“America’s Favorite Drive” takes motorists past rich scenery and offers plenty of opportunities to slow down and relish historical and natural splendor.
By Gene Bjerke, F418821
March 2015
It’s called the Blue Ridge because, from a distance, this ancient mountain range looks pale blue. To European explorers, it was the first great barrier to the way west. To the mountain folk who made it their home (both Indians and settlers), it provided a good living, if you knew its secrets. To modern travelers it holds “America’s Favorite Drive.”
With a length of 469 miles, this is a good, long drive, well-known for scenery. But it also offers history, culture, and activities. Formally, it’s the Blue Ridge Parkway, a two-lane road that runs along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Shenandoah National Park, near Waynesboro, Virginia, south to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Cherokee, North Carolina. Along the way it passes through two states and four national forests. It’s open all year but is not plowed in winter, so some sections may be closed for a time.
Fuel is not available on the parkway but may be purchased in nearby towns. Also, cell phone service along this road is sketchy. For other caveats, see the accompanying sidebar.
Some RVers may want to travel the road in sections and concentrate time in one area. We decided to drive the entire length of the parkway from north to south in June, to see the spring wildflowers. The autumn leaf-peeping season is beautiful, too, but also more crowded.
Up in these mountains, spring is still in full swing in June. Which spring wildflowers you see at any given time will vary with your latitude and especially your elevation. It’s not unusual to spot different stages of a bloom in a day’s drive. We were rewarded with colorful views of wild rhododendrons, mountain laurels, and flame azaleas, along with numerous wildflowers.
The parkway has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph, and in some places, it’s even lower. You wouldn’t want to go much faster. The road winds through hardwood forests and occasionally breaks out to reveal broad vistas of tree-covered mountains and valleys dotted with farms. At overlooks, you can park and enjoy the view.
Beyond scenery, the parkway offers travelers stops at sites with buildings that date from pioneer days, as well as displays that highlight other aspects of the Blue Ridge experience.
The parkway’s mile markers are clearly visible, and milepost (MP) zero is located at the north end. At MP 5.8 you will find the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. Stop in and pick up a parkway map and brochures about anything that might interest you. They will come in handy. A display of farm buildings collected from the region can be seen at the visitors center, too.
Most notable after Humpback Rocks is the James River, at MP 63. This is where Virginia’s longest river cuts through the mountains. A visitors center is located there, and a number of hiking trails invite exploration. At 649 feet above sea level, the James River is the lowest point on the parkway. From here the road climbs in one long hill, approximately 13 miles, to the highest point on the Virginia portion, at 3,950 feet. This is the most challenging part of the parkway for bicyclists — and a source of pride for those who complete it.
At MP 86 you arrive at the Peaks of Otter Area. This was an important crossing point for people traveling west. A short walk from the lodge parking lot takes you to a small, two-story log building where in the early 19th century a widow, Polly Woods, kept an “ordinary” — a place for travelers to eat and bed for the night. Today the Peaks of Otter Lodge sits beside Abbott Lake, named after Stanley Abbott, the architect of the parkway.
Numerous hiking trails are available as well. In fact, the parkway boasts more than 100 trails, including some sections of the Appalachian Trail. Some trails lead to historic sites, some to waterfalls, some to vistas. The Peaks of Otter, for example, offers several hikes that range from an easy one-mile stroll around the lake to a challenging climb up Sharp Top, one of three peaks here.
At MP 176 is Mabry Mill. This iconic water-powered mill provided many essentials for people living in the Meadows of Dan area. Here Ed Mabry also had a wheelwright shop, a sawmill, and a blacksmith shop. The log cabin currently on site did not belong to Mabry; in the 1930s his house was removed and replaced with a more rustic log cabin from nearby. In season, visitors can watch demonstrations of pioneer crafts and blacksmithing skills. The Mabry Mill restaurant and gift shop is open May through October.
History and tradition are brought up-to-date at the Blue Ridge Music Center (MP 213). Besides a modern museum interpreting the history of traditional mountain music, the facility hosts performances by area musicians and traditional mountain “flat-footin’” dancers.
Four miles south of the Blue Ridge Music Center, parkway travelers cross over the North Carolina state line. The mountains get higher and more rugged as you continue south into the Tar Heel State.
At MP 238 you arrive at 7,000-acre Doughton Park. In addition to the usual hiking trails, this stop has the late-19th-century cabin and outbuildings where Martin and Caroline Brinegar farmed and raised their family.
Not all parkway exhibits magnify the hardscrabble pioneer life. At Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, the glory of the gilded age is the subject. This is MP 294, where a craft center is located inside a 1901 mansion called Flat Top Manor, where you can see artists demonstrate crafts. Back outside, you can hike on 25 miles of old carriage trails and admire the lakes and other features of this beautiful estate. Tours of the 13,000-square-foot mansion are offered in summer.
Speaking of crafts, here are two more places to visit: Northwest Trading Post at MP 259, also known as “Sally Mae’s on the Parkway,” and the Folk Art Center, at MP 382. The latter is the headquarters of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and features demonstrations by artisans. We had a long talk with a woman caning a chair. It turns out to be a more complicated process than one might imagine.
