For the 15 minutes it took the sun to hide behind the mountains, we were silent. A crowd of strangers, we’d gathered car by car at Waterrock Knob at Milepost 451 on the Blue Ridge Parkway because something in the shape of the clouds hinted at a sunset we shouldn’t pass by.
Summer was in full swing and the mountains seemed 80 shades of green, but when the sun’s crepuscular rays shone through gaps in the clouds, they rinsed all color away, then washed the landscape in gold. It was the kind of light that had texture, like the finest silk draped over the mountains.
The birds quieted and the crickets ceased their call. The valleys darkened. The ridges gleamed like blades. The evening mist began to rise from the deepest and most secret hollows and coves.
This sunset was singular; a moment that, once it passed, would be gone from the world. So we watched. We held our breath. We waited until the last possible moment to break the spell with the click of a camera shutter, the soft glow of a cell phone screen.
Then it was gone. One minute the mountains around Cherokee were bathed in golden light; the next they were night dark. Birds called—doves roosting, an owl preparing to take wing—and the insects returned. First came the quiet fireflies, blinking their coded messages to one another, then the crickets filling in the silence.
That wasn’t the first sunset I’d seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway, but it was the one that left the deepest mark. Yours is waiting. Your sunset. Your sunrise, when the mountains go from predawn blue to the faintest green. Your moonlit night. Your shooting star. Your moment of nature—so pure and true your throat catches when you try to describe it later.
Go find it. Get in the car and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. Because somewhere along these ridges, somewhere in the Smoky Mountains, somewhere in the long valleys of the Shenandoah, there are a thousand moments like this. All you have to do is find them.
Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive form the northern cap to this monumental mountaintop ride. Here, wide valleys and rivers give the landscape an interesting character. Hike a leg of the storied Appalachian Trail or discover the interesting character of the region underground at Luray Caverns. Nearby, the monuments, museums, and vibrant culture of Washington DC beckon.
This stretch of the Parkway is the easiest to drive. As the Blue Ridge Mountains give way to plains, the views are long, with many a rolling hill, pasture, and bucolic farmhouse or church in the distance. Small towns like Floyd and Bedford offer big attractions like Floyd’s unforgettable Friday Night Jamboree. Orchards and wineries dot the hills around Roanoke.
As you enter North Carolina, you begin to climb, and the mountains take center stage. The peak of Grandfather Mountain looms high over the Blue Ridge Parkway, and places like Blowing Rock, a stunning outcrop where snow falls upside down, add to the magic of the region. The spectacular Linn Cove Viaduct, which seems to float off the mountainside, is part of the commute, and countless waterfalls are just a short hike away.
Between Asheville and Cherokee is the highest and most crooked part of the drive. Here, the mountains are tall and steep, making for dramatic views from hikes and overlooks. Many small towns remained relatively isolated until the early 20th century and are rich with history and culture. Asheville is home to the lauded Biltmore Estate and some of the best restaurants in the South. Cherokee, where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends, is the ancestral home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited national park in the country. The scenery and wildlife—rounded peaks and jagged mountaintops, crystal-clear trout streams and white-water rivers, elk and bear, morning mist and evening firefly shows—explain why. The tourist towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge welcome millions of visitors who flock to Dollywood and the park. Knoxville, one of the nation’s top outdoor towns, is fun in any season.
The obvious season to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway is autumn. The leaves blaze with color from the end of September through October. The timing for peak color varies by region, but you’re just about guaranteed a great color show anywhere October 5-20. Expect mild weather, with warm days and chilly evenings (you’ll be fine in long sleeves and a vest or jacket).
Winter along the Parkway is tricky as the high elevations and exposed ridgelines are especially susceptible to snow and ice. Only a few sections of the Parkway (the ones that also double as public roadways) are plowed and salted during winter, so long stretches and point-to-point segments are closed from November through spring. The Blue Ridge Parkway maintains a live link of road closures available at www.nps.gov/blri (select “Road and Facility Closures”).
