All along the route you'll find mileposts to help track progress and guide you to popular stopping points. The Blue Ridge Parkway Doughton Park campground is located at mile marker 239, approximately 20-25 miles after the parkway crosses into North Carolina. Theres no better way to get to know this often-missed part of America than by an extended, on-the-ground trip. The parkway begins at MP 0 in Virginia at the southern end of Shenandoah National Parks Skyline Drive and ends at MP 469 in North Carolina at the southern entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Driving Blue Ridge Parkway With friendly and welcoming staff, Skyline Village Inn offers chalet-style accommodation with a homely vibe. Most campgrounds dont have day-of availability. If you drove nonstop from end to end, it takes about 12-13 hours. After nearly 400 miles of driving you'll reach Asheville. WebDriving straight through without stopping would take about ten to twelve hours, but three to seven days is needed to explore it well. >> Disadvantages: inclement weather closes roads, little to no amenities available. Milepost Markers Increase as You Drive South, 4. The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most picturesque roads in the USA, perfect to drive in the spring, summer, or fall. Plenty of historic, cultural, and war sites are scattered across the Parkway. Grab your friends, pack a cooler, and go spend the day on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway! While you have many choices both along and near the parkway, here are our two top picks. At the end, you can gawk at the view at the Bridge Entrance & Gift Shop. Doughton Park offers great and affordable camping and easy access to 30 miles of nearby trails. Parkway Set aside about 2 hours for your visit to Grandfather Mountain. Take in the beautiful nature and enjoy the man-made waterfall. Continuing south from here you'll make your way past the tranquil Mabry Mill and Cascade Falls on your way to Blowing Rock, a scenic small town which is the starting point for some great hikes as well as being home to the Art & History Museum where you can learn more about the history of the Appalachians. A proper plan and safe driving can make journeying through this gorgeous road as one of the most precious traveling memories of your life. The bridge is high and you can walk underneath it. >> Advantages: ideal hiking temps, blooming flowers, >> Disadvantages: too early and you could still see snow and/or bare trees. WebA drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway is equal parts journey and destination. So adding a third state to your list can be done easily here if youre counting your US states! Other options are Gorges State Park for the Rainbow Falls, climb Looking Glass Rock and be rewarded with incredible views, or go to the Folk Art Center. A lot of his work was published on well-known travel magazines like: Travel+Leisure, Thrillist. LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. Ideally, anywhere between 3 to 7 days should be enough depending on how many stops you take. Before driving to the parkway, check: Road closures for construction or weather related closures along the parkway; Frequently Asked Questions; Travel and Traffic Tips; Driving Safety The road runs southwest past Roanoke, Virginia, through central and southwestern Virginia before crossing into North Carolina. Jump to: What to Do if Background Information; Visiting the Parkway; Driving the Parkway; Things to Do; Protecting the Parkway; Regulations Blue Ridge Parkway Directions A number of access points are wheelchair accessible. If you're having issues using the site, please enable JavaScript and refresh your browser. WebA drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway is equal parts journey and destination. After years of negotiations and advancement in construction techniques, engineers came up with the innovative Linn Cove Viaduct design. Summer requires a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray. Parkway FAQ Road Trip from Orlando, Florida to New York, a stay at Swiss Mountain Village is sure to get you into the mountain spirit, Skyline Village Inn offers chalet-style accommodation with a homely vibe. Regulations like a speed limit of 45 miles per hour, two lanes, and the ban of any large trucking vehicles help to make this drive an even more delightful and relaxing experience. If you are looking for more comfort, there are two lodges that can help you out. The owner of the land didnt want the new parkway to destroy the fragile mountain ecosystem. Theres no better way to get to know these breathtaking mountains than to spend a night or more camping there. Ridge (MP 0 to 106) | Plateau (MP 106 to 217) | Highlands (MP 217 to 340) | Pisgah (MP 340 to 469) Win-win! By the early 1950s, only about half of the parkway was complete. But those that get car sick easily may want to be prepared, just in case. A visitor takes in the view along the Blue Ridge Parkway May 1, 2023. Stay at Buena Vista Motel for a retro motel experience that doesnt break the bank. Just past the end of the route, visit the Cherokee Indian Museum to learn more about the history of the native American people who have called this part of North Carolina home for centuries. The Blue Ridge Parkway is known for its scenic beauty and breathtaking attractions. Is there any place that offers stunning vistas, fresh air, and tricky mountain roads? The park is located both in the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. As we've already said, in theory, you could drive the 469-mile route in little over 12 hours. To avoid any delays due to the crowds, avoid traveling at the weekends during summer and fall and aim to get to popular waypoints early or late in the day if the road is busy. On this day, you cross the border from Virginia to North Carolina. Finally, it can be very affordable, thanks to the low-cost campgrounds available along or near the parkway. Instead of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you can also explore Chimney Rock State Park with the Chimney Rock, or go to Sliding Rock on a beautiful day and have a swim. Driving the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway will take you at least 12 hours 25 minutes, without stops. Parkway Its a national park site in its own right, with the magnificent landscapes to prove it. It may take a couple of vacations to travel over all four regions. Driving Safety If you discover youre driving the wrong direction, turn around at the next overlook. There are advantages and disadvantages to each season, which well discuss in a minute. All the visitor centers and museums will have reopened, and many will host special event activities. Lets look at what to expect while driving Blue Ridge Parkway! Where is the best view on Blue Ridge Parkway? It runs mostly along the spine of the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. Congress approved funds and all 