The Blue Ridge Parkway was begun in 1935, partly to provide jobs during the Great Depression. It was built in sections as money became available and was mostly completed by the 1960s. The last section to be finished was the seven miles around Grandfather Mountain. Its construction was delayed for 20 years while environmental, property, and engineering problems were worked out. The solution was to literally hang the roadway off the side of the mountain with the Linn Cove Viaduct (MP 304). The quarter-mile viaduct has received numerous awards for design and engineering.
You will notice that the mountains begin to get higher and more rugged as you continue south. At MP 333 you will encounter the first of 25 tunnels in the North Carolina section (there is one tunnel in Virginia, at MP 53). These tunnels may or may not have adequate clearance, depending on the height of your motorhome. The lowest, at minimum height (farthest from the center of the tunnel arch) is 10 feet 6 inches (Bunches Bald, at MP 459.3). To be safe, check the complete list of tunnel clearances at www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=87 before you travel, or call the Blue Ridge Parkway Association or the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park using the contact information below.
While it is technically not part of the parkway, Mount Mitchell State Park makes a nice side trip. This five-mile road ascends almost to the top of 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Ample parking is available near the top, and a short, paved path leads to the summit. The day we visited, the mountain had its head in a cloud, so the view was foggy.
Craggy Gardens at MP 364 has an information center, but it is best known for its displays of Catawba rhododendrons. Disappointingly, they were not in bloom the day we were there. However, we saw rhododendrons, mountain laurels, and flame azaleas in many other places.
At MP 431.4 you reach Richland Balsam Overlook. This is the highest point directly on the parkway, at 6,047 feet.
The last visitors center southbound is a small one at Waterrock Knob (MP 451), and it offers plenty of parking. From there, panoramic views stretch in all directions; you can see four states and five mountain ranges. For even wider views, you can hike the Waterrock Knob Trail (rated moderate/strenuous) 0.6 mile to the summit 6 mile to the summit.
From Waterrock Knob, the parkway descends almost 4,000 feet in 18 miles and ends at MP 469, in the Cherokee Indian Reservation. From there you can go left into the town of Cherokee, or right into Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a relaxing drive through beautiful country. That in itself is worthwhile. But it also offers a wide variety of attractions along the way. We spent seven days making the trip and didn’t see all of them, by any means. We’ve already decided we need to do it again soon.
Further Info
Blue Ridge Parkway National Park
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, NC 28803
(828) 298-0398 – Recorded information, including bloom reports and road updates
www.nps.gov/blri
An official map of the parkway is available at any national park visitors center or ranger station. Be sure to stop by a ranger station or contact the park just prior to your trip to get up-to-date details about road closures and road conditions. As of this writing, two repair closures were in effect, and officials expected the spring opening date for all visitors centers and campgrounds to occur in early May.
The National Park Service operates nine no-hookup campgrounds on the parkway, which are open from May to October. They have rest rooms (only the one at Mount Pisgah has showers), as well as drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and dump stations. Reservations are accepted at Rocky Knob, Doughton Park, Julian Price Park, Peaks of Otter, Linville Falls, and Mount Pisgah. Reservations should be made at www.Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777.
Blue Ridge Parkway Association
P.O. Box 2136
Asheville, NC 28802-2136
(828) 670-1924
The Blue Ridge Parkway Association provides the colorful Blue Ridge Parkway Directory & Travel Planner magazine for free. The association’s website is full of useful information, too, and includes a list of more than 50 commercial campgrounds that are readily accessible from the parkway.
Is Driving The Parkway For You?The author and his wife made the full-length trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway in a 22-foot Type B motorhome (without a towed vehicle). But if you have a larger Type A or Type C, and tow a vehicle, can you still enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway, with all of its tight turns and elevation changes? The answer: It can be a fun trip or a white-knuckle exercise, depending on your personal driving comfort level. Leesa Brandon, National Park Service public information officer for the parkway, advised, “You have to plan ahead and keep in mind this road was built before RVs got as big as they are today.” Drivers should expect their speed to average approximately 30 mph, regardless of speed limits; it’s not a road to take quickly. Drivers should know the road is open to all kinds of travelers. “Hikers, bikers, and 40-foot RVs all share the same road,” Ms. Brandon said. The road was not made to accommodate everyone at every stop, she added. “We have over 800 pull-off overlooks, and some are designed for a car or two, and some easily can accommodate a large RV. That’s just the way the parkway was designed. If you don’t fit in one, keep driving to the next overlook.” The park service regularly trims trees and vegetation alongside the road, but your visit may not coincide with the optimum point in the trimming schedule. Because of these things, and that comfort factor mentioned above, some motorhomers posting on FMCA.com’s Forums (www.FMCA.com) have suggested it’s best to leave a large coach at the campground and drive a towed vehicle on the parkway. Other members insist they had zero problems driving a diesel pusher and pulling a towed vehicle. Whatever you choose to do, Ms. Brandon said, “We encourage drivers to have patience and navigate carefully. Motorhomes should be able to manage most of the roadway just fine.” She echoed the park service motto: “Enjoy the view and watch the road.” |