Orelena Puckett Cabin Exhibit was the home of an area midwife.
*213
Blue Ridge Music Center near the city of
Galax with concerts, music demonstrations, and a museum dedicated to anything musical, especially
old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combinati ...
.
Highlights in North Carolina
The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses the
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
–
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
state line at mile 216.9. The 1749 party that surveyed the boundary included
Peter Jefferson, father of
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
.
*Mile 217.5 Cumberland Knob, at , is the centerpiece of a small parkway recreation area.
*218.6 Fox Hunters Paradise, down a short walking path, is where
hunters
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
could listen to their
hound
A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey.
Description
Hounds can be contrasted with gun dogs that assist hunters by identifying prey and/or recovering shot quarry. The hound breeds were the first hunting dogs. ...
s baying in the valley below.
*238.5 Brinegar Cabin was built by Martin Brinegar about 1880 and lived in until the 1930s when the
homestead
Homestead may refer to:
*Homestead (buildings), a farmhouse and its adjacent outbuildings; by extension, it can mean any small cluster of houses
* Homestead (unit), a unit of measurement equal to 160 acres
*Homestead principle, a legal concept t ...
was purchased from his widow for the parkway. The original cabin stands there today.
*238.5 to 244.7
Doughton Park was named for Congressman
Robert L. Doughton, a staunch supporter and neighbor of the parkway. The park has many miles of hiking trails, a lodge, dinner, picnic area and a
campground.
*258.6 Northwest Trading Post offers crafts from North Carolina's northwestern counties.
*260.6 Jumpinoff Rock is at the end of a short woodland trail.
*264.4 The Lump is a grassy knob that provides views of the forested
foothills
Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topogr ...
.
*272 E. B. Jeffress Park has a self-guided trail to a waterfall known as the Cascades. Another trail goes to an old
cabin and
church.
*285.1
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...
's Trace, which Boone
blazed to the West, crosses near here.
*292 to 295
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
The Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is a country estate in honor of Moses H. Cone in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It is on the Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 292 and 295 with access at milepost 294. Most locals call it Cone Park. The park i ...
has
hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
,
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
and
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...
trails.
Flat Top Manor, the former house of
Moses H. Cone, is now used as the Parkway Craft Center.
*295.1 to 298
Julian Price Memorial Park, the former retreat of the insurance executive
Julian Price, offers a variety of hiking trails, campground, and Price Lake. This is the only lake on the parkway on which paddling is allowed.
*304.4
Linn Cove Viaduct
The Linn Cove Viaduct is a long, concrete segmental bridge which snakes around Grandfather Mountain in western North Carolina. Completed in 1983 at a cost of $10 million, it was one of the last major construction projects on the Blue Ridge Parkw ...
, the last segment of the parkway built, skirts the side of
Grandfather Mountain. A visitor center is located nearby and provides access to a trail under the viaduct.
*308.3 Flat Rock provides views of Grandfather Mountain and
Linville Valley.
*316.3 Linville Falls Recreation Area provides trails with overlooks of
Linville Falls and the
Linville Gorge. A campground and picnic area are also provided.
*331 The Museum of North Carolina Minerals interprets the state's mineral wealth.
*339.5 Crabtree Meadows &
Crabtree Falls is a parkway recreation area with a picnic area, campground, giftshop and hiking trails.
*349.2 Laurel Knob provides views of Grandfather Mountain, Linville Mountain, Hawksbill Mountain, and
Table Rock.
*355.4
Mount Mitchell State Park, reached via
NC 128, is the highest point east of the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
.
*359.8 Walker Knob, formerly known as Balsam Gap, is located where the
Black Mountains and the
Great Craggy Mountains meet.
*361.2
Glassmine Falls is an ephemeral waterfall visible from an overlook on the side of the parkway.
*363.4 to 369.6 Craggy Gardens in the Great Craggy Mountains are covered with purple
rhododendron in mid-to-late June. Craggy Pinnacle Trail and other trails (364.1 and 364.6); road to picnic area and trails (367.6).
*382 The
Folk Art Center is the flagship facility of the
Southern Highland Craft Guild. It offers sales and exhibits of traditional and contemporary crafts of the
Appalachian region. There are interpretive programs, three galleries, a library and a book store.
*384 The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center is the newest along the parkway. Exhibits focus on the history and heritage of the parkway and western North Carolina.
