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The Blue Ridge Parkway - Western North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway is over 400 miles long from Virginia to North Carolina, and along the way there are many fascinating places.

The Parkway follows the Appalachian Mountain chain and provides seemingly endless views of many parallel ranges connected by cross ranges and scattered hills. From Shenandoah National Park, the Parkway follows the Blue Ridge Mountains, eastern rampart of the Appalachians, for 355 miles. Then, for the remaining 114 miles, it skirts the southern end of the massive Black Mountains, weaves through the Craggies, the Pisgahs, and the Balsams, and ends in the Great Smokies.

Wildlife is a delight to see along the Parkway. When the sun is high, woodchucks sit erect and chipmunks and squirrels chitter and chat. At night, skunks, bobcats, foxes, opossums, and raccoons may be seen along the roadsides. Whitetail deer and black bears are present, but seldom seen. Look for them in early morning or evening. More than 100 bird species can be seen during the spring migration season. Protect all wildlife and please do not disturb dens or nests.

Find out more about the Blue Ridge Parkway at www.ncnatural.com/Parkway, or visit www.blueridgeparkway.org to plan your trip.