Spring is lovely, though trails can be muddy. There’s a great payoff to spring rains, though: wildflowers and waterfalls. It’s also the time you may see young animals trailing their mothers across the road or along the wood’s edge.
Summer draws big numbers of visitors taking advantage of warm weather and vacation days. The elevation keeps the Parkway cooler than the flatlands, and the overlooks are rich with the deep green of summer leaves.
If you’re visiting from outside driving distance, you’ll likely fly into one of the airports in Washington DC, Baltimore, or Knoxville. Pack your hiking boots for the miles of trails along the drive. Swimsuits are recommended for enjoying the waterfalls and mountain streams, and rain gear and binoculars are a good idea. A tripod and zoom lens are handy for landscape or wildlife photography. Reservations are recommended (and sometimes required) at campgrounds in both national parks and along the Blue Ridge Parkway, especially during the peak seasons of summer and fall. Reservations for hotels and B&Bs along the route are recommended during peak times as well.
The Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are free to visit and use. An entrance fee ($25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, $10 pedestrians and cyclists; admission good for one week) is required for Shenandoah National Park, payable at any of the four entrances to the park along Skyline Drive.
Weather can be a factor when visiting any spot along this route. In any season you may face thick fog and sudden storms, though most rain is of the springtime or summer thunderstorm variety. Hail is not unheard of, especially at higher elevations, which are also vulnerable to snow and ice during late fall, winter, and early spring. Sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are apt to be closed or restricted due to weather in any season. Check road conditions at www.nps.gov/blri (select “Road and Facility Closures”). In North Carolina, Ray’s Weather (www.raysweather.com) offers highly localized weather reporting and forecasting, often including color reports in the autumn.
berries at a summer farm stand
Chimney Rock State Park.
Note that cell phone reception can be very spotty, especially as the route ventures away from more populated areas.
Both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are organized by mileposts. Markers, signs, and pillars note each mile, and waypoints include directions like “Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 52.6.” This system makes it easy to anticipate where the next sight, visitors center, or hike may be. On Skyline Drive, you’ll travel from mile 0 in Front Royal, Virginia, to mile 105.5 at Rockfish Gap, near Waynesboro, Virginia. At Rockfish Gap, the Blue Ridge Parkway begins with mile 0, then carries on down the mountain chain to Cherokee, North Carolina, and mile 469.
You can drive your own car the 740-mile length of the Skyline Drive-Blue Ridge Parkway-Great Smoky Mountains National Park route, or you can pick up a rental car at or near the airport or train station where you begin your journey. Do check that you will have a place to turn in the car at the other end if you plan on taking a one-way trip, and note that some companies levy hefty fees for this service.
Gasoline is available at only one place along Skyline Drive and nowhere on the Blue Ridge Parkway. You’ll need to fuel up at the towns, cities, and waysides off the Parkway. Fuel availability is noted at the beginning of relevant chapters in this guidebook, but as a rule, you’ll find a gas station near any town or major route that crosses the Parkway.
The speed limit on the Parkway is 45 miles per hour, though it slows to 35 or even 25 in certain areas. Along Skyline Drive, the speed limit is 35 miles per hour. You’ll encounter a great deal of wildlife along the drive. At any faster than the speed limit, you pose a threat to animals and yourself, as you may not have adequate time to stop if you encounter an animal. It comes as a surprise to some, but the National Park Service can pull you over and issue tickets (and you’re not likely to talk your way out of this one), so keep your speed appropriate to the traffic and weather. Traffic slows considerably during peak seasons. During autumn, you may never reach the speed limit.
Many locals choose to travel a segment of the Parkway, then return home via interstates to reduce travel time. If you fly into one of the travel hubs in this guidebook, you’ll likely travel one way, north or south, along the route and depart from an airport on the other end. Otherwise, you may do like the locals, traveling the Parkway one direction and a faster route on the return trip.
Tracing the ridges and hillsides of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway hosts millions of visitors every year, lured by the hum of tires on the road and the whisper of mountain winds through the trees. In just two weeks, you can drive the 716 miles from Washington DC to Knoxville, via one of the greatest scenic roads in the nation. You can also easily reverse this route by beginning in Knoxville and ending in DC.
