Blue Ridge Parkway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids [[File:|x70px|alt= marker]]
Blue Ridge Parkway route map
Route information
Length	469 mi (755 km)
Existed	June 30, 1936 (1936-06-30)–present
Tourist routes	Blue Ridge Parkway
Major junctions
North end	US 250 in Rockfish Gap, VA
	US 60 in Humphreys Gap, VA US 58 in Meadows of Dan, VA US 52 in Fancy Gap, VA US 21 in Alleghany County, NC US 70 in Asheville, NC US 25 in Buncombe County, NC US 23 / US 74 in Balsam Gap, NC US 19 in Soco Gap, NC
South end	US 441 in Swain County, NC
Location
States:	Virginia, North Carolina
Highway system
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
The parkway near Grandfather Mountain
Location	North Carolina & Virginia, USA
Nearest city	Asheville, NC & Roanoke, VA
Area	93,390 acres (377.9 km2)
Established	June 30, 1936
Visitors	14,976,085 (in 2019)
Governing body	National Park Service
Website	Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a special road in the United States known for its amazing views. It's like a really long park, stretching for 469 miles (755 km). This road connects Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.

The parkway mostly follows the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These mountains are a big part of the Appalachian Mountains. The road starts in North Carolina near the Cherokee Indian Reservation. It then goes north into Virginia. Another similar scenic road, Skyline Drive, continues through Shenandoah National Park.

The parkway is mostly a two-lane road with no traffic lights. It has special exits to connect with other roads. Along the way, you'll find many places to pull over, rest, and enjoy the scenery. The road itself is the main attraction, not just a way to get somewhere fast.

Besides the road, there's a folk art center and a visitor center near Asheville, North Carolina. You can also find parking areas for hiking trails and campgrounds for overnight stays. The Blue Ridge Parkway has been one of the most visited places in the National Park System for many years. The land around the road is cared for by the National Park Service.

History of the Blue Ridge Parkway

View south at the north end of the parkway at Rockfish Gap, Virginia

Building the Blue Ridge Parkway started during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's time. It was first called the Appalachian Scenic Highway. Most of the work was done by private companies. Construction began in North Carolina in September 1935. Work in Virginia started in February 1936.

On June 30, 1936, the project officially became the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was put under the care of the National Park Service. Many government programs helped build it. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped with road building. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) worked on landscaping.

Crews from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) also helped a lot. They cleaned up roadsides, planted trees, and improved nearby lands. During World War II, people who chose not to fight in the war helped instead of the CCC crews.

Building the parkway created many jobs. But it also meant some families had to move from their homes. New rules were made for landowners. For example, farmers needed permission to build on their land. They also couldn't use the parkway for business travel.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians were also affected. The parkway was planned to go through their land. From 1935 to 1940, they worked hard to get fair terms. They succeeded in getting a better deal from the U.S. government. This deal included a specific route for the parkway and payment for their land. It also required a regular highway to be built through the Soco Valley. Cherokee leaders were there when their sections of the parkway opened in the 1950s.

Most of the parkway was finished by 1966. But one part, the Linn Cove Viaduct near Grandfather Mountain, wasn't finished until 1987. The entire project took over 52 years to complete!

Future Plans for the Parkway

A bridge over Interstate 26 is going to be replaced. This is part of a project to make that interstate wider. The new bridge will be built next to the old one. This means there shouldn't be any closures on the parkway because of this work.

Nature and Wildlife on the Parkway

In spring, the parkway is full of blooming shrubs and wildflowers. You can see beautiful rhododendrons and dogwood trees. As the weather gets warmer, smaller flowers like daisys and asters bloom all summer.

In the fall, usually in September and October, the leaves turn bright colors. You can often see all three seasons at once. Look down from the cool parkway to the green, warm valleys below. October is especially pretty with all the colorful leaves.

Common trees include oak and hickory at lower elevations. Higher up, you'll find buckeye and ash trees. At the very highest points, there are conifers like fir and spruce. Trees near mountain tops can look twisted from the strong winds. In winter, ice often builds up on them from passing clouds.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has also seen some plants that are not native to the area. These plants, like oriental bittersweet, can spread quickly and take over.

Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway

Schematic map of the Parkway

Farm at the Humpback Rock

The parkway starts at the end of Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive in Virginia. It ends in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. There is no fee to drive on the parkway. However, large commercial trucks are usually not allowed without special permission.