*408.6
Mount Pisgah was part of the
Biltmore Estate. The estate became home of the first forestry school in America and the nucleus of the
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
. Also located here is the Pisgah Inn resort, a park service concession.
*417
Looking Glass Rock is visible from many spots on the parkway starting at Mount Pisgah.
*418 East Fork Overlook. Located here are the headwaters of the
Pigeon River. Yellowstone Falls is a short distance away and gets its name from the yellowish moss covering the rocks.
*420.2
Shining Rock Wilderness is the largest
wilderness area
Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...
in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
, covering , with of trails and peaks over . The wilderness is named for
Shining Rock.
*420.2
Black Balsam Knob is a
grassy bald with panoramic views just outside the Shining Rock Wilderness in
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...
. The wilderness area also includes
Cold Mountain.
*422.4
Devil's Courthouse is a rugged exposed mountaintop rich in
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
traditions.
* 423.5 Herrin Knob Overlook. A hiking trail goes around
Tanasee Bald and Herrin Knob. Tanasee Bald (423.7) is said to be the home of the mythical Cherokee giant
Tsul 'Kalu.
*431
Richland Balsam is the highest point on the parkway at . There is a self-guiding trail that passes through a remnant
spruce-
fir forest.
*435.7 Licklog Ridge once hosted cattlemen and their herds of cattle before it became part of the national forest. The area earns its name from the cattlemen who would place rocks of salt into logs and holes in the earth.
*451.2
Waterrock Knob provides a panorama of the
Great Smokies, visitor center, trail, comfort station, exhibits.
*458.2 Heintooga Ridge Road runs north from the parkway to Heintooga Overlook in
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, w ...
.
*Mile 469 The southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with U.S. 441 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near
Cherokee, North Carolina.
History
Begun during the administration of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
, the project was originally called the Appalachian Scenic Highway.
Original plans called for the highway to connect Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park with the highway either turning west into Tennessee at
Linville, North Carolina, or continuing southward through North Carolina. According to ''Super-scenic Motorway: A Blue Ridge Parkway History'' by Anne Mitchell Whisnant, the Tennessee route was recommended. However, Roosevelt had remained friends with
Josephus Daniels, Roosevelt's superior as
Secretary of the Navy during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Daniels wanted the highway to go through North Carolina and persuaded
Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes to choose the North Carolina route. The Bruce Bowers documentary ''The Blue Ridge Parkway: The Long and Winding Road'' gives
Congressman Robert Doughton the credit for getting the route changed. The documentary claims Doughton worked to pass the
Social Security Act only after getting the route changed.
Most construction was carried out by private contractors under federal contracts under an authorization by Ickes in his role as federal public works administrator. Work began on September 11, 1935, near Cumberland Knob in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
; construction in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
began the following February. On June 30, 1936, Congress formally authorized the project as the Blue Ridge Parkway and placed it under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Some work was carried out by various
New Deal public works agencies. The
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
did some roadway construction. Crews from the
Emergency Relief Administration carried out landscape work and development of parkway recreation areas. Personnel from four
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...
camps worked on roadside cleanup, roadside plantings, grading slopes, and improving adjacent fields and forest lands. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the CCC crews were replaced by
conscientious objectors in the
Civilian Public Service
The Civilian Public Service (CPS) was a program of the United States government that provided conscientious objectors with an alternative to military service during World War II. From 1941 to 1947, nearly 12,000 draftees, willing to serve their ...
program.
The parkway's construction created jobs in the region, but also displaced many residents and created new rules and regulations for landowners, including requirements related to how farmers could transport crops.
Residents could no longer build on their lands without permission, or develop land except for agricultural use.
They were not permitted to use the parkway for any commercial travel but were required to transport equipment and materials on side roads.
The
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians were also affected by the parkway, which was built through their lands.
From 1935 to 1940, they resisted giving up the
right-of-way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
through the
Qualla Boundary, and they were successful in gaining more favorable terms from the U.S. government.
Specifically, the revised bill "specified the parkway route, assured the $40,000 payment for the tribe's land, and required the state to build
regular highway through the Soco Valley". (The highway referred to is part of
U.S. Route 19.)
Cherokee leaders participated in the dedications when the Cherokee sections opened in the 1950s.
Construction of the parkway was complete by the end of 1966 with one notable exception. The stretch including the
Linn Cove Viaduct
The Linn Cove Viaduct is a long, concrete segmental bridge which snakes around Grandfather Mountain in western North Carolina. Completed in 1983 at a cost of $10 million, it was one of the last major construction projects on the Blue Ridge Parkw ...
around
Grandfather Mountain did not open until 1987.