469 miles of continuous Blue Ridge Parkway were finally completed in 1987. If you haven't got your fix of scenic views from the Blue Ridge Parkway itself, you can add another 100 miles of scenic driving by continuing along Skyline Drive. Rather than trying to schedule your activities around finding a place to eat, bring your food with you and eat wherever you are when you get hungry, be that an overlook, a picnic area, or at the top of a mountain. As this is a 2-lane road you'll have to wait for a safe place to pass. 6. The summertime could be crowded, so its better to book in advance. Parkway Stop at some more scenic overlooks for your last views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and spend the afternoon hiking at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, celebrating your arrival! Before driving to the parkway, check: Road closures for construction or weather related closures along the parkway; Frequently Asked Questions; Travel and Traffic Tips; Driving Safety If you drove nonstop from end to end, it takes about 12-13 hours. The Parkways speed limit is typically 45 miles per hour (less in some places). The viaduct (basically a bridge) wraps around the mountain, rather than blasting through it or dumping earth on top of it. Gas stations are scarce in some areas, and a quick detour off of the parkway in others. These are measured from north to south so we've given them in that order here to keep things simple, but of course, you can drive the route in either direction. It will take at least a week or even more. You may be fine in jeans and a T-shirt in Asheville, but youll want a warm jacket once you reach Graveyard Fields to see the trees. The area is also known for its gem mining, and you can take a tour of one of the gem mines nearby or try out prospecting for yourself. WebThe Blue Ridge Parkway Interactive Map Moseying through the southern Appalachians, this classic parkway, with a speed limit of 45 mph tops, forces you to slow down. You can experience the Parkway as a multi-day drive, or as a day trip to a favorite area. Fall is an especially busy time to drive Blue Ridge Parkway. Popular and crowded, summer sees the most visitors to the parkway. Whether you choose to start your drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway at the northern or southern entrance, the drive time and distance are the same. And, it's easy to create an experience that fits with your itinerary of other things to do in Asheville. 35 Fun & Sober Things to Do in Las Vegas Besides Gambling & Partying, How to Travel More: 21 Useful Tips, Even with a Full-Time Job or Tight Budget, 7 Best Short & Easy Hikes in Shenandoah National Park, How to Get to Bellagio from Milan in 5 Easy Steps, The Closest Beach to Columbia, SC: 20 Great Ocean & Lake Beaches. Well send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA (one per state). Its about 3 miles away from the Blue Ridge Parkway and well worth the detour. Hence, including the breaks that a person might take or the shift in speed in certain areas, the overall time that a person will take to drive from the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway to the end will be 12 to 15 hours. Lets find out the Blue Ridge Parkway driving times! The parkway speed limit is mostly 45 mph, but occasionally it will drop to 25 mph or 35 mph. How Long Does It Take to Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway? Operating dates and hours are available on the NPS website . These run from 0 at Rockfish Gap to 469.1 at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Most of the museums and side attractions and activities all close as well. The forests and their residents slowly come back to life, so youll still see quite a few bare trees in March that will be completely filled out by May. Driving straight through with no breaks would take about 11 hours. Keep the 4 th day for your return trip! If you want to camp, reserve your spot as far ahead as possible. More: NC Wildlife biologists: Bear that attacked couple on Blue Ridge Parkway climbed onto car. You'll pass through Asheville, Blowing Rock and Roanoke plus scenic landmarks like Grandfather Mountain, Linn Cove Viaduct, Otter Lake Overlook and Mabry Mill. Driving Blue Ridge Parkway through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia is one of the Southeast USAs best experiences. WebDrive for 10 miles or 50it's all up to you! Blowing Rock's restaurants are also in walking distance or a short drive away. There is only one tunnel on the Virginia end of the parkway at MP 53.1 Bluff Mountain. Perfect Blue Ridge Parkway Itinerary: Road Trip >> Advantages: beautiful fall leaves, crisp temps, less crowded hikes, >> Disadvantages: crowded roads & parking, hard to anticipate peak fall color timing. Dont worry. Hence, including the breaks that a person might take or the shift in speed in certain areas, the overall time that a person will take to drive from the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway to the end will be 12 to 15 hours. At that time, no one could have thought it to become so much popular. The first two regions are in Virginia, and North Carolina accommodates the other two. Lodges usually have one restaurant. The speed limit is just 45 miles per hour for most of the route, though itll occasionally drop to as low as 25 mph. It takes at least 12 hours to drive the whole 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway. WebDrive for 10 miles or 50it's all up to you! Many of them never get further off the parkway than an overlook. Plan Your Visit The Parkway is 469 miles long and the experience of the drive can vary throughout the year. At more than 4,300 feet in elevation, youll enjoy panoramic views of rolling, forested terrain, including nearby Grandfather Mountain. The campground has set aside 25 of these for first-come, first-served campers. So be prepared if youre visiting during these times. Its a reconstruction of part of the railroad, which was originally built in 1919-1920. Driving straight through with no breaks would take about 11 hours. Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers that love to score the best site! Keep in mind, people make millions of trips on the road every year, and the vast majority of them involve no trouble whatsoever. It's also an idea to stock up on snacks or bring a picnic so that you don't have to take detours off the parkway to find lunch. The Blue Ridge Parkway is known for its scenic beauty and breathtaking attractions. And you can always turn around and retrace your steps. Well, theres one spot in the United States featuring such natural bounties the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. You might also experience short delays leading up to popular overlooks if traffic is queuing to enter or exit parking areas. Spend about 3 hours here, admiring the Natural Bridge. Ideally, anywhere between 3 to 7 days should be enough depending on how many stops you take.
