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RVing THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
America's favorite road celebrates its 75th anniversary

Perhaps unlike any other road in the world, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers one of the ultimate road trips for RVers of all experience levels. It meets all of the prerequisites in resounding fashion: only two lanes of traffic; historical interest; friendly and interesting people; great scenery; and many places to stop for the night. With apologies to William Least Heat Moon, the 2010 75th anniversary of “America’s Favorite Road” makes for a great time to head down this “blue highway.”

“Much more than just a road, the Parkway is a relaxing drive-awhile, stop-awhile experience,” says National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. “This is an especially good time to visit the park and surrounding communities because of the variety of special 75th anniversary events.” The Parkway is part of the national parks system--and the NPS has an anniversary (100th) of its own in 2016.

A Little History

In August, 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited several Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, with Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes and Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd accompanying him. Although there’s no firm record of who suggested it, someone evidently suggested extending Skyline Drive (a scenic byway begun in 1931) southward to North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, thus connecting the two national parks with a scenic roadway.

In late-September that same year, the Asheville Citizen carried an article titled, “Byrd Outlines Park Road Plan.” This was the first mention in print of the future Blue Ridge Parkway.

By November, Ickes had approved a “park-to-park highway” for federal funding under the Public Works Administration and hired Stanley L. Abbot, a landscape architect with New York’s Westchester County, to oversee planning. Abbott, who would become known as the “father of the Parkway,” had an innovative plan to create a chain of parks and recreation areas while preserving the stunning views and Appalachian culture.

After much debate about the routing, construction began in September 1935. Extensive building projects were carried out for two decades by a mix of private contractors, Works Progress Administration workers, CCC crews, and staff from the Emergency Relief Administration. By 1966, the Parkway was complete but for 7.7 rugged miles around Grandfather Mountain. With the addition of the revolutionary Linn Cove Viaduct, the entire route opened to the public in 1987. It’s still undergoing improvement, however, with $84 million in federally-funded projects either underway or approved (be sure to look for more than 3,300 linear feet of reconstructed historic stone walls along the way).

The Blue Ridge Parkway continuously records the highest number of visits in the national park system (typically more than 15 million visits each year). However, a lot of road and varied stops means it typically doesn’t feel crowded.

A Lot of Road for RVers

Almost since its inception, the Blue Ridge Parkway has been popular with RVers. It was the nation's first (and ultimately the longest) rural parkway. The total distance is 469 miles, making it an ideal three- or four-day trip in an RV (though campgrounds make it easy to linger much longer--and many do!).

The Blue Ridge Parkway drive officially starts at Virginia’s Rockfish Gap, where you find the 0 Milepost marker. These markers become the welcome signs of location on the drive and run progressively each mile southward along the Parkway.

The first major stop is indicative of what the drive has to offer. The Humpback Rocks Visitor Center is often the first taste of the Blue Ridge Parkway for southbound drivers and it's a great place for an RVer to stop for maps and information. In general, the varied visitor centers, camping facilities, and concession system on the Parkway are excellent, with services varying with the seasons. They offer great places to get maps, ask questions, and learn about campfire talks, nature walks, slide programs, and much more.

The Humpback Rocks area features an interesting self-guided tour through a reconstructed mountain farmstead. The short, but steep, hike up to Humpback Rocks (at Milepost 6.1) is well worth the heavy breathing for a breath-taking view of the area. It's only three-quarters of a mile to the top.

Back on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the views begin. One of the beauties of RVing is that the driver and passengers generally sit higher than they do in a car, thus providing much better views of the surrounding landscape.

If one stopped at every awe-inspiring view, they’d never make it to the end. There are pull-offs at most of the best overlooks, but drivers are also allowed to just pull over on the shoulder as long as their vehicles is completely off the road (RVers should obviously show extra care). The speed limit is 45 mph or less and most visitors tend to take it slowly for good reason. Wooden guard rails subtly protect vehicles and people from the steep drop-offs.

Some possible stops along this stretch include: Ravens Roost, featuring vistas of the Shenandoah River and Torry Mountain; Sherando Lake, a recreational lake in the George Washington National Forest; Whetstone Ridge, which provided the mountain folks with a fine-grained sharpening stone; and Yankee Horse Parking Area, where a hard-riding Union soldier's horse supposedly fell and had to be shot (there's now a reconstructed spur of an old logging railroad).

Between Mileposts 58 and 64, Otter Creek runs down the Blue Ridge, following the road to the James River. Otters don't play along the creek anymore, but lots of people do. This section of the drive features a seasonal (spring to fall) campground, a visitor center, a self-guided nature trail, a restored lock and canal system, a restaurant, a gift shop, and the lowest elevation on the entire Parkway (649 feet).

Campground Heaven

Otter Creek has the first of nine developed campgrounds along the Parkway--if the one selected is closed or full, there are many more NPS or commercial campgrounds further down (or near) the Parkway. All of the Parkway campgrounds have tent and RV sites (but, no water or electrical hookups!).

The campgrounds are generally open from early-May to late-October, depending on the weather. They can be busy on summer holiday weekends and fall foliage season. In early-spring and late-fall, there are usually just a few RVers (and helpful campground hosts) in most campgrounds.

Peaks of Otter, Roanoke Mountain, and Rocky Knob are the rest of the Virginia camping options. In North Carolina, the first option is Doughton Park, followed by Julian Price Memorial Park, Linville Falls, Crabtree Meadows, and Mt. Pisgah (the southernmost and highest elevation campground).

