9 minute read
Parkway Sights
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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While 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.
MOSES CONE MANOR – MILEPOST 294.6
Named after the post-Civil War 2 textile entrepreneur, conserva tionist and philanthropist, Mo 9 4 ses 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.
Linn Cove Viaduct
Just passed Julian Price Lake headed toward Linville, the Parkway suddenly opens up to breathtaking mountain vistas as you drive, seemingly suspended in air, 4,100 feet above ground along the Linn Cove Viaduct. At times, the views are so enchanting that it’s not until you’re halfway across this 5 mile stretch of Parkway, which hugs the Southern face of Grandfather Mountain, that you begin to question how this The Linn Cove Viaduct cost $10 million to build. engineering feat supports itself.
While nearly all of this 469-mile scenic drive was completed and open to the public by 1967, it took another 20 years of engineering ingenuity to design a viaduct that would extend the Parkway around Grandfather Mountain without causing significant damage to such fragile terrain. The firm of Figg & Miller Engineers Inc. soon got to work, building a 1,243 foot long The Viaduct under construction in 1986. S-Curve from the top down, which utilized 153 concrete segments weighing nearly 50 tons each. Only seven massive piers support the structure beneath. Nearly $10 million and two decades later, this “Missing Link” of the Parkway was completed and opened to the public in 1987.
To date, this innovative structure has received numerous national design awards. After driving the span of the viaduct, visit the Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center to explore exhibits detailing this engineering marvel. At the end of the visitor center parking lot, veer right to access a paved trail which runs underneath the viaduct and connects into the 13.5 mile Tanawha Trail that crisscrosses the Parkway. The Viaduct utilized 153 concrete segments weighing nearly 50 tons each.
BOONE FORK TRAIL – MILEPOST 296.4
The Boone Fork Trail differs from most Parkway hikes in two ways. The first is that the majority of the trail 2 is in the woods, where tumbling streams and rock outcroppings 9 6 replace typically grand vistas. The second is its length. At 4.9 miles, the Boone Fork Trail is longer than most, and slightly arduous. But given adequate time to complete and a picnic lunch, it is one of the most beautiful hikes in the area, with several stream crossings, rhododendron tunnels and open grasslands. STRENUOUS.
PRICE LAKE –MILEPOST 297.2
trail, which runs primarily along the lakeshore. On summer days, visitors can also venture into the water by Just one mile south from the Boone renting a rowboat or canoe from the Fork Trail, Price Lake is ideal for larger groups or for those 2 9 boat dock. EASY TO MODERATE. looking for something a little 7 less strenuous. The 2.4-mile loop around Price Lake is suitable for hikers of any level. Views of Grandfather Mountain can be seen from several points along the
Trail from Moses Cone to the Lookout Tower
DANIEL BOONE SCOUT TRAIL – MILEPOST 299.9
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Ascending about 2,000 feet in 3 miles, the Daniel Boone Scout Trail runs from the Tanawha Trail to
the summit of Calloway Peak, which, at 5,964 feet, stands as the highest point in the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. Extraordinary views, including one of Price Park and one of the Linn Cove Viaduct, punctuate the trail, which intersects the Cragway Trail about halfway up, at Flat Rock View. In-place ladders and cables help hikers negotiate the steep sections right before Calloway Peak. No permit is required for this hike. STRENUOUS
WILSON CREEK OVERLOOK –MILEPOST 302
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If you’re looking for grandiose, longrange views directly from the parkway, then this is the overlook. High above the waters of Wilson Creek, which originates on Grandfather Mountain, this overlook is perfect opportunity to witness firsthand why they call it The High Country. Look out beyond the surrounding mountains, where the lowlands unfold themselves into the piedmont of North Carolina. On perfectly clear days, visitors have reported sighting the Charlotte skyline.
