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Blue Ridge Parkway
The
Blue Ridge Parkway is a national parkway that
runs for 469 miles. The Parkway connects the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park near
Cherokee NC with the Great Shenandoah National
Park near Waynesboro VA. This road is heavily
traveled especially in the autumn months due to
the vibrant colors of the leaves changing. The
Blue Ridge Parkway is known as the longest,
narrowest National Park in the world and the
most visited park in the US. The majority of the
park is bordered by land protected by the US
Forest Service. The Blue Ridge Parkway is noted
for its beauty, especially the areas located in
Western North Carolina. 125 miles of the Parkway
are located in the High Country of Western North
Carolina and has some of the most photographed
and most visited sections of the Parkway. There
are many reasons that people come to the
mountains of Western North Carolina, one being
to enjoy the numerous Blue Ridge Parkway
attractions.
 Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began on
September 11, 1935 at Cumberland Knob near the
Virginia and North Carolina border. In September
1983 the Parkway was completed with its final
section, the Linn Cove Viaduct. This section of
the Parkway is known as a marvel of modern
engineering and is one of the most complex
concrete bridges that has ever been built. In
addition to the Linn Cove Viaduct, the Moses
Cone Manor, Doughton Park, and Linville Falls
are a few of the historic views that are
frequently photographed.
 There
are numerous reasons that people visit the Blue
Ridge Parkway North Carolina. While some people simply drive
the well maintained roads, others like to get
out and enjoy the outdoor sporting activities
that are available. Hiking is among the popular
activities available along the Parkway in
addition to biking, rock climbing, and simply
sightseeing. There are 200 overlooks, 27 tunnels
and hundreds of hiking trails throughout the
length of the Parkway. When driving from
Virginia to North Carolina from the North the
first overlook is Cumberland Knob. Here you can
find a small parking lot with access to a few
miles of trails where you can get away from the
road to extend your legs and take in the
surroundings. A little over 30 miles further
into the Appalachian Mountains is Doughton Park
which is another famous North Carolina
attraction. Here you will find a striking
overlook as well as a campground. Doughton Park
is also known as being the best place along the
Parkway for deer spotting. Moses Cone Memorial
Park is a favorite spot for hiking trails and
horseback riding trails. If you want to
experience horseback riding on The Blue Ridge
Parkway and didn’t bring your own horse there
are a few stables where you can book your trip.
Linville Falls is another must see stop on the
Parkway in Western North Carolina. The Linville
Visitors Center is operated by the National Park
Service and is the starting point for the hiking
trails that lead to views of the falls. Erwin
Views Trail is a moderate hike that is only 1.6
miles round trip. Here there are four unique
overlooks all showing different views of the
falls. At the first viewing point you can see
where the Linville River falls over the upper
falls where the water then slows down, vanishes,
and then plunges 45 feet over the lower falls.
Chimney View is the next overlook that you will
come to and is only .7 miles from the visitor
center. It is here that you can see the lower
falls for the first time on the trail. Linville
Falls is an amazing group of falls with several
hiking opportunities.
Experiencing
“America’s favorite drive” can be an exciting
adventure. Please use caution when driving
especially in fog and rain. The Blue Ridge
Parkway North Carolina is meant to be driven leisurely with
the speed limit being 45 mph and in some places
even less. During the winter months portions of
the Parkway will be closed for extended periods
of time so be sure to check out the road
conditions before you start your adventure. |
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If you have any questions or would like
more information about CENTURY 21 Elliott Properties, please contact us
828.264.9111 or use our
online request form.
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