Settle in to your hotel, then spend the rest of the day at museums of your choice. The museums of the Smithsonian Institution, including the National Air and Space Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and National Museum of Natural History are fascinating, as are the Newseum and Phillips Collection. Try dinner at Sfoglina or Hill Country Barbecue before catching a jazz concert at Columbia Station or an indie band at the Black Cat, or go for a nighttime bicycle tour of the Mall.
Go to the moving and enlightening National Museum of African American History and Culture, then cross the river to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, or Arlington National Cemetery, or both. For dinner, head to Rasika, which will transform the way you look at Indian cuisine.
Head to the National Mall, a grand grassy avenue lined with the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, the most iconic monuments—Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial—and, of course, views of the United States Capitol and White House. Have lunch at Ben’s Chili Bowl, a DC institution, or one of the many ethnic restaurants like Rasika, or hit the road and dine in Front Royal, at the entrance to Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. Along Skyline, 75 overlooks in the park give a sense of the vast wilderness that once blanketed the countryside. Hike to Dark Hollow Falls, and spend the night inside the park at Big Meadows Lodge or Skyland Resort.
Head outside the park to the spectacular Luray Caverns, one of the best cave systems in the nation. When you’re finished, drive down to Waynesboro, near the end of Skyline Drive and the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and check in at Iris Inn. Then take I-64 east for 24 miles to Charlottesville. Tour Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home, only a few miles from downtown, then walk the grounds of the University of Virginia, which was founded by Jefferson and bears his architectural mark. If you have time, a wine tour will take you to some of the region’s best wineries. Try dinner at C&O Restaurant or Fleurie Restaurant, or eat at The Fishin’ Pig in Waynesboro and prepare for the Parkway on the morrow.
• Mary’s Rock Trail (MP 33.5): Views from Mary’s Rock are some of the best along Skyline Drive, with full panoramas of the mountain chain stretching off into the distance (click here).
• Dark Hollow Falls (MP 50.7): This short but taxing trail in Shenandoah National Park leads to a beautiful 70-foot waterfall (click here).
• Linville Falls Trail (MP 316.3): Take in three views of one of the most beautiful waterfalls in what’s called the “Grand Canyon of the East” (click here).
• Craggy Gardens Trail (MP 364.6): Venture out on this moderate hike through rhododendron tunnels reminiscent of a fairy-tale forest (click here).
• Andrews Bald: Wildflowers abound in this bald, a high meadow in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (click here).
• Alum Cave Bluff to Mount LeConte: This strenuous hike has a huge payoff as you take in the views from the top (click here).
• Hen Wallow Falls Trail: A short trail leads you to a photogenic 90-foot waterfall that starts out only 2 feet wide but spreads to 20 feet at the base (click here).
Hen Wallow Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Have breakfast at Iris Inn, then start your journey south along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Make your first stop the Humpback Rocks (MP 5.9) and take the one-mile trail to the eponymous rocks. Stop at the James River Visitor Center (MP 63.6), the lowest point on the Parkway, and stretch your legs on one of the short walks that detail the history of the river or the diverse plant life here.
At Milepost 86, detour off the Parkway for lunch in Bedford. You can spend the afternoon in Bedford, taking a docent-led tour of the National D-Day Memorial followed by fruit-picking at a nearby apple orchard, or head to the Peaks of Otter (MP 85.9) for a quick but strenuous hike to the peak of Sharp Top (2.5-3 hours). Afterward, continue south to Roanoke. Enter the city via the Mill Mountain Parkway at Milepost 120 and pass by the famous Roanoke Star, then rest up at one of the B&Bs in town before heading to River and Rail Restaurant for dinner.
