Blue Ridge Parkway

Name: Blue Ridge Parkway
Address: NC, North Carolina Mountains North Carolina, Galax, US

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About

Blue Ridge Parkway: a 469-mile National Park Service road, the longest linear park in the U.S., crossing the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

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Why go

Linn Cove Viaduct, which carries the road on supports around Grandfather Mountain instead of cutting into it.
Richland Balsam, the highest point on the parkway at 6,053 feet, at milepost 431.
Folk Art Center at mile marker 382, flagship of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with three galleries.
Glassmine Falls, an 800-foot waterfall that flows only at times, seen from a parkway overlook.

Opening hours

Today00:00 – 23:59Show all

Monday00:00 – 23:59

Tuesday00:00 – 23:59

Wednesday00:00 – 23:59

Thursday00:00 – 23:59

Friday00:00 – 23:59

Saturday00:00 – 23:59

Sunday00:00 – 23:59

Don't miss

Devil's CourthouseA rugged mountaintop tied to Cherokee traditions.On the parkway. On the map
Mount Mitchell State ParkThe highest point east of the Mississippi.Reached only by NC 128, which meets the parkway at milepost 355.4. On the map

With kids Tips for your visit Best time to visit Know before you go

With kids

Price Lake is the only lake on the parkway where paddling is allowed.
The Pine Mountain Tunnel is the longest of the parkway's 26 tunnels, at 1,434 feet (437 m).

Tips for your visit

Use the mileposts to plan stops. They start at zero in Virginia and reach 469 at the southern end.
The newest visitor center has exhibits on the road's history and on western North Carolina.
In Asheville the road runs across the property of the Biltmore Estate.
Pisgah Inn, a park service concession, is on the summit of Mount Pisgah.
The Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax is part of the park, run by the National Park Service, and devoted to music.
The Museum of North Carolina Minerals focuses on mineralogy.
Groundhog Mountain Tower was built to watch for fires.
Mabry Mill is a water mill along the route. E.B. Mabry operated it from 1910 to 1935.
Trees change with height: oak and hickory grow low down, fir and spruce at the highest points.

Best time to visit

Spring: rhododendrons and dogwoods bloom, moving from the valleys up to the mountains.
Mid-to-late June: Craggy Gardens are covered in purple rhododendron.
September: autumn color peaks on the mountaintops and reaches the valleys by late October.
Much of the road lies at high elevation, with colder, wetter and windier weather than nearby areas.

Know before you go

Open 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
Commercial vehicles are barred unless Park Service Headquarters near Asheville approves them.
The speed limit never exceeds 45 mph, and it is lower in some sections.
The road is not maintained in winter; high sections and tunnels often close from late fall to early spring.
Hurricane Helene closed the whole parkway in late September 2024. Sections began reopening on 11 October 2024.
Some sections were still closed as of April 2025, the latest status on record. Check current National Park Service conditions before you drive.

How to get there

CarNorthern end: Rockfish Gap in Virginia, where the parkway meets Skyline Drive into Shenandoah National Park.
CarSouthern end: the parkway meets U.S. 441 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Cherokee.
CarFrom milepost 355.4, NC 128 leads to Mount Mitchell State Park.

Shorts

Interesting facts4

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168 bridges
Along the way, 168 bridges and six viaducts carry the road over streams, railways and cross roads.
Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia
Concrete lining was first used in the Devil's Courthouse Tunnel; it keeps moisture out, which helps prevent winter ice, and brightens the interior.
Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia
Most of the stone masonry portals on the tunnels were added after the road was built.
Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia
Mount Pisgah once lay within the Biltmore Estate, which later housed America's first forestry school.
Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia

Sources: Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia · Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia · Blue Ridge Parkway - Wikipedia · checked 18 Oct 2026

Where

NC, North Carolina Mountains North Carolina

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Is the Blue Ridge Parkway open 24 hours a day?

Yes, it is open 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Sections began reopening on 11 October 2024 after Hurricane Helene, so check current National Park Service conditions before you go.

How long is the Blue Ridge Parkway?

It is 469 miles (755 km) long and runs through 29 counties, making it the longest linear park in the U.S.

How do I get onto the Blue Ridge Parkway from Shenandoah National Park?

Its northern end at Rockfish Gap in Virginia meets Skyline Drive, which leads into Shenandoah National Park.

Can you camp along the Blue Ridge Parkway?

Yes. Several campgrounds along the parkway allow overnight stays.

Who runs the Blue Ridge Parkway?

The National Park Service owns and maintains the land on both sides of the road and manages the parkway.

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