The project took over 52 years to complete.
Due to serious damage in 2004 from
Hurricane Frances, then again by
Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlant ...
, many areas along the parkway were closed until the spring of 2005, with two areas that were not fully repaired until the spring of 2006.
The parkway was on North Carolina's version of the
America the Beautiful quarter in 2015.
Proposed extension
An extension of the parkway from its terminus at Beech Gap, North Carolina to a point north of
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
, was proposed in 1961 by North Carolina Congressman
Roy A. Taylor. The route was proposed to pass
Whiteside Mountain,
Bridal Veil Falls, Cuilasaja Gorge, and
Estatoah Falls, ending between Atlanta and
Gainesville, Georgia after crossing the
Chattahoochee River and passing to the east of
Lake Sidney Lanier
Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the water ...
. By 1963 the National Park Service had proposed a terminus at
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...
north of
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 60,972. The 2019 estimate was 60,867, making it one of Atlanta's largest suburbs. Marietta is the fourth larges ...
, in the vicinity of
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Kennesaw Battlefield Park preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign, and also contains Kennesaw Mountain. It is located at 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, between Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia. The name "Kennesaw" derives from ...
.
President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
signed a bill to extend the parkway in 1967. A five-year schedule was proposed, with a budget of $87,536,000 (equivalent to $ in ). In 1970 planning was interrupted by the projected commercial development of land in the proposed path. Increasing costs associated with rerouting and the passage of time coincided with efforts to cut national debt and concerns about the project's environmental impact, and the project stalled in 1973. The project was formally cancelled on September 11, 1985; no construction work had ever taken place.
Ecology
Flowering
shrubs and
wildflowers dominate the parkway in the spring, including
rhododendrons and
dogwood
''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shru ...
s, moving from valleys to mountains as the cold weather retreats. Smaller
annuals and
perennials
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...
such as the
daisy and
aster flower through the summer. Brilliant
autumn foliage
Autumn leaf color is a phenomenon that affects the normal green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, various shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, and brown. The phenomenon i ...
occurs later in September on the mountaintops, descending to the valleys by later in October. Often in early-to-middle October and middle to late April, all three seasons can be seen simply by looking down from the cold and windy parkway to the green and warm valleys below. October is especially dramatic, as the colored leaves stand out boldly and occur mostly at the same time, unlike the flowers.
Major trees include
oak,
hickory, and
tulip tree at lower elevations and
buckeye and
ash in the middle, turning into
conifers such as
fir and
spruce at the highest elevations on the parkway. Trees near ridges, peaks, and
passes (often called gaps or notches) are often distorted and even contorted by the wind, and persistent
rime ice is deposited by passing clouds in the winter.
The Blue Ridge Parkway has also been a corridor for the spread of many invasive species, including
oriental bittersweet, privet, and multiflora rose.
Major intersections
Tunnels
There are 26
tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...
s constructed along the Blue Ridge Parkway. One, the Bluff Mountain Tunnel, is in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and twenty-five are in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
.
The design standards specified a minimum impact on the land. The vehicle tunnels were often constructed to reduce excessive landscape scarring that open cuts would have produced. They are used in areas of steep terrain where ridges run perpendicular to the roadway alignment.
North Carolina's more rugged terrain required the majority of the tunnels. Most of the work on the tunnel digging was done by hand and provided by the
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...
in the 1930s. Little machinery was used with the intention of creating manual labor in depressed economic times. They did have for tunneling truck-mounted water-cooled compressed air drills called "Jumbos." After the initial holes were drilled into the
substrata,
dynamite was used for blasting away the rock.
Concrete lining was done during construction due to tunnel cave-ins. This concrete lining was first used in the Devil's Courthouse Tunnel. It was later discovered that it enhanced the interior lighting within the tunnel itself. Where done the lining covered about a quarter of the interior structure. An additional benefit was the elimination of moisture entering the tunnel. Moisture in the winter caused ice problems.
The Pine Mountain Tunnel is the longest on the parkway at . Ferrin Knob Tunnel #1 is the first and longest of the ''triplet tunnels.'' The local people once referred to ferns as "ferrins." Ferrin Knob Tunnel #2 is located at milepost 401.3 and Ferrin Knob Tunnel #3 is located at milepost 401.5.