It’s a short day today, so you have time to explore Roanoke. Have a biscuit at Scratch Biscuit Company or an egg sandwich from Texas Tavern, then wander over to the Market Square, where the farmers market will be in full swing any day of the week. Look in at the Taubman Museum of Art or shop at the downtown boutiques before heading for Floyd. Have lunch near Floyd at Chateau Morrisette, one of the oldest wineries in Virginia, before checking into Ambrosia Farm Bed & Breakfast. Time your visit to coincide with Floyd’s weekly Friday Night Jamboree, and have a traditional country dinner at The Historic Pine Tavern Restaurant before you hit the Jamboree for an evening of dancing.
The drive from Floyd to the North Carolina state line is one of the most beautiful on the Parkway. Stop at Mabry Mill (MP 176.1) for legendary buckwheat pancakes and a look at a working waterwheel-powered gristmill and sawmill. At Groundhog Mountain (MP 188.1), enjoy spectacular views from the observation tower. Learn how country and bluegrass music originated in these very hills at the Blue Ridge Music Center at the state line. Camp at Stone Mountain State Park and squeeze in a quick hike to the top of the namesake bald granite dome. Head into nearby Elkin for dinner and drinks (just be back before the park is locked for the night).
North Carolina’s High Country is no joke. The mountains are steep, and the road grows aggressively curvy, making for unworldly views as you round corners with nothing but space and the Blue Ridge Mountains in front of you. Stretch your legs on the 30 miles of trails in Doughton Park (MP 238.5), which also has a picnic area, or hike the Cascade Falls Trail at E. B. Jeffress Park (MP 272). Stop at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park (MP 294.1) for a look at a turn-of-the-20th-century manor house that’s home to the gift shop of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Blowing Rock is just a few miles away, and so are your accommodations at The New Public House & Hotel, as well as dinner at Storie Street Grille.
Before heading to Asheville, check out the Blowing Rock, where you’ll have sweeping views of peaks, including Grandfather Mountain. Back on the Parkway, prepare yourself for one of the road’s most striking stretches: the Linn Cove Viaduct (MP 304.4). Just past the viaduct, drive to the top of Grandfather Mountain and take the Mile High Swinging Bridge to one of its lower peaks for 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge. Have lunch here, then continue down the road. Just off the Parkway at Milepost 316.3 is the entrance to Linville Falls. This waterfall requires a short hike to see and a slightly longer one for postcard views, but it’s worth the effort. At Milepost 364.6, stop at Craggy Gardens to take in the summertime blooms of rhododendrons and flame azaleas, then continue to the Folk Art Center (MP 382), just outside Asheville.
mountain laurel
Grandfather Mountain’s mile-high swinging bridge.
In Asheville, spend the night in the mountains at the Sourwood Inn or downtown at the swank AC Hotel by Marriott Asheville Downtown. Dinner can be fancy or affordable; there’s no shortage of places to eat in this town. Spend a late night downtown checking out the breweries and bars and listening to a little music.
Start the day in Asheville with breakfast downtown, then head over to the Biltmore Estate. Tour the home, walk the gardens, take lunch in the former stable, then head to the estate’s winery and wine-tasting room (it’s the most-visited one in the nation). Sample some wine and head back to your accommodations to freshen up before hitting town again for excellent barbecue at Buxton Hall Barbecue and late-night cocktails and snacks at Sovereign Remedies.
The winding section of the Parkway between Asheville and the southern terminus in Cherokee is quite beautiful. Before you hit the road, down a giant biscuit at Biscuit Head. Continue down the Parkway and take in the view of Mount Pisgah (MP 408.6) and hike to Devil’s Courthouse (MP 422.4)—a short hike that’s not as fearsome as it sounds and has a view you won’t want to leave. Richland Balsam Overlook (MP 431.4) is the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway, so stop here and mark your trip with a selfie. Stop at the Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (MP 451.2) for a four-state view and panorama of the Great Smoky Mountains. At Milepost 461.9, you’ll reach Big Witch Overlook, the last overlook before the Parkway terminates at Milepost 469.1. Take one last long look before heading into Cherokee for the night. Spend the night at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, where you can gamble, visit the spa, and grab a bite in one of the casino’s restaurants.