Back on the Parkway

The next common stop along the Parkway is popular Peaks of Otter. Along with great camping, the Peaks of Otter area accommodates with some serious hiking to lose a few of the pounds gained cooking gourmet campground meals. The Peaks of Otter Visitor Center has a detailed area map and information from the very friendly staff (it must be the mountain air). Some good bets are Sharp Top Trail (1.6 steep miles for a 360-degree view); easy Elk Run Loop Trail; strenuous Harkening Hill Loop Trail; Johnson Farm Trail; and Flat Top Trail back to Fallingwater Cascades.

The Parkway continues south and the spectacular views roll by continuously. There’s a Appalachian Trail Overlook around Milepost 100. The famed Appalachian Trail is a 2,100-mile hiking "path" along the ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, stretching from Maine to Georgia. It runs through 14 states and the Virginia section (534 miles) is the longest stretch. Along with several stretches of the AT, the Parkway features a wide array of varied hiking (be sure to read our feature on hikes near Asheville on page 36 of this issue).

The bustling mountain city of Roanoke, Virginia, is situated very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and can serve as an ideal stopover for those in need of a civilization fix. Other quaint stopover towns near the Parkway in Virginia include Waynesboro, Lexington, Lynchburg, and Galax.

Mabry Mill is just down the road. This often-photographed water powered mill was operated by E.B. Mabry from 1910 to 1935. The self-guided walking tour includes his gristmill, sawmill, blacksmith shop, and other outdoor exhibits. In the summer and fall, visitors will often see the use of old-time skills.

Nearby, the Mabry Mill Coffee & Craft Shop offers refreshments and stone-ground cornmeal. Just down the Parkway, Meadows of Dan offers gas, food, lodging, and shopping, country-style.

The rest of the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway is steeped in views, gaps, history, and music. For views, great pull offs include the Groundhog Mountain Parking Overlook, with an observation tower simulating an old tobacco barn. For gaps, there’s the quaint town of Fancy Gap. For history, Puckett Cabin is the home of Orelena Hawks Puckett--a storied local midwife. For music, stop at the Blue Ridge Music Center.

The views, gaps, and history don’t stop at the Virginia state line. North Carolina features some spectacular scenery and sightseeing of its own.

Some of the best views in North Carolina include Fox Hunters Paradise, Doughton Park, The Lump, Linn Cove Viaduct, Linville Falls, the Mt. Pisgah area, and Richland Balsam Overlook (which, at 6,053 feet, features views from the highest point on the Parkway). Along with these pull offs, North Carolina hiking options include the Tanawha Trail, the Craggy Gardens area, Graveyard Fields, Devil’s Courthouse, and Waterrock Knob.

History also abounds in this rugged area. The Cone Manor House and Moses H. Cone Memorial Park provide one of the most interesting stops on the Parkway. This huge and historic estate features old carriage trails that are now ideal for hiking, as well as a well-run Parkway Craft Center, where you can buy crafts and watch occasional demonstrations.

This is also the place to head just off the Parkway to the charming town of Blowing Rock. Made famous in Jan Karon’s Mitford series of books, Blowing Rock features simple village charm, varied shopping (look for the Bob Timberlake Gallery), and an array of tasty restaurants.

Other easy stops for RVers include the fascinating Museum of North Carolina Minerals and the Folk Art Center. As with most pull offs along the Parkway, there’s typically easy parking for RVs.

At milepost 384 just outside Asheville, the relatively new Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center features exhibits highlighting the natural and cultural diversity, economic traditions, and recreation along the 469-mile drive. The facility also features a 70-seat theater, information and orientation services, and a bookstore.

Outside and indoors, the building reflects cutting-edge energy-saving technology. Constructed to Gold LEED certification standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), it features active/passive heating and cooling, radiant floor heating, a green roof and other energy-efficient designs. Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Philip Francis says, “We are excited that in addition to orienting visitors to the region and parkway, the structure exemplifies natural resources stewardship for the long-term.”

The theater’s main attraction is a specially-produced movie called “The Blue Ridge Parkway: America’s Favorite Journey.” Shown hourly in high-definition surround sound, the 24-minute film captures a father-daughter journey along the parkway. Other exhibits include a variety of listening stations and interactive exhibits--including an electronic, interactive wall map.

Nearby, Asheville is quite simply a must-stop. From RVer-friendly Biltmore Estate to a bustling downtown (pick up supplies at one of many tailgate markets), Asheville is a quintessential southeast mountain stop.

South of Asheville, there are a ton of tunnels (for big rigs, heights and widths are clearly marked, and there’s also info on the NPS website link in “Resources”). Some of the highest points and pull offs on the Parkway are also on this section. After Richland Balsam, the drive haltingly descends to 2,020 feet and the end of the Parkway. Just after the end, RVers can head to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on US 441 and lots more great RV driving.

However, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the perfect road for both new and veteran RVers. And, now’s the time to hit “America’s Favorite Road.”

RESOURCES

For further information about the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit www.blueridgeparkway.org and www.nps.gov/blri. A special website for the 75th anniversary can be found at www.blueridgeparkway75.org. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s website, ww.blueridgeheritage.com, can also be quite helpful (their members staff the Visitor Center featured in this story).