The road is not kept clear in winter. Sections that go over high mountains or through tunnels often close from late fall to early spring. Mountain weather changes very quickly, so closures can happen suddenly. The speed limit is usually 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) or less.

The parkway connects to other highways using short side roads. There are no direct exits onto big interstates. This helps keep the road quiet and scenic. You can enjoy nature without stopping for cross-traffic. Mile markers along the parkway start at zero in Virginia and go up to 469 in North Carolina. You'll see them on the right side if you're driving south.

Some major towns along the way include Waynesboro and Roanoke in Virginia. In North Carolina, you'll find Boone and Asheville. The Blue Ridge Music Center is in Galax, Virginia. You can reach Mount Mitchell, the highest point in eastern North America, from the parkway.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has 26 tunnels that go through rock. One is in Virginia and 25 are in North Carolina. These tunnel sections often close in winter. This is because water drips from above and freezes inside, even if it's warmer outside.

The highest point on the parkway is 6,053 feet (1,845 meters) above sea level. This is at Richland Balsam in North Carolina. This section is often closed from November to April due to snow and fog. The parkway also crosses 168 bridges and six viaducts over streams and other roads.

Highlights in Virginia

Mabry Mill

Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway

East Fork Overlook from Blue Ridge Parkway

• Mile 0: Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, Virginia, is the start of the parkway. It connects to Skyline Drive which goes through Shenandoah National Park.
• Mile 5 to 9.3: Humpback Rock has a trail through old farm buildings. A hike from mile 6.1 leads to "The Rocks."
• Mile 10.7: Ravens Roost offers great views of Torry Mountain and the Shenandoah Valley. It's a popular spot for rock climbing and hang gliding.
• Mile 16: Sherando Lake is a recreation area. You can go swimming, have a picnic, and go camping.
• Mile 29: Whetstone Ridge was known for its fine sharpening stones.
• Mile 34.4: Yankee Horse Ridge is where a Union soldier's horse supposedly fell. You can see a reconstructed old logging railroad spur.
• Mile 58 to 63.6: Otter Creek runs down to the James River. You can find Otter Lake (63.1) for fishing.
• Mile 63.8: The James River and Kanawha Canal has a footbridge to restored canal locks. A trail follows the river.
• Mile 71: Onion Mountain has a short loop trail through rhododendron and mountain laurel.
• Mile 83.4: Fallingwater Cascades can be seen on a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) loop trail.
• Mile 84 to 87: Peaks of Otter are three mountain peaks with popular viewing spots. A shuttle bus goes to Sharp Top.
• Mile 114.9: The Roanoke River Gorge is visible after a short walk.
• Mile 120.4: Roanoke Mountain is a 3.7-mile (6.0 km) side trip. It's a one-way loop road with steep hills.
• Mile 129.6: Roanoke Valley Overlook gives a view of the biggest city along the parkway.
• Mile 154.5: Smart View is named for its "right smart view." A nearby cabin from the 1890s is great for seeing dogwood blooms.
• Mile 167 to 174: Rocky Knob overlooks Rock Castle Gorge.
• Mile 176.1: Mabry Mill was run by E.B. Mabry. A trail leads to his gristmill, sawmill, and blacksmith shop. Old skills are shown in summer and fall.
• Mile 188.8: Groundhog Mountain has different types of old fences. There are also picnic grounds and an observation tower.
• Mile 189.9: Aunt Orelena Puckett Cabin Exhibit was the home of a local midwife.
• Mile 213: Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax has concerts and a museum about music, especially old-time music.

Highlights in North Carolina

Green Knob Overlook

Black Balsam Knob, Graveyard Fields and Yellowstone Falls as seen at sunrise from Milepost 419

Sign marking the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses from Virginia into North Carolina at mile 216.9.

