Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway

BY MATTARAE STASKEL

During the last two and a half years, the COVID-19 pandemic has made for a very unusual time. Through the duration of the pandemic and particularly in the last year, however, many sought refuge on our section of the beautiful and historic Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge Parkway managers announced on Feb. 17 that there were an estimated 15.9 million recreation visits to the park in 2021 alone. The visitations during 2021 represent an approximate 13% increase from 2020.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is perhaps the most traveled scenic road in all of America. Beginning on top of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, the 469-mile long drive was meant to ride the high ridge lines of the Blue Ridge Mountains to showcase the immense natural beauty of the region.

As it winds its way from Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina, the road is marked by mileposts which come in the form of white blocks seen on the roadside as you travel. Built during the Great Depression and sanctioned by President Roosevelt, the Blue Ridge Parkway has a historic aspect to it as well as the beautiful stone archway bridges found throughout the length of the road were built by the WPA workers of the day.

Visitors should note that a full Parkway closure from milepost 276.4 at US 421 to milepost 280.9 at Old US 421 (near Deep Gap) will take place until September 2022 for slope repair.

There will also be detours around milepost 323 (south of Linville Falls) due to a single lane closure managed with a temporary traffic light until September 2022

Ultimately, however, it is the incredible vistas and views that make this road a destination for tourists from all over the United States as well as the world. While the Rocky Mountains are taller and majestic in their own way, much of what you see above a certain height is all rock. The Appalachian Mountains found here, however, are millions of years older.

For information on road and facility closures, visit the National Parks Service website.

The section of the BRP that runs through the Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk regions of western North Carolina is considered one of the more picturesque of the journey and there will be much to do along the way.

As the attractions found on various sections of the BRP are highlighted below, we will travel from north to south. The northern end of our journey starts in Ashe County as the BRP winds its way south. It is a mellow and pristine stretch of the roadway, which leads to the Northwest Trading Post found at milepost 259.

A few miles further and you will find a wonderful overlook at milepost 264.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY FOUNDATION Following along the ridgelines of the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers spectacular vistas. There you will find interesting signage that tells the story of Tom Dooley, who was the subject of a world-famous true murder ballad that folk musicians have sang for many a decade. Also, behind the sign is a small grassy knoll and when you briefly hike to the top of it, the view of Yadkin Valley is breathtaking.

As you continue to travel south, you will come upon the Deep Gap exit that will put you onto Hwy. 421. This is the exit to get to the lovely mountain college town of Boone, where there is much to do as far as food, shopping and more.

At milepost 294 on the BRP you will find the Moses Cone Manor. The old house and 1,000-plus acres of wonderful land was turned into a park many years ago. There you will find a gift shop filled with works made by artists specifically located in the Appalachian Mountains.

For those wanting to get off the parkway for a while and explore a unique mountain town, look for the exit onto Hwy. 221 just past Moses Cone manor heading south. That exit will take you to the famous tourist town known as Blowing Rock. There you will find tourist attractions, a museum, lots of shopping opportunities along a walkable downtown area and fine dining restaurants.

Back on the parkway, at milepost 296 you will find Price Lake and its campground, amphitheater, picnic area and boat ramp. A good place for family camping, there is a lot to do at Price Lake and in the surrounding areas. Check beforehand for availability.

At milepost 299 of the BRP, you will find the beginning of a run of more adventurous hiking trails including the Boone Fork Trail found on the right. Exploring the northern side of Grandfather Mountain, it is a moderate, mostly level trail that is a beautiful five-mile round trip.

For those not in the mood to hike, on the left at milepost 301 is a pull-over

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known as the Wilson Creek Valley View. Whether you stay in your vehicle or walk along the edge, the view is magnificent, especially if the sun is shining on Wilson Creek Gorge below at sunrise or right before sunset.

At milepost 300 you will come across one of the more popular mountain trails on this section of the BRP called the Rough Ridge Trail. The moderately difficult trail takes you to some of the more stunning overlooks found on Grandfather Mountain. The path can get crowded on the weekends, so social distancing may be required, but the views are wonderful.

When you get back on the BRP and travel a little further south, you will experience one of the more famous sections of the road; the Linn Cove Viaduct. The last section of the BRP to be built, it is a curvy engineering marvel that shoots out over Wilson Creek Gorge. Before the main part of the viaduct begins, there will be a parking lot to the left called the Yonahlossee Overlook that provides a trail that runs alongside and underneath the viaduct.

For an even higher adventure, continue just a mile or so past the Linn Cove Viaduct and take the Hwy. 221 exit to Grandfather Mountain State Park. There you will find many sights and activities for the whole family.

If you continue on Hwy. 221 past the entrance to Grandfather Mountain, that will lead to the resort town of Banner Elk. Within a short distance of this mountain village, you will find Sugar Mountain Ski Resort. In the summer months, this resort provides opportunities for high altitude mountain biking and hiking.

Just a short drive away, Beech Mountain Resort also features high altitude mountain biking and hiking along with mountain disc golfing, live music, an onsite craft brewery and the famous mountain top 5506’ Skybar accessed by ski lift.

Grandfather Vineyard and Winery, Banner Elk Winery and Linville Falls Winery are also found in and around Banner Elk, with both featuring awardwinning wines and live music in the afternoon on weekends.

As you travel further south and make the needed, quick detour mentioned above, you will end up at the beginning of the aforementioned Old 105 road also known as Kinstler Highway. This gravel road quickly leads to a parking lot where a trail begins leading to spectacular views of Linville Falls.

If you have a vehicle with 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive capability, this sometimes challenging gravel road will take you to many Linville Gorge trails. Linville Gorge is a true wilderness area and can be dangerous for novice hikers. Research the gorge and the trails found within before you venture forth.

For those with an able vehicle, however, almost exactly four miles down the gravel Old 105 road will be the turn off on the left to Wiseman’s View. This is an easy, short and paved wheelchair accessible trail that leads to some of the most magnificent views of Linville Gorge. If you only have a 2-wheel drive vehicle and it is raining or the conditions are wet, however, this gravel road can be hazardous and worth avoiding.

After those hikes, return to Hwy. 183 and turn left until you reach a dead end at Hwy. 221. At that three-way intersection, if you turn left onto Hwy. 221, you will soon find the entrance to the popular Linville Caverns just a short drive away. For information on hours and guided tours, visit linvillecaverns.com.

When you return to the Blue Ridge Parkway and continue southward, this exceptional roadway will lead you to even more great summer views and fun stops along the way with places to explore such as Crabtree Falls, the town of Little Switzerland, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals, the live music venue known as the Orchard at Altapass and more until you arrive at the city of Asheville or the Great Smoky Mountains further west. And, you will eventually come across the turn off to Mount Mitchell at milepost 355. At 6,683 feet in elevation, Mount Mitchell is the highest mountain east of the Rockies and the good news is that you can drive virtually all of the way to the top.