Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway is a parkway run by the National Park Service in North Carolina and Virginia.

In the park service’s words

A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

• Spot an Elk on the Heintooga Spur Road: Heintooga Ridge Road on the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a good place to spot elk.
• Become a Blue Ridge Parkway Junior Ranger (20 to 120 Minutes): Becoming a Blue Ridge Parkway Junior Ranger is exciting and rewarding! Pick up your Junior Ranger Folder and instructions at any park visitor center. Then travel the parkway to get site-specific activity sheets along your journey.
• Stargaze at Waterrock Knob (1 to 4 Hours): Stargazing on the Blue Ridge Parkway can be an amazing experience. Waterrock Knob at Milepost 451.2 is a great place to enjoy the calm quiet of the night and contemplate the universe as you gaze at the starry sky that surrounds you.
• Watch the Sunrise from Pounding Mill Overlook (1 to 3 Hours): Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Parkway can be an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Pounding Mill Overlook at Milepost 413 is a great place to welcome the dawn of a new day and appreciate the natural beauty of this special place.
• Watch Peregrine Falcons at Devils Courthouse (1 to 3 Hours): Peregrine falcon, once near extinction, now can be viewed in the skies over the Blue Ridge Parkway.
• Watch for Hawks at the Mills River Overlook: The raptors are coming! And they’ve got the “kettle” on!
• OVVI Junior Ranger: Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail Junior Ranger booklet and directions.
• Save A Bear's Life: Your actions while visiting the parkway can have a direct and lasting impact on a black bear. Discover how YOU can save a bear's life!

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Open 24 hours, every day. The road is open 24 hours a day, weather permitting. Road closures due to inclement weather occur most frequently during winter. Sections of the road may also be closed during road maintenance projects. Check our road closure map to verify that the parkway is open before traveling. Visitor centers and other facilities have hours and seasons that vary. Most picnic areas, campgrounds, and visitor centers are closed from the beginning of November until early May.

Camping

Lodging

• Buck Spring Lodge: Once the site of a hunting lodge built by George Vanderbilt. Come see why this was the perfect summer escape!

Getting there

The parkway is a 469-mile-long scenic road connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Numerous federal and state highways provide access to the parkway. Milepost markers are positioned every mile along the parkway, starting at 0 in Virginia and ending at 469 in North Carolina. We suggest using a map to identify the area you want to visit, as GPS directions often do not incorporate the parkway's milepost system.

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

• Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (Milepost 451.2): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM
• Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (Milepost 384): Daily, 9:00AM - 4:30PM. Open year-round, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Subject to temporary closures during periods of inclement weather.
• Folk Art Center (Milepost 382): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM. The Folk Art Center is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Subject to temporary closures during periods of inclement weather.
• Craggy Gardens Visitor Center (Milepost 364): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM. There is no water available at Craggy Gardens. Porta-johns are available in the parking areas. Craggy Gardens Picnic Area and sections of the Mountains to Sea Trail from the Craggy Trail Shelter to the Snowball Mountain Trail remain closed.
• Museum of North Carolina Minerals (Milepost 331): Mon Closed; Tue Closed; Wed 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Thu 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Fri 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Sat 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Sun 10:00AM - 5:00PM. Please check the Calendar of Events page to see our schedule of Ranger Programs.
• Linville Falls Visitor Center (Milepost 316): Closed. This facility is closed as a result of damage sustained during Hurricane Helene. There is currently no scheduled date for reopening.
• Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center (Milepost 304): Closed. This visitor center is closed. Parking lot open for trail access.
• Moses Cone Manor House and Visitor Center (Milepost 294): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM. The first floor of the house, including the Southern Highlands Craft Guild store and America's National Parks store are open Wednesday through Sunday 10:00am to 4:00pm, April 15, 2026 to April 30, 2026. The stores are open daily 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, May 1, 2026 - October 30, 2026. The remainder of house is open for touring during the summer. Please see website calendar for tour and open house times or call 828-295-3782.
• Blue Ridge Music Center (Milepost 213): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM. The Blue Ridge Music Center is open 7 days week from 10 am to 5 pm. Midday Mountain Music, a free music concert and demonstration is held in the breezeway of the museum every day from noon to 3 pm.
• Doughton Park Visitor Center (Milepost 241): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM. Numerous hiking options are available in the Doughton Park area and nearby Brinegar Cabin offers insights into mountain living in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Rocky Knob Visitor Center (Milepost 169): Mon 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Tue Closed; Wed Closed; Thu 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Fri 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Sat 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Sun 10:00AM - 5:00PM. The Rocky Knob area offers a visitor center, campground, and 15 miles of hiking trails, including the Rock Castle Gorge National Recreation Trail. Picturesque Mabry Mill is located just a few miles south of Rocky Knob.
• Peaks of Otter Visitor Center (Milepost 85.6): Mon Closed; Tue Closed; Wed 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Thu 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Fri 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Sat 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Sun 10:00AM - 5:00PM. Visitors of the Peaks of Otter gain a sense of both the history of community and tourism in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The long history of visiting the mountains for health and relaxation is told in the visitor center. An extensive trail system is available with the hike to Sharp Top being a long-standing tradition. Dining and lodging are available, along with fishing in Abbott Lake, camping, and picnicking.
• James River Visitor Center (Milepost 63.6): Closed. James River Visitor Center is closed for the season.
• Humpback Rocks Visitor Center (milepost 5.8): Daily, 10:00AM - 5:00PM. Visitors may take self-guided tours of the mountain farm grounds. Parkway information and America's National Park Store is available during regular operating hours.

Weather

The weather on the parkway can vary widely along its 469-mile route. Precipitation is possible any time of the year. Winter can be cold and snowy, especially at the higher elevations. Spring and fall can have large temperature swings, from near freezing to over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers are hot in the lower elevations, but the highest elevations remain cooler. Summertime thunderstorms are common, so be prepared for weather changes.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Great Smoky Mountains, about 59 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

• National Park Service Data API: Blue Ridge Parkway (public domain)
• Official website

Last checked 1 November 2026.