| The Blue Ridge Parkway | |
| By Carolyn Sakowski |
The Blue Ridge Parkway is an unusual part of the national parks system. It’s really a linear park, stretching 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the North Carolina–Tennessee border.
The parkway is refreshing. Regulations keep the signage to a minimum; what is there is informative and tasteful. A major purpose of the highway’s construction was to give men jobs during the Depression. You’ll see their clearly identifiable stonework all along the route. In recent years, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and other parties have gone to great lengths to ensure that the pastoral feel of the land is preserved.
One thing you’ll notice is that the speed limit is never over 45 miles per hour. The parkway is designed for leisurely driving, with plenty of overlooks along the way. If you’re in a hurry, take the regular roads.
It is legal to pull onto the shoulder for a picnic, as long as you make sure your vehicle is completely off the road. On weekends in summer and fall, you’ll see lots of people taking advantage of this opportunity.
This chapter provides a few details about some of the sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parkway actually begins near Charlottesville, Virginia; the markers start with Milepost 0 at Shenandoah National Park. The North Carolina section starts at Milepost 217 at the North Carolina–Virginia line. For information about the parkway, call 828-298-0298 or visit www.nps.gov/blri or www.blueridgeparkway.org. You can pick up a free publication called Blue Ridge Parkway Trip Planner at most of the parkway gift shops. It includes maps of all the trails at parkway sites, as well as information about facilities and fishing and bicycling regulations. Be sure to consult www.nps.gov.blri and click on “Closures” before making your trip, as short detours for construction are frequently in effect.
Milepost 217.5—Cumberland Knob is in Alleghany County. The boundary line that divides North Carolina and Virginia was surveyed in 1749 by a group that included Peter Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s father. Just south of the line is Cumberland Knob Recreation Area, where restrooms, water fountains, picnic tables, and hiking trails are available. You can take a short walk to Cumberland Knob or a two-hour hike into Gully Creek Gorge.
Milepost 218.6—Fox Hunter’s Paradise recalls a once-popular sport in the mountains. Men would turn loose their dogs to “run” foxes through the night. Catching one was rare—and not the point. Listening to the “music” of fox hounds calling through the deep woods was what mattered. A picnic table and a hiking trail are located at Fox Hunter’s Paradise. You can contact the visitor center here by calling 828-657-8161.
Milepost 229—U.S. 21 intersects the parkway here. Sparta is seven miles west and Roaring Gap four miles east.
Milepost 230—Little Glade Mill Pond offers picnic tables and a short hike around the pond.
Milepost 232.5—Stone Mountain Overlook offers a good view of Stone Mountain State Park, which is covered in the “Recreation” section of the Alleghany County chapter.
Milepost 237.1—Air Bellows Gap is appropriately named; on a windy day, the wind sweeps up from the deep gorge below.
Milepost 238.5—Brinegar Cabin is an original mountain homestead that has been preserved. The farm of Martin and Caroline Joines Brinegar is located to the left. When it is open, you can get a glimpse of old-time life in the mountains. Craft demonstrations are offered at various times; check at Doughton Park for a schedule. Two trails—the 4.4-mile Cedar Rock Trail and the 7.5-mile Bluff Mountain Trail—begin at the far end of the parking lot.
Milepost 238.5–244.7—Doughton Park, named for Congressman Robert Doughton, is one of the parkway’s treasures. The park offers the Bluffs Lodge and Coffee Shop, a campground, a gift shop, an excellent network of hiking trails, and wonderful views. The telephone number at the visitor center is 336-372-4499.
Milepost 242—The Alligator Back rest area has a 20-minute walking trail to Bluff Overlook.
Milepost 248.1—N.C. 18 intersects the parkway here. Laurel Springs is two miles west and North Wilkesboro 24 miles east.
Milepost 252.5—Jesse Sheets built a small cabin for his family at Sheets Gap around 1815, making this one of the oldest surviving settlers’ cabins. An overlook at Sheets Gap is 0.3 mile south; from there, a trail leads back to the cabin.
Milepost 259—Northwest Trading Post is described in the “Special Shopping” section of the Alleghany County chapter.
Milepost 260—At the end of the parking lot is an easy walking trail to Jumpinoff Rock. A small picnic area is also located here.
Milepost 261—N.C. 16 intersects the parkway here. Glendale Springs is five miles west and North Wilkesboro 20 miles east.