The Lookout Tower Trail is at the end of a Moses Cone Manor trail
TANAWHA TRAIL TO ROUGH RIDGE – MILEPOST 302.8
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Rough Ridge is one of the most easily accessed vistas along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Tanawha Trail is actually more than 13 miles long, spanning from Price Park to Beacon Heights, but the section from the parkway to Rough Ridge is a short 1.5 miles, with great views as close as 0.6 miles from the Parkway. The trail follows a ridge crest and leads to boardwalks where 360-degree views give visitors a birds-eye view of The High Country. MODERATE 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. TO STRENUOUS.
LINN COVE VIADUCT – MILEPOST 304.4
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Rough Ridge Trail • MILEPOST 302
Even if it’s your first visit to The High Country, you’re more than likely familiar with the Linn Cove Viaduct. As the final piece of the Parkway, the Viaduct was put in place in 1987. It is known as “the world’s only bridge built from the top down,” referencing the fact that it was airlifted into place using specialized construction helicopters to avoid defacing the mountain with heavy equipment. For no other reason than to marvel at this engineering feat, the Viaduct is a must-see stop along the Parkway.
BEACON HEIGHTS VIA TANAWHA TRAIL – MILEPOST 305.2
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At 5,964 feet, Calloway Peak is the highest point in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is part of Grandfather Mountain, which has several other high altitude peaks, including MacRae Peak (5,939 ft.). Calloway can be accessed via multiple trails, but the Grandfather Mountain Trail, for its boulder formations and beautiful evergreen forests, remains a favorite. Additionally, the Grandfather Trail is only a short distance from the Parkway via Grandfather Mountain. Travel south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Highway 221 intersection at milepost 305, then take 221 South for 1 mile to the entrance of Grandfather Mountain. Grandfather Mountain is an attraction that has an admission price to drive the two miles to the top of the mountain. The Grandfather Trail begins at the highest parking lot, opposite the Linville Peak Visitor Center. STRENUOUS.
Beacon Heights is a popular Parkway destination for its spectacular views of Grandfather Mountain and minimal distance. A mere 0.7 miles roundtrip, this leg-stretcher leads to a southfacing exfoliated dome, from which Mt. Mitchell and the Linville Gorge are visible. From the parking lot, walk across SR 1513, which parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enter the woods where the sign says “Tanawha Trail Beacon Heights 0.2.” The path climbs to a junction point for the Tanawha and Mountains-to-Sea trails; from there, follow signs marked “Beacon Heights Trail” to the right. By adding in sections of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, hikers can easily avoid the large crowds often found at Beacon Heights, and still gain gorgeous views. MODERATE.
LINN COVE VIADUCT
You see it from afar as you approach it on the Parkway, and soon you’re gliding through the air as you cross this engineering marvel, built to protect the fragile slopes of Grandfather Mountain. It’s fun to drive across a number of times, and the views are awesome.
PRICE PICNIC GROUNDS
It’s one of the largest picnic areas on the Parkway, encompassing a beautiful valley with streams and open fields just begging to be played on. Four trails run through here. Bathrooms, ample parking, trash cans and grills are all available for free.
PRICE LAKE
A 47-acre lake with lots of private fishing spots and campground on its shore, Price Lake offers canoe rentals and a 2.3-mile hike that hugs the shoreline. A beautiful spot and all its amenities make Price Lake a great place to spend a few hours.
CONE MANOR
A stately manor will transport you back in time when a rich entrepreneur ruled this roost. The 23-room, more than 100-year-old summer palace is dazzling, and the 3,500acre Moses Cone Park has 25 miles of handbuilt carriage trails, one of which leads to the graveyard of its original owners.
BASS LAKE
Not accessible by the Parkway but part of the Parkway, this is a locals’ favorite. Many walk their dogs on a trail that runs around the beautiful lake, and the spot offers great views of the Cone Manor and access to the trails leading up to it. Free parking and new toilet facilities are available. Bass Lake is off Highway 221, a short drive north from Main Street in Blowing Rock.
