Parkway Pathways c/o MountainTimes

A Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway in the High Country

Like ribbons of highway wrapping up a gift of mountain preservation, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a road that takes people away from the traffic of modern life and into the slow lane.

 

Car windows will beg to be rolled down to let in the cool mountain air, along with the songs of native birds that welcome you to a celebration of nature’s bounty.

Since its birth in 1935, the Parkway has allowed visitors to re-connect with the natural world and realize our inseparable ties to it.

 

photo by the late Hugh Morton (courtesy of Grandfather Mountain)

The 469-mile highway runs through the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina.

From Cumberland Knob in northern North Carolina, where our road tour begins, down to Linville Falls in Avery County, there are a 100 miles of Parkway to travel and enjoy.

This beautiful road is some of the most scenic highway our nation has to offer. It is a wonderful drive, but the Parkway’s most precious treasures are hidden within its forests.

The mountains invite you to park your car and detour on foot for a while. After all, it’s an amazing experience to view the mountains in the distance from an overlook, but it is absolutely magical to take the time to meet them in person.

This is a high mountain road, so use caution. Obey the 45 mph speed limit, watch out for wildlife, and be careful of low clouds and fog that sometimes pass over the road.

This can make driving dangerous, so use good judgment and pull over for a while.

It’ll be a good time to read through this article or look at a guidebook. One suggested reference is William Lord’s Blue Ridge Parkway Guide.

Milepost 217.5: Cumberland Knob
The northernmost point on the Parkway within the High Country, this stop provides travelers with picnic tables and a number of hiking trails. There is also a visitor center, which can be contacted at (828) 657-8161.

Milepost 218.6: Fox Hunter’s Paradise
Visitors to this lookout will notice a low knoll to the right of the ridge that was once a favorite place for hunters to gather around campfires and contemplate the chase ahead. Patches of forest interspersed with farmland can be seen for miles on a clear day. There is a hiking trail and picnic area here.

Milepost 230: Little Glade Mill Pond
The serene beauty of this pond, just off the road, is an oasis within an oasis.
Dragonflies with flickering iridescent wings are plentiful here, as are butterflies and lighthearted human visitors. The area is flanked by thickets of rhododendrons and plenty of picnic tables, all within earshot of a nearby creek.

Milepost 232: Stone Mountain Overlook
From this overlook you can see Stone Mountain State Park. Stone Mountain is an immense granite slab mostly bare of vegetation. Distant ridgelines and swaths of nearly continuous forest unfold as far as the eye can see.

Milepost 238.5: Brinegar Cabin
This mountain homestead, once owned by Martin and Caroline Brinegar, has been preserved as a memorial to traditional mountain living. Beside the Brinegar Cabin, there is a tended garden that holds many of the crops that were essential for a self-sustained Appalachian family. Buckwheat, tomatoes, squash, and flax, which was used to make thread and homeopathic remedies, are grown here. Down the hill is a “spring house,” a small structure surrounding a spring that was used for bathing and keeping food cool. The homestead holds a century old loom that is still in use. Craft demonstrations are offered at various times during the summer season-check at Doughton Park for a schedule. Also, there are two hiking trails that begin at the far end of the parking lot: the 4.3-mile Cedar Rock Trail and the 7.5-mile Bluff Mountain Trail.

Picturesque vistas are just outside one’s windshield along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Marie Freeman

Milepost 238.5-244.8: Doughton Park
Doughton Park is home to Bluff’s Lodge, as well as Bluff’s Coffee Shop and Gas Station, where visitors can get a hot meal and crucial camping snacks, such as fluffy bags of marshmallows. The Bluff’s building also offers regional cookbooks and souvenirs ranging from homemade jams to delicate necklaces dangling with replications of the area’s native flora. The explosive, rich color of rhododendrons in late May and June can be enjoyed on the Park’s nearly 30 miles of hiking trails. There are also campsites for trailers and tents. Bluff’s Lodge has 24 rooms and great views of the surrounding mountains. To make a reservation call (336) 372-4499.

Milepost 242: Alligator Back
At the Alligator Back rest area you can learn about local predators and take a 20-minute walking trail to the Bluff Overlook. Sadly, the mountain lions that once roamed heavily in this area are no longer a major presence, but you might run into a wild chipmunk or squirrel!

Milepost 252: Sheet’s Gap
Sheet’s Gap is named for the small cabin built by Jesse Sheets around 1815. There is an overlook three-tenths of a mile south from here, with a walking trail leading back to the cabin.

Milepost 259: Northwest Trading Post
This trading post provides drivers with a place to rest and recharge, and is open seven days a week from 9 to 5:30. Offering homemade food, crafts, restrooms and gifts.

Milepost 260: Jumpinoff Rock
At the end of the parking lot there is an easy walking trail that takes you to Jumpinoff Rock. This is a nice walk for families with small children because of the level terrain and well-shaded trail. There’s also a small picnic area in front of the parking lot to take a rest and look out over the ridge tops.

Milepost 267: Mount Jefferson Overlook
This site overlooks Mt. Jefferson State Park, a 474-acre area surrounded by farmland. The 4,515-foot mountain was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. You might also be able to see Grandfather Mountain to the south if it’s a clear day.
 

Milepost 271: Cascades Nature Trail
The Cascades Nature Trail offers a brisk hike through rich pine forests to a waterfall that rolls down the side of the mountain to the lowlands below. Hikers need to exercise caution on the rocks near the waterfall. People, even in recent years, have fallen to their deaths here.

