Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic road running 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.  Known as America's Favorite Drive, it is one of the most popular units managed by the National Park Service.

Districts:

Ridge District:

The Ridge District is the northernmost section, running from Rockfish Gap at mile post 0 to mile post 106 in Virginia.

Peaks of Otter is located at milepost 86 and includes a campground, lodge, restaurant and miles of hiking trails to the towering peaks.

Plateau District:

The Plateau District is the southern section in Virginia, running from mile post 106 to the state line at mile post 216.

Roanoke Valley has hiking and equestrian trails near the City of Roanoke between mile posts 111 and 121.

Smart View Recreation Area has a picnic area, hiking trails and a historical cabin at milepost 154.

Rocky Knob Recreation Area is located between mile posts 167 and 169 and has a campground, overlooks and a trail through the beautiful Rock Castle Gorge.

Mabry Mill is a restored historical mill that is the most photographed stop on the parkway.

Highlands District:

The Highlands District is the northern district in North Carolina, running from the state line at mile post 216 to mile post 331.

There are several parks and recreation areas in the Highlands district.

Cumberland Knob, near the Virginia state line was the first developed recreation area on the parkway.

Doughton Park is the largest recreation area on the parkway.

E. B. Jeffress Park is one of the smaller recreation areas on the parkway at 600 acres.  A 1-mile interpretive trail leads to a scenic waterfall.

Moses Cone Memorial Park features an early 20th century estate with 25 miles of carriage trails just outside Blowing Rock.

Julian Price Memorial Park has the largest campground on the parkway as well as trails and a scenic lake.

Tanawha Trail is a 13-mile trail that runs along the parkway from Beacon Heights to Julian Price Memorial Park.

Linville Falls features a picnic area, campground, visitor center and trails to the scenic Linville Falls.

Pisgah District:

The Pisgah District is the southernmost section, running from mile post 331 to mile post 469 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.

There are several parks and recreation areas in the Pisgah District.

Crabtree Falls Recreation Area at milepost 339 features a campground and hiking trails to the beautiful 70-foot Crabtree Falls.

Craggy Gardens at milepost 364 features high elevation heath balds.  There is a visitor center here and several miles of hiking trails.

Mount Pisgah at milepost 408 features a campground, picnic area, hiking trails and the only lodge on the parkway.

Waterrock Knob at milepost 451.2 has the highest visitor center on the parkway and a short trail to 6,292-foot peak.

Waterfalls:

There are numerous waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

1. Apple Orchard Falls is a tall waterfall below Apple Orchard Mountain.  In Jefferson National Forest, it's most easily accessed from Sunset Field at milepost 78.4.
2. Basin Creek Lower Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Basin Creek in Doughton Park that requires creek walking off trail.
3. Basin Creek Upper Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on Basin Creek in Doughton Park that is viewable from the trail.
4. Betseys Rock Falls is a tall waterfall on the headwaters of North Prong Lewis Fork.  It can be viewed from an overlook at milepost 267.8.
5. Boone Fork Waterfall is a small but scenic waterfall in Julian Price Memorial Park.
6. Cascade Falls is a tall sliding waterfall on Fall Creek, located in E. B. Jeffress Park.
7. Crabtree Falls is a beautiful 70-foot waterfall in Crabtree Falls Recreation Area.
8. Duggers Creek Falls is a small waterfall near Linville Falls.
9. Fallingwater Cascades is a waterfall accessed from Peaks of Otter at milepost 83.1.
10. Glassmine Falls is a seasonal waterfall that can be seen from an overlook at milepost 361.2.
11. Green Mountain Falls tumbles below the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 300 and makes a double waterfall as it flows under US-221.
12. Gully Creek Waterfall is a small waterfall at Cumberland Knob.
13. Hebron Colony Falls is a waterfall over a boulder field on Boone Fork in Julian Price Memorial Park.
14. Linville Falls is a spectacular 50-foot waterfall on Linville River in Linville Falls Recreation Area.
15. Rock Castle Cascades is a seasonal waterfall on a tributary of Rock Castle Creek in Rocky Knob Recreation Area.
16. Upper Woodfin Cascades is a roadside waterfall at milepost 446.

External Links:

National Park Service website: https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm

Virtual Blue Ridge website: https://www.virtualblueridge.com/