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The NC Blue
Ridge Parkway has frequently been called
“America’s most scenic drive” and was created by
the National Park Service to be just that. Its
well-maintained 469 miles of road winds and
curves around the lovely mountains of North
Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. The Blue
Ridge Parkway begins at mile marker 0 in
Rockfish Gap, just south of the Shenandoah
National Park in Virginia, and ends at mile
marker 469 in the Great Smoky Mountains National
Park in North Carolina. Make your way up and
down the NC Blue Ridge Parkway at a nice pace of
35-45 mph while stopping to enjoy its many
recreational areas along the way.
 The NC Blue Ridge Parkway was constructed
primarily during the 1930’s as a project to aid
in alleviating some of the Depression pains
troubling the country. The NC Blue Ridge Parkway
was not actually completed until the final
piece, the Linn Cove Viaduct, was finished in
1987. The Linn Cove Viaduct was quite the
undertaking due to several factors, most
importantly that the land included in this area
was and remains part of Grandfather Mountain,
which is privately owned. It is also a
wildlife sanctuary and nature preserve, and has
been in partnership with the Nature Conservancy
since 1990. In an effort to maintain the natural
wildlife residing on and in Grandfather
Mountain, engineers went to great lengths to
create the viaduct while preserving the
integrity of the mountain. Construction on the
Linn Cove Viaduct did not begin until 1979 and
cost a grand total of $10 million by its
completion in 1983. In an effort not to disturb
Grandfather Mountain, the concrete structure was
created by pre-casting pieces and installing
them with a crane from above. Quite the
engineering feat, no stone was left unturned,
figuratively speaking of course, and the
concrete was even treated so as to match the
natural boulder outcroppings in color. The
completed Linn Cove Viaduct is 7.5 miles in
length and was the final piece to the NC Blue
Ridge Parkway.
When driving the NC Blue Ridge Parkway, be sure
to fill up on gas ahead of time as there is
nowhere along the actual parkway to stop. There
are, however, numerous locations to take an hour
or an afternoon to hike or mountain bike at the
state-maintained parks along the way. Hiking
trails specifically local to the Boone and
Blowing Rock NC areas include Boone Fork, Price
Lake, Gwyn Memorial, and Tanawha Trails, as well
as the Moses Cone Carriage Trails near mile
marker 296. Additionally the Flat Rock, Camp
Creek, River Bend, Duggers Creek, and Linville
River Bridge Trails are convenient to mile
marker 316. In addition to hiking opportunities,
the Northwest Trading Post, the Parkway Craft
Center at the Moses Cone Memorial Park, and the
Folk Art Center are fun family attractions to be
sure to include in your NC Blue Ridge Parkway
vacation planning.
For specific facility locations, information,
and questions, contact Park Headquarters at
828-271-4779.
Make the NC Blue Ridge Parkway part of your Blue
Ridge Vacation while staying in one of our
beautiful Blue Ridge Vacation Cabins. View our
Blue Ridge Cabin Rentals or contact us today to being planning
your trip.
Click on the links below for more information on
things to do in the High Country.
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questions or would like more information, please contact us
866-880-1372, 828-963-2393,
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