Milepost 264.4—The Lump provides sweeping views of the forested foothills below.
Milepost 267—This site overlooks Mount Jefferson State Park, which is covered in the “Recreation” section of the Ashe County chapter.
Milepost 271.9—The Cascades Nature Trail offers a brisk hike through rich pine forests. In late May, the mountain laurel is beautiful here. At the bottom of the trail, a waterfall rolls down the side of the mountain to the lowlands below. Hikers need to exercise caution on the rocks near the waterfall. Even in recent years, people have fallen to their deaths here. Restrooms, water fountains, and picnic tables are available at this site.
Milepost 272.6—E. B. Jeffress Park has plenty of hiking trails, a picnic area, and two historic buildings. One is the Jesse Brown Cabin, built in the mid-1800s. Nearby is Cool Spring Baptist Church, an open-air shelter that was already standing when the Civil War ended in 1865; it was typical of the earliest churches in the region. An overlook here offers a short trail to these structures.
Milepost 276.4—A bridge over the four-lane U.S. 421 graces the entrance to Deep Gap, which is the way into Watauga County from the east. A Civil War entrenchment once stood near where the parkway bridge is today.
Milepost 281.7—Grandview Overlook is exactly what its name implies.
Milepost 285.1—Daniel Boone Trace marks the place where Boone regularly camped and hunted in this area in the 1760s, before opening Kentucky to settlers. A roadside picnic table is located here.
Milepost 289–290—Raven Rocks and Thunder Hill are two exceptional over-looks near Blowing Rock. Raven Rocks offers views of the mountains surrounding the valley of the Watauga River. Thunder Hill’s view looks over the valley of the Yadkin River stretching to Lenoir, Hickory, and beyond. Both are popular spots with locals and visitors alike.
Milepost 291.9—U.S. 221/321 intersects the parkway here. Boone is seven miles north and Blowing Rock two miles south.
Milepost 293–295—Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is described in the “Special Shopping” section of the Blowing Rock chapter.
Milepost 295–299—Julian Price Park offers a campground, an amphitheater, and canoe rentals on Price Lake, plus a host of trails to hike. The trail around 47-acre Price Lake is relatively level. The campground’s 197 spaces are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Cold water and grills are available, but electricity is not. A dump station is located near the office. The office is normally open from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M.; campers may self-register after hours and at times when no ranger is available. Price Lake offers excellent fishing. It is classified as “general trout waters”; fishermen may use natural or artificial baits but no fresh eggs or live or dead fish or amphibians. A state license is required, but a trout stamp is not.
Milepost 298–305—Grandfather Mountain is the crown jewel of the parkway. For over 50 years, owner Hugh Morton fought the government over the environmental impact its original road plans would have caused this landmark—and visitors are glad he did. The Linn Cove Viaduct, which almost rivals the mountain itself in beauty, was the compromise the two sides found. You can read more about Grandfather Mountain in the “Recreation” section of the Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, and Linville chapter.
Milepost 304.4—The Linn Cove Viaduct is one of the engineering marvels of our age, and the view from it is unmatched in the eastern United States. The Linn Cove Viaduct Trail leads beneath the viaduct and gives a true appreciation of this architectural masterpiece. The visitor center here has displays, books, videos, and restrooms.
Milepost 305.2—U.S. 221 intersects the parkway here. Linville is three miles west and the entrance to Grandfather Mountain one mile west.
Milepost 306—Grandfather Mountain Overlook offers a view of the mountain’s southern side, which resembles a bird of prey. That explains why the Cherokees called it Tanawha, meaning “hawk.” One of the best trails in the area is the Tanawha Trail, which extends from Milepost 305.5 for 13.5 miles toward Price Lake. If you can hike only a short part of the trail, try the section off the Rough Ridge parking area near Milepost 303.
Milepost 308.2—Flat Rock Overlook has a short nature trail that leads to a view of the Linville Valley and Grandfather Mountain.
Milepost 310—Lost Cove Cliffs Overlook offers one of the best vantage points for seeing the Brown Mountain Lights. In recent years, the haze that appears on most summer evenings has prevented visitors from witnessing the mysterious lights moving along the ridge in the distance. No one has ever explained what causes these lights, but the tales that have grown up around them make great campfire stories.
Milepost 312—N.C. 181 intersects the parkway here. Pineola is two miles north and Morganton 32 miles southeast.