Today you’ll drive Newfound Gap Road through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Before you start your drive, visit the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual in Cherokee. Stop at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center for a park map and to check out Mountain Farm Museum. The twisting Newfound Gap Road is popular with motorcyclists and is stunning in fall; along the way, you’ll likely see black bears and white-tailed deer. Stop along the way at any of the overlooks—in a landscape this stunning, there are no bad views. Before you leave the park, drive out to Cades Cove, a onetime mountain community, where you might spy bears lounging in the remnants of an apple orchard. Check into a hotel in Gatlinburg, then take a walk down the main drag of this tourist haven. Grab some moonshine at Sugarlands Distilling Company and dinner at Mama’s Chicken Kitchen or get dolled up and go to the four-course dinner at Buckhorn Inn.
Head straight from your Gatlinburg hotel to Dollywood, where mountain music, mountain crafts, mountain food, and mountain folks are interspersed with roller coasters. Spend the day here, then head to Knoxville (45 minutes away) for the night. Walk the World’s Fair Park and climb to the top of the Sunsphere for the best view in town. Then, take in a concert at the historic Tennessee Theatre. Dinner at Not Watson’s Kitchen + Bar will put you in the center of downtown, where you can explore to your heart’s content.
You’ll definitely want to make better travel time on the return drive to Washington DC. Take I-81 north through Tennessee and Virginia to I-66 east, which will carry you right into DC. This route is doable in a day, rather than two or three at Parkway speeds.
Get a taste of Washington DC’s history and culture, hit the trail in Shenandoah National Park, spend a night under the stars, and see the homes of two former presidents, all in one mini-expedition.
Begin your trip in DC at one of the most recognizable structures in town: the Lincoln Memorial. Step out to the landing where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Then take the short walk to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and continue your walk along the Mall toward the Capitol.
Grab an early lunch at Duke’s Grocery before heading west to Manassas Battlefield National Park, site of the First and Second Battles of Bull Run. From Manassas, continue west to the town of Front Royal, where you can grab lunch if you didn’t do so in DC. Downtown Front Royal is only about a mile from Shenandoah National Park and the start of incredibly scenic 105-mile Skyline Drive, which bisects the park and will be your route for the next couple of days. Camp at Matthews Arm Campground, the first campground in the park as you travel south, or Big Meadows Campground, or stay at one of the park’s two famous lodges, Skyland Resort or Big Meadows Lodge. Get dinner at either lodge, then sit back and watch the sunset.
Cook yourself a camp breakfast or dine at your lodge of choice, then head out on Skyline Drive. Your first stop is Dark Hollow Falls, a short hike to a 70-foot waterfall that spills over a ferny cliff, with a steep ascent on the way back. Afterward, if you’re hoping for a hiking reprieve, make the easy jaunt to Blackrock Summit, 30 miles south, for enormous views of the countryside. If you’re in the mood for more trail time, hike the South River Falls Trail, which leads to an 83-foot waterfall, one of the largest in the park.
Continue south to Waynesboro and your room or cabin at the mountaintop Iris Inn. Have dinner in town at The Green Leaf Grill.
After yesterday’s day on the trail, it’s time for a day in the city. Just a few miles east is Charlottesville, home of the University of Virginia and site of Monticello. After touring Jefferson’s home, stop by a few of the wineries on the Monticello Wine Trail to sample some of Virginia’s best and a have bite to eat.
Check in at 200 South Street Inn in the heart of town, and make reservations at Peter Chang China Grill, or try Mas Tapas for some unexpected flavors.
Along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are a number of overlooks and roadside attractions. In every instance below, it’s worth pulling over for an eyeful:
• Hogback Mountain Overlook (MP 20.8): The longest overlook on Skyline Drive gives you expansive views of mountains and valley (click here).
• Crimora Lake Overlook (MP 92.6): Expect big views centered around Crimora Lake, a remnant of a manganese mining operation (click here).
• Peaks of Otter (MP 85.9): Get to the summit of Sharp Top via either a strenuous hike on the Sharp Top Trail or an easy shuttle ride, then enjoy views of the Parkway, the lights of Bedford, and Abbott Lake (click here).