• Mile 217.5: Cumberland Knob, at 2,885 feet (879 m), is a small parkway recreation area.
• Mile 218.6: Fox Hunters Paradise, down a short path, is where hunters would listen to their hounds in the valley.
• Mile 238.5: Brinegar Cabin was built around 1880. The original cabin still stands today.
• Mile 238.5 to 244.7: Doughton Park is named for Congressman Robert L. Doughton. It has hiking trails, a lodge, and a campground.
• Mile 258.6: Northwest Trading Post sells crafts from North Carolina's northwestern counties.
• Mile 260.6: Jumpinoff Rock is at the end of a short woodland trail.
• Mile 264.4: The Lump is a grassy hill with views of the forested foothills.
• Mile 272: E. B. Jeffress Park has a trail to the Cascades waterfall. Another trail goes to an old cabin and church.
• Mile 285.1: Daniel Boone's Trace, a path he made to the West, crosses nearby.
• Mile 292 to 295: Moses H. Cone Memorial Park has hiking, fishing, and horse trails. Flat Top Manor is now the Parkway Craft Center.
• Mile 295.1 to 298: Julian Price Memorial Park has hiking trails, a campground, and Price Lake. This is the only lake on the parkway where you can paddle.
• Mile 304.4: Linn Cove Viaduct, the last part of the parkway built, goes around Grandfather Mountain. A visitor center is nearby.
• Mile 308.3: Flat Rock offers views of Grandfather Mountain and Linville Valley.
• Mile 316.3: Linville Falls Recreation Area has trails to see Linville Falls and the Linville Gorge. There's also a campground.
• Mile 331: The Museum of North Carolina Minerals shows the state's mineral wealth.
• Mile 339.5: Crabtree Meadows & Crabtree Falls has a picnic area, campground, and hiking trails.
• Mile 349.2: Laurel Knob provides views of Grandfather Mountain, Linville Mountain, and Table Rock.
• Mile 355.4: Mount Mitchell State Park, reached via NC 128, is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.
• Mile 359.8: Walker Knob is where the Black Mountains and Great Craggy Mountains meet.
• Mile 361.2: Glassmine Falls is an 800-foot (240 m) waterfall visible from an overlook. It only flows after rain.
• Mile 363.4 to 369.6: Craggy Gardens are covered with purple rhododendrons in mid-to-late June. There are many trails here.
• Mile 382: The Folk Art Center shows and sells traditional and modern crafts from the Appalachian region.
• Mile 384: The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center has exhibits about the parkway's history and the culture of western North Carolina.
• Mile 408.6: Mount Pisgah was once part of the Biltmore Estate. The Pisgah Inn resort is also here.
• Mile 417: Looking Glass Rock can be seen from many spots starting at Mount Pisgah.
• Mile 418: East Fork Overlook is where the Pigeon River begins. Yellowstone Falls is nearby, named for its yellowish moss.
• Mile 420.2: Shining Rock Wilderness is the largest wilderness area in North Carolina. It has trails and peaks over 6,000 feet (1,800 m).
• Mile 420.2: Black Balsam Knob is a grassy mountain top with wide views. It's just outside the Shining Rock Wilderness.
• Mile 422.4: Devil's Courthouse is a rugged mountain top with many Cherokee stories.
• Mile 423.5: Herrin Knob Overlook. A hiking trail goes around Tanasee Bald and Herrin Knob. Tanasee Bald is said to be the home of the mythical Cherokee giant Tsul 'Kalu.
• Mile 431: Richland Balsam is the highest point on the parkway at 6,053 feet (1,845 m). There's a trail through a special forest.
• Mile 435.7: Licklog Ridge was once used by cattlemen. It got its name from salt placed in logs for cattle.
• Mile 451.2: Waterrock Knob offers amazing views of the Great Smoky Mountains. There's a visitor center and trails.
• Mile 458.2: Heintooga Ridge Road goes north from the parkway to Heintooga Overlook in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Mile 469: The southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway meets U.S. 441 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina.

Parkway Closures

It's common for small parts of the parkway to close temporarily. This happens to fix damage from cold winter weather or for other maintenance. When sections are closed, detours are clearly marked. Sometimes, only one lane is open for repairs like repaving.

In 2004, Hurricane Frances and then Hurricane Ivan caused serious damage. Many areas of the parkway were closed until spring 2005. Some parts weren't fully fixed until spring 2006.

