Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Blue Ridge Parkway
Snaking through the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, the park-
way ( Click here ) immerses road trippers in glorious highlands scenery, with plenty of
pull-offs for vista-gaping, hiking and Southern hospitality.
Why Go
Although it skirts dozens of small towns and a few metropolitan areas, the Blue Ridge
Parkway feels far removed from modern-day America. Here, rustic log cabins with
creaky rocking chairs on the front porches still dot the hillsides, while signs for folk-art
shops and live-bluegrass-music joints entice travelers onto meandering side roads. Log-
cabin diners dish up heaping piles of buckwheat pancakes with blackberry preserves and
a side of country ham.
When you need to work off all that good Southern cooking, over 100 hiking trails can
be accessed along the Blue Ridge Parkway, from gentle nature walks to rough-and-ready
tramps along the legendary Appalachian Trail. Go canoeing, kayaking or inner-tubing
along rushing rivers, or dangle a fishing line over the side of a rowboat on petite lakes.
The Route
The bucolic byway connects Virginia's Shenandoah National Park with Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, straddling the North Carolina-Tennessee border. Towns along
the way include Boone and Asheville in North Carolina and Galax and Roanoke in Vir-
ginia, with Charlottesville, VA, also a short drive away. Bigger cities within range of the
parkway include Washington, DC (140 miles), and Richmond, VA (95 miles).
Many road trippers also add Skyline Drive ( Click here ) onto their Blue Ridge route.
The bendy, 105-mile Skyline connects to the parkway's northern end and ups the scenic
ante by doling out mind-blowing mountain vistas on its ramble through Shenandoah Na-
tional Park. One caveat: you will have to pay a $15 fee to travel the road - this is not a
toll, but rather the park's admission charge.
When to Go
April through October, when visitor facilities are open (many close during winter) is
best. May is best for wildflowers. Leaf-peepers pour in during October. Expect big
crowds if you go during the summer or early fall.
 
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