The distinctive stone masonry portals now on the parkway tunnels were generally not part of the original construction of the 1930s. They were added later.
The tunnels are listed below by
milepost, name, and length.
The maximum height is in the center of the tunnel and the minimum height is at the edge stripe.
Gallery
File:Parkway tunnel construction.gif, Tunnel construction 1930s
File:Bluff Mountain Tunnel close-up.jpg, Bluff Mountain Tunnel
File:Craggy Flats Tunnel.jpg, Craggy Flats Tunnel
File:Devil's Courthouse Tunnel.jpg, Devil's Courthouse Tunnel
File:Young Pisgah Ridge Tunnel.jpg, Young Pisgah Ridge Tunnel
File:Fryingpan Tunnel.jpg, Fryingpan Tunnel
File:Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel close-up on BRP.jpg, Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel
File:Twin Tunnels.jpg, Twin Tunnels
File:Grassy Knob Tunnel.jpg, Grassy Knob Tunnel
File:Bunche's Bald Tunnel.jpg, Bunche's Bald Tunnel
File:Rattlesnake Mountain Tunnel.jpg, Rattlesnake Mountain Tunnel
File:Little_Switzerland_Blue_Ridge_ParkwayTunnel.jpg, Little Switzerland Tunnel
File:Rough Ridge Tunnel.jpg, Rough Ridge Tunnel
See also
*
Natchez Trace Parkway
*
Cherohala Skyway
The Cherohala Skyway is a National Scenic Byway and National Forest Scenic Byway that connects Tellico Plains, Tennessee to Robbinsville, North Carolina in the southeastern United States. Its name is a portmanteau of Cherokee and Nantahala, ...
*
Foothills Parkway
*
Allegheny Parkway, a proposed western counterpart to the Blue Ridge Parkway that was never constructed
Notes
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
National Park Service: Blue Ridge ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway AssociationBlue Ridge Parkway in VirginiaDriving Through Time: The Digital Blue Ridge Parkway*
*
Tunnel locations
Google maps location of Bluff Mountain TunnelGoogle maps location of Little Switzerland TunnelGoogle maps location of the 3 Ferrin Knob TunnelsGoogle maps location of Rattlesnake Mountain Tunnel
{{authority control
Appalachian culture
Historic American Engineering Record in North Carolina
Historic American Engineering Record in Virginia
Landmarks in North Carolina
Landmarks in Virginia
Parkway, Blue Ridge
Protected areas of the Appalachians
Protected areas of Alleghany County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Surry County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Wilkes County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Ashe County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Watauga County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Caldwell County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Avery County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Burke County, North Carolina
Protected areas of McDowell County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Mitchell County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Yancey County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Buncombe County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Henderson County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Transylvania County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Haywood County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Jackson County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Swain County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Floyd County, Virginia
Protected areas of Franklin County, Virginia
Protected areas of Patrick County, Virginia
Protected areas of Carroll County, Virginia
Protected areas of Roanoke County, Virginia
Protected areas of Bedford County, Virginia
Protected areas of Amherst County, Virginia
Protected areas of Nelson County, Virginia
Protected areas of Albemarle County, Virginia
Protected areas of Augusta County, Virginia
Transportation in Alleghany County, North Carolina
Transportation in Surry County, North Carolina
Transportation in Wilkes County, North Carolina
Transportation in Ashe County, North Carolina
Transportation in Watauga County, North Carolina
Transportation in Caldwell County, North Carolina
Transportation in Avery County, North Carolina
Transportation in Burke County, North Carolina
Transportation in McDowell County, North Carolina
Transportation in Mitchell County, North Carolina
Transportation in Yancey County, North Carolina
Transportation in Buncombe County, North Carolina
Transportation in Henderson County, North Carolina
Transportation in Transylvania County, North Carolina
Transportation in Haywood County, North Carolina
Transportation in Jackson County, North Carolina
Transportation in Swain County, North Carolina
Transportation in Floyd County, Virginia
Transportation in Franklin County, Virginia
Transportation in Patrick County, Virginia
Transportation in Carroll County, Virginia
Transportation in Roanoke County, Virginia
Transportation in Bedford County, Virginia
Transportation in Amherst County, Virginia
Transportation in Nelson County, Virginia
Transportation in Albemarle County, Virginia
Transportation in Augusta County, Virginia
Southwest Virginia
Western North Carolina
Western Virginia
Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin
1936 establishments in North Carolina