Milepost 272: Jeffress Park
At E.B. Jeffress Park there are plenty of hiking trails and a picnic area. Jeffress Park can be accessed from the Parkway despite the detour. Just drive past the detour sign through the construction area to the entrance of the park. There are two historic structures here, the Jesse Brown Cabin, built in the mid-1800s and the Cool Spring Baptist Church. Backtrack to the detour signs to re-enter the Parkway farther south.

DETOUR IN BOONE - 2008
The detour will begin for visitor traveling south at milepost 285.5, Bamboo Gap. These visitors will follow state road (SR) 1514 Bamboo Road to Deerfield Road, following the detour signs along U.S. 321 south of Boone and connecting back to the Parkway at milepost 291.8.
Parkway visitors traveling north will begin the detour at milepost 291.8, intersection of U.S. 321, following the detour signs along U.S. 321 to SR 1514, Deerfield Road to Bamboo Road which will bring them back to the Parkway at milepost 285.5.
The total detour is about eight miles and work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Milepost 290: Thunder Hill
Thunder Hill is an exceptional overlook near Blowing Rock, with unparalleled views of the Yadkin River Valley. This overlook is very popular with the locals, serving as a prime vantage point for observing celestial events.

Milepost 293-295: Moses Cone Memorial Park
Moses Cone Park is home to the Cone Manor, a lovely Queen Anne-style home that has been turned into the Southern Highlands Craft Guild’s Parkway Craft Center, which is accompanied by a visitor’s center. The visitor center can be reached at (828) 295-3782. Throughout the season, traditional craftspeople occasionally provide demonstrations on the front porch of the house. The Park also has 25 miles of carriage trails for curious visitors to explore on foot or horseback.

Milepost 295-299: Julian Price Park
At 4,200 acres, Price Park has much to offer. There is an amphitheater, picnic area, campground, and canoe rentals, as well as 25 miles of hiking trails. The campground has 197 spaces, which are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Price Lake is classified as general trout waters and no motor boating or swimming is allowed. The waters are excellent for fishing, but everyone over 16 who holds a pole should also hold a state license.

Milepost 298-305: Grandfather Mountain
Between mileposts 298 and 305 is Grandfather Mountain, the crown jewel of the Parkway. This area is replete with awesome views and hiking trails, and the road itself is a tremendous sight.

Milepost 304: The Linn Cove Viaduct
The Linn Cove Viaduct, which wraps around Grandfather, is one of the great engineering feats of the Parkway. Completed in 1987 after close to 20 years of study, deliberation, and construction, the Viaduct is an elevated bridge that spans 7.5-miles around the perimeter of Grandfather Mountain. Constructed from the top down and pre-cast indoors to minimize the disturbance to the forested hillside, scrupulous care was taken to ensure that the exposed rocks and trees along the Viaduct were protected.

This example of the stewardly melding of architecture and nature proves that human interests and natural areas can coexist through careful and compassionate planning and action. The Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor’s Center, located at milepost 304, providing travelers with restrooms and information, can be reached at (828) 733-1354.

 

Milepost 308: Pisgah National Forest
At milepost 308 the Parkway begins its run through Pisgah National Forest, which continues all the way down through milepost 355. The drive through this area is incredibly scenic and there are plenty of places to pull off the road and go for a walk or have a picnic lunch. There are no facilities along much of this stretch, so take lots of water with you and don’t forget where you parked your car if you venture into the woods!

Milepost 310: Lost Cove Cliffs
Locals, visitors, and scientists alike question the origin of the mysterious lights that appear to flicker and move about on distant mountains. Occasionally visible from this overlook, the Brown Mountain Lights have been the subject of almost a century of speculation and study.
The earliest explanation for the lights dates back to an 800-year old Cherokee legend that says the lights are the spirits of slain warriors. Some scientists now believe the lights are an electrical phenomenon similar to the Great Northern Lights. The truth remains a mystery.

Milepost 316.5: Linville Falls
The grand finale as the Parkway leaves the High Country is the magnificent Linville Falls. The waterfalls at Linville are breathtaking and are accessible by a number of short trails. The small gift shop offers an assortment of postcards and books. The campground is open year-round. Backpacking is allowed in adjacent Linville Gorge, one of the most rugged parts of the Eastern United States - contact Pisgah National Forest for details on this opportunity. For more information, contact the Linville Falls Visitor Center at (828) 765-1045.

Beyond Linville Falls, the Parkway rolls on for another 152 miles, emptying drivers into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As you spend your day traveling this glorious stretch of road, remain mindful of the speed limit and be sure to keep a full tank of gas in your car and drinking water on hand.

In addition to the rest areas and hiking trails mentioned here, there are plenty of other interesting sites to see and trails to walk, so don’t be afraid to get out of your car and go exploring. Your daring might be rewarded! The Blue Ridge Parkway is a pathway to relaxation, education, and adventure. Enjoy it!

DETOUR Reminder

The detour will begin for visitor traveling south at milepost 28. Parkway at milepost 291.8.
Parkway visitors traveling north will begin the detour at milepost 291.8, intersection of U.S. 321, following the detour signs along U.S. 321 to SR 1514, Deerfield Road to Bamboo Road which will bring them back to the Parkway at milepost 285.5. The total detour is about eight miles and work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

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