• Mabry Mill (MP 176.1): This picturesque millhouse with waterwheel is one of the most photographed on the Parkway (click here).
• Groundhog Mountain (MP 188.1): The view of the observation tower is lovely but nothing compared to the view from it (click here).
• Beacon Heights (MP 305.2): Whether you stay at the car and admire the view of Grandfather Mountain or take the short hike to a rocky bluff with massive views, you won’t be disappointed (click here).
• Richland Balsam Overlook (MP 431.4): From the highest point on the parkway, you’ll have great views of several mountain ranges (click here).
• Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (MP 451.2): This is the perfect vantage point for taking in the sunset and star-filled sky (click here).
autumnal view from Waterrock Knob
Don’t leave Charlottesville without a bagel from Bodo’s Bagels. On the way back to DC, avoid the congestion of the interstate and take US-29 through the countryside until you get back to Manassas Battlefield National Park. From here, head east to Mount Vernon, the riverside home of our first president, just a couple of miles south of Alexandria and only 15 miles from DC. Tour Mount Vernon and have lunch alfresco at one of the many charming restaurants and cafés in Old Town Alexandria. Then return to DC. For a relaxed dinner, try Birch & Barley, or try some Filipino dishes at Bad Saint.
With just five days, you can explore Knoxville, traipse into Dollywood, log some quality trail time, explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park, catch an amazing firefly display, ride a steam train…and drive a short, but beautiful, section of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Grab a tasty breakfast at The French Market in Knoxville, then head over to the Sunsphere for a selfie in front of the city’s golden-crowned monument. Get a feel for the people and culture of East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains at the East Tennessee History Center downtown, then hit the road, following US-441 south toward the mountain towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Spend the day at Dollywood, where you can grab lunch and a few roller coaster rides, before freshening up at The Inn on the River and heading out for dinner at Local Goat New American Restaurant and riding go-karts at SpeedZone Fun Park.
Have breakfast at the Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg, then follow US-441 south two miles into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, stopping at the Sugarlands Visitor Center to pick up maps and park tips. Set up camp in the Elkmont Campground. Here, for a two-week window in the summer, one of only four colonies of synchronous fireflies in the United States puts on a dazzling show, so reserve your site early. Drive a loop around Cades Cove, which was once home to a mountain community. At the various buildings throughout the community, you can stop and hike, so pick up a map at the visitors center, select a couple of hikes, and hit the trail. Wildlife viewing is awesome here, with massive herds of deer and black bears playing in the boughs of apple trees. Good dinner options are located in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
After breakfast, begin your cross-park drive via Newfound Gap Road. You’ll find trailheads all along this twisting mountain road, but for a hike with impressive views, save yourself for Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in Tennessee and GSMNP. You’ll see signs for Clingmans Dome as Newfound Gap Road crests the Smokies. Head down this spur road to “climb” to the top (the summit is accessible via a walkway and concrete observation platform, not much of a climb) for jaw-dropping views. From here, a 1.75-mile trail leads to Andrews Bald, the highest such meadow in the park. In summer, the trail is bombarded with flame azalea and rhododendron.
After hiking to Andrews Bald, get back to Newfound Gap Road and descend into North Carolina and the town of Cherokee. Browse the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, then stop in at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian across the street or Oconaluftee Indian Village just up the hill. Spend the night at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort or opt for a cabin at Panther Creek Cabins.
All along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll have the chance for some spectacular wildlife viewing (if you keep your eyes peeled).
• Hawksbill Mountain: From this peak in the Shenandoah National Park you can see a number of raptors—hawks, falcons, eagles, and the like—riding thermals and hunting the hillsides (click here).
• Big Meadows: The largest meadow along Skyline Drive is visited by dozens of white-tailed deer each morning and evening (click here).
