Visiting Blue Ridge Parkway

There are faster routes between the great smokies and Shenandoah National park. But a leisurely drive along the 469 mile blue ridge parkway is not a journey to vacation, it is a vacation itself. Aside from the 45 mph speed limit, you may find this high road slower than you'd planned. Spectacular views of the southern Appalachian mountains demand halts and overlooks. Nature trails, historical exhibits, visitor centers, and picnic areas call you to park the car for a while. Lodges and campgrounds suggest a layover to fish in a mountain stream,

No neon signs or billboards assault you. Instead, there are deer browsing at roadside, gleaming waterfalls and dark tunnels, fascinating rock formations with such names as devils courthouse and wildcat Rocks, and ridge after ridge of rolling forested mountains. Once a western frontier, these ancient hills still cradle the weathered log cabins and split railed fences of mountain folk whose forefathers left the settled valleys to wrest a living from the highlands and secluded hollows.

Things to do while visiting

The parkway is open year round though snow and ice may cause temporary closings. But when you do get a chance to visit, there are many things you can do to enjoy your visit while in Blue Ridge. Camping is a traditional and enjoyable way for families to enjoy their National Parks. On the Blue Ridge Parkway, campgrounds serve the visitor from early May through the fall color season. Camping is $16 for all campgrounds. Note that Firewood from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey and New York should not be brought onto Parkway lands. The US Department of Agriculture has quarantined firewood from these states to prevent the spread of highly destructive insects that may be in the wood.