Major Road Connections

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Augusta	Rockfish Gap	0.00	US 250 to I-64 – Charlottesville, Waynesboro Skyline Drive north – Shenandoah National Park	Northern end of parkway; I-64 exit 99
	Reids Gap	13.7	SR 664 (Beech Grove Road / Reeds Gap Road) – Waynesboro
Nelson		16.0	SR 814	Unpaved road
		16.1	SR 814 (Love Road) – Sherando Lake
	Tye River Gap	27.1	SR 56 – Montebello, Steele's Tavern
Rockbridge	Humphreys Gap	45.5	US 60 – Buena Vista, Amherst
Amherst	Otter Creek	61.3	SR 130 – Natural Bridge, Lynchburg
Bedford		63.9	US 501 – Big Island, Glasgow
	Peaks of Otter	85.9	SR 43 south – Bedford	North end of SR 43 overlap
Botetourt	Powell Gap	89.0	SR 618 north
	Bearwallow Gap	90.9	SR 43 north – Buchanan	South end of SR 43 overlap
		105.9	US 460 (US 221) – Bedford, Roanoke
Roanoke		112.3	SR 24 – Stewartsville, Vinton, Roanoke, Booker T. Washington National Monument
		115.2	Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Virginia's Explore Park (Roanoke River Parkway)
		120.5	Mill Mountain Park & Zoo, Historic Roanoke Star, Downtown Roanoke (Mill Mountain Parkway)
		121.4	US 220 – Rocky Mount, Roanoke
	Adney Gap	136.0	US 221	Connector road
Floyd		159.3	SR 860 (Shooting Creek Road)
	Tuggle Gap	165.1	SR 8 – Floyd, Stuart
		174.0	SR 799 (Conner Grove Road)
		174.1	SR 758 (Woodberry Road)
		174.2	SR 758 (Buffalo Mountain Road)
Patrick	Meadows of Dan	177.7	US 58 (via US 58 Bus.) – Stuart, Hillsville
Patrick–Carroll county line	Willis Gap	192.1	SR 771 (Willis Gap Road)
Carroll		199.0	SR 608 (Lightning Ridge Road)
		199.2	SR 608 (Ranger Road)
	Fancy Gap	199.4	US 52 to I-77 – Mt. Airy, Hillsville
Grayson	Low Gap	215.7	SR 89 – Mt. Airy, Galax
Alleghany		217.2	NC 18 – Sparta, Mt. Airy
		229.6	US 21 – Roaring Gap, Sparta
		248.0	NC 18 – North Wilkesboro, Laurel Springs
Ashe	Miller Gap	258.7	Trading Post Road – Glendale Springs
	Horse Gap	261.2	NC 16 – North Wilkesboro, West Jefferson
Watauga	Deep Gap	276.5	US 421 – Boone, Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro
		280.9	Old US 421	Connector road
		290.8	Green Hill Road
		291.9	US 221 / US 321 – Blowing Rock, Boone
Avery		294.6	US 221 – Linville, Grandfather Mountain
		312.1	NC 181 – Pineola, Morganton
		316.4	Linville Falls Road  – Linville Falls
		317.5	US 221 – Linville Falls Community
Mitchell	Gillespie Gap	330.8	NC 226 – Spruce Pine, Marion
		333.9	NC 226A – Little Switzerland
Yancey	Buck Creek Gap	344.1	NC 80 – Marion, Burnsville
	Black Mountain Gap	355.4	NC 128 – Mount Mitchell State Park
Buncombe	Bull Gap	375.7	Elk Mountain Scenic Highway – Weaverville	To Vance Birthplace
	Craven Gap	377.4	NC 694 south (Town Mountain Road)
	Asheville	382.6	US 70 (Tunnel Road) – Black Mountain, Asheville
		384.8	US 74A to I-40 / I-240 – Asheville
		388.8	US 25 – Hendersonville, Asheville, NC Arboretum
		393.6	NC 191 to I-26 – Asheville, Hendersonville
Henderson	Elk Pasture Gap	405.6	NC 151 north – Candler
Haywood	Wagon Road Gap	411.8	US 276 – Brevard, Waynesville
Transylvania	Beech Gap	423.3	NC 215
Haywood	Balsam Gap	443.5	US 74 / US 23 – Waynesville, Sylva
	Soco Gap	455.7	US 19 (Soco Road) – Cherokee, Maggie Valley
Jackson	Wolf Laurel Gap	458.2	Balsam Mountain, Black Camp Gap, Masonic Marker (Heintooga Ridge Road)
Swain	Ravensford	469.1	US 441 – Cherokee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg	Southern end of parkway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Images for kids

• 

  Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook Milepost 218.6

• 

  Sunrise at Fox Hunters Paradise, Milepost 218.6

• 

  Bluff Mountain Overlook, Milepost 52.8

• 

  Tunnel construction 1930s

• 

  Bluff Mountain Tunnel

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  Craggy Flats Tunnel

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  Devil's Courthouse Tunnel

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  Young Pisgah Ridge Tunnel

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  Fryingpan Tunnel

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  Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel

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  Twin Tunnels

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  Grassy Knob Tunnel

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  Bunche's Bald Tunnel

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  Rattlesnake Mountain Tunnel

• 

  Little Switzerland Tunnel

• 

  Rough Ridge Tunnel