Milepost 316.3—Linville Falls is covered in the “Recreation” section of the chapter on Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, and Linville. The Linville Falls Visitor Center has a gift shop, a picnic area, and a bridge from which you can fish in the Linville River; the number for the visitor center is 828-765-1045. The Linville Falls community is three miles south. Marion is 24 miles south via U.S. 221.
Milepost 320.7—Chestoa View offers a good view of Humpback Mountain.
Milepost 331—The Museum of North Carolina Minerals is described in the “Museums and Science Centers” section of the chapter on Spruce Pine and Burnsville. Spruce Pine is six miles north and Marion 14 miles south. The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail crosses the parkway at Gillespie Gap, near the museum. This trail commemorates the campaign leading up to the American victory over the British at Kings Mountain in 1780.
Milepost 334—N.C. 226A intersects the parkway at Little Switzerland.
Milepost 339.5—Crabtree Meadows offers a 250-acre park that includes a picnic area and a comfort station. The focus of the park is the 40-minute hike to Crabtree Falls.
Milepost 344—N.C. 80 intersects the parkway at Buck Creek Gap. Burnsville is 16 miles north and Marion 16 miles south.
Milepost 355.4—N.C. 128 leads to Mount Mitchell State Park, described in the “Recreation” section of the chapter on Spruce Pine and Burnsville.
Milepost 364.4—The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center offers information, exhibits, a picnic area, a comfort station, and self-guided tours. In June, the rhododendron gardens here are spectacular.
Milepost 377.4—N.C. 694 intersects the parkway here. Asheville is eight miles west.
Milepost 382—The Folk Art Center is described in the “Special Shopping” section of the Asheville chapter.
Milepost 382.6—U.S. 70 intersects the parkway here. It is one mile to Oteen, five miles to Asheville, and 10 miles to Black Mountain.
Milepost 384—The Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center has museum-quality exhibits, a 22-foot interactive map, and a 24-minute film about the parkway.
Milepost 384.7—U.S. 74A intersects the parkway here. Asheville is three miles west. Chimney Rock, Bat Cave, and Lake Lure lie to the east.
Milepost 388.8—U.S. 25 intersects the parkway here. Asheville is five miles north and Hendersonville 17 miles south.
Milepost 393.6—N.C. 191 intersects the parkway here. Asheville is six miles north and Hendersonville 20 miles south.
Milepost 408.6—Mount Pisgah, which was part of the 100,000 acres donated from George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate, offers a campground, a picnic area, trails, an inn, a restaurant, and a service station. The 5,749-foot peak is visible in the distance.
Milepost 412—U.S. 276 intersects the parkway at Wagon Road Gap. Brevard is 18 miles south, Cruso eight miles north, and Waynesville 22 miles northwest. On the way to Brevard, you can visit the Cradle of Forestry in America.
Milepost 417—Looking Glass Rock is a 3,969-foot summit whose sheer cliffs give it its name.
Milepost 418.8—Graveyard Fields Overlook has a 2.3-mile loop trail to Yellowstone Falls.
Milepost 422.4—From the Devil’s Courthouse parking area, a strenuous half-mile hike leads to the Devil’s Courthouse itself. The Cherokees believe this 5,462-foot mountain was the location of the giant Judaculla’s courtroom.
Milepost 423.2—N.C. 215 intersects the parkway at Beech Gap. Waynesville is 24 miles north and Rosman 17 miles south.
Milepost 431—At the Haywood-Jackson Overlook, a 1.5-mile self-guided loop trail leads to the summit of Richland Balsam, which is the highest point on the parkway, measuring 6,047 feet.
Milepost 431.4—Richland Balsam Overlook is located here.
Milepost 443.1—U.S. 74/23 intersects the parkway at Balsam Gap. Waynesville is seven miles east and Sylva 12 miles west.
Milepost 451.2—At Waterrock Knob Overlook, you’ll find an information center, a comfort station, a trail to the knob, and a four-state view.
Milepost 455.7—U.S. 19 intersects the parkway at Soco Gap. Cherokee is 12 miles west and Maggie Valley five miles east.
Milepost 458.2—From here, Heintooga Ridge Road Spur goes 1.3 miles to Mile High Overlook. It is 12 miles to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Campground.
Milepost 461.9—Big Witch Overlook is located here.
Milepost 469.1—Great Smoky Mountains National Park begins at the junction with U.S. 441. Cherokee is two miles south and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 29 miles north.
