A 100-mile stretch of America’s favorite drive is roughly less than an hour from downtown Boone.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Blue Ridge Parkway # 1
PHOTO BY TODD BUSH
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hile the Blue Ridge Parkway meanders for 469 miles from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, more than a 100-mile stretch of America’s favorite drive is roughly less than an hour from downtown Boone, including the most iconic scene along the parkway – the curvaceous Linn Cove Viaduct. Whether you want to engage in outdoor sport such as climbing, hiking, fishing and camping or just want to cruise the parkway, stop by the overlooks and soak up the waterfalls and long-range mountain views, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a nature’s paradise. Mileposts are conveniently marked for easy traveling. Here are some of our favorite Parkway stops, just to get you started.
MILEPOST HIGHLIGHTS NORTH TO SOUTH CASCADES TRAIL – MILEPOST 271.9
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The Cascades Trail is named for the waterfall to which it leads, but the trail itself is worth the visit. Part of the E.B. Jeffress Park, the Cascades Trail is a self-guided interpretive trail with twenty interpretive plaques labeling tree species of the Blue Ridge. From the parking lot, the trail turns from paved to gravel and then follows the crest of a cliff. The trail is a 1.2-mile loop, and Cascade Falls can be viewed from observation platforms located both above and below the falls. MODERATE.
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VISITOR’S GUIDE SUMMER 2021
MOSES CONE MANOR – MILEPOST 294.6
Named after the post-Civil War 2 textile entrepreneur, conserva- 9 4 tionist and philanthropist, Moses Cone, this Victorian mansion exemplifies the resort home tradition in the High Country. During the summer months, the estate is open as an arts and crafts center. The network of trails that crisscross the 3,500-acre Moses Cone Park is open year round. All trails are easy grade and great for larger groups with children. EASY TO MODERATE.