• Grandfather Mountain: On Grandfather Mountain you’ll find a small zoo with native animals (including a cougar and pair of bald eagles), but at the Mile High Swinging Bridge, you’ll see a number of raptors and vultures riding thermals, and, if you’re lucky, a raven or two playing on the wind, flying upside down or holding on to one another as they soar overhead (click here).
• Cataloochee: The Blue Ridge Mountains were the home of elk until the species was hunted out. Today you can see reintroduced herds of elk at Cataloochee Valley, a lovely spot on the north end of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (click here).
• Elkmont: At Elkmont you’ll see one of the rarest sights in the world: synchronous fireflies. In a meadow here for approximately two weeks each summer, swarms of fireflies blink in unison at groups on the ground, who blink back (click here).
a young elk grazing
• Cades Cove: Deer graze the fields and bear laze in the remnants of the apple orchards in this onetime mountain community in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains (click here).
Try your hand at the nickel slots on your way out of Harrah’s (you never know) before stopping at Granny’s Kitchen for a country breakfast buffet. Your next stop is the nearby town of Bryson City for a mountainside ride aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. You can pair your train ride with a little white-water rafting or zip-lining, or you can keep it tame and simply enjoy the scenery.
Backtrack to Cherokee and hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Today, you’ll traverse 25 miles of the Parkway, including some of the road’s most rugged mountains and impressive overlooks. After following the Parkway for a short ways, exit onto the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway (US-441) and head north toward Waynesville, where you can grab lunch before connecting with I-40 and making your way to the beautiful Cataloochee Campground on the North Carolina side of GSMNP. Cataloochee is another former mountain community, but this one has a few residents: elk. Cataloochee is a prime spot to see them. Be sure to bring in something to cook; it’s a bit of a drive back out for dinner.
Smoky Mountains morning
stunning fall colors lining the Blue Ridge Parkway.
If you missed the elk last night, get up early and watch the tree line at the edge of the fields. You’ll see them eating their way around the perimeter. Take a little time this morning to check out the haunting and picturesque old church and hike among the other structures in Cataloochee.
When it’s time to leave, I-40 will carry you right back into Knoxville in time to get lunch at Stock & Barrel, The Tomato Head, or any other restaurant on Knoxville’s Market Square.
Music plays a major role in defining the culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Country music was born in these hills, and bluegrass found its way down from these mountains. Today, musicians perform old-time, gospel, bluegrass, and country music, but you’ll also find a vibrant community of progressive musicians and college rock. For some of the best live music, stop in and discover something new.
Washington DC’s legendary 9:30 Club hosts some of the best acts in the nation. From free shows featuring up-and-coming DC musicians to concerts by the opera and symphony, the Kennedy Center is an American icon in performance. And at the historic Jefferson Theatre, you can catch some of Charlottesville’s biggest college bands as well as national alternative and rock acts.
Every Friday night in the small town of Floyd, the Floyd Country Store transforms from mercantile to bluegrass concert and dance hall for the Friday Night Jamboree. FloydFest, held every summer, is a weekend celebration of music, life, and the mountains. Every August in Galax, listen to that high, lonesome sound of bluegrass and old-time music at the Old Fiddler’s Convention, a weeklong gathering of musicians, dancers, and string bands.
Free concerts and interactive displays document the history of country and bluegrass music at the Blue Ridge Music Center near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along the Crooked Road Music Trail, explore the roots of bluegrass, country, and old-time music via concerts at storied venues, recordings of influential musicians, and waysides that reveal the history of American music.
MerleFest brings together some fabulous roots, Americana, old-time, bluegrass, country, folk, and rock acts.
One of the best venues for live music in North Carolina, Asheville’s Orange Peel Social Aid and Pleasure Club brings in the very best musicians in every genre. A huge drum circle forms every Friday night in Pritchard Park.
You’d expect to hear some great music at Dolly Parton’s theme park, and hear it you will. Parton herself performs at Dollywood from time to time, but the shows by house bands and local and national acts are the true stars. Knoxville’s legendary Tennessee Theatre has been hosting acts since 1928. Bands, Broadway plays, and symphony concerts are just some of what you’ll hear.
