Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
Aug 6th, 2000, 08:49 PM
#1
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Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway
I have 5 days to drive from Asheville to Washington D.C. on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm not interested in any hiking or other activities - just seeing beautiful scenery and stopping in a few places. Is this feasible and is it possible, in late September, to just find lodging each night without advanced reservations? What places should I not miss seeing or staying in? Thank you for any information.
Aug 7th, 2000, 04:35 AM
#2
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5 days is more than enough time to drive the entire length of the parkway.
There are a few places to stay that are on parkway property: Mt. Pisgah Inn and Bluffs Lodge in the Doughton Park area
are the two I know of first and and would recommend. Working southwest to
northeast, the most scenic attractions are: Waterrock Knob, Devils Courthouse, Mount Pisgah, the Folkart Center (craft shop), Craggy Gardens, Mount Mitchell(actually NC state park off of the parkway), Crabtree Meadows, Museum of NC Minerals, Linville Falls, Price Lake and Park,
Grandfather Mountain and the Lynn Cove Viaduct that takes the Parkway around Grandfather mountain, the Moses H. Cone center near Blowing Rock,
Doughton Park, and Mabry Mill.
Once you leave Mabry Mill, the parkway is not as high and the attractions are not as plentiful. Most of the scenic places require a short walk, such as Linville Falls. Blowing Rock has many nice places to stay and it is very close to the Parkway.
There are a few places to stay that are on parkway property: Mt. Pisgah Inn and Bluffs Lodge in the Doughton Park area
are the two I know of first and and would recommend. Working southwest to
northeast, the most scenic attractions are: Waterrock Knob, Devils Courthouse, Mount Pisgah, the Folkart Center (craft shop), Craggy Gardens, Mount Mitchell(actually NC state park off of the parkway), Crabtree Meadows, Museum of NC Minerals, Linville Falls, Price Lake and Park,
Grandfather Mountain and the Lynn Cove Viaduct that takes the Parkway around Grandfather mountain, the Moses H. Cone center near Blowing Rock,
Doughton Park, and Mabry Mill.
Once you leave Mabry Mill, the parkway is not as high and the attractions are not as plentiful. Most of the scenic places require a short walk, such as Linville Falls. Blowing Rock has many nice places to stay and it is very close to the Parkway.
Aug 7th, 2000, 07:10 PM
#4
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There is a government web site for the Parkway.
http://www.nps.gov/blri/home.htm
You can also find several others through any decent search engine like Hotbot or Yahoo.
If I had to pick a place I dearly love to visit, it is Mt. Pisgah Inn.
The rooms are fine and the restaurant associated with the Inn is quite good also. From there headed north, you can go by Mt. Mitchell, Craggy Gardens, and Crabtree Meadows. There is a short walk down to a very pretty cascade - waterfall. We made it fine with a 3 year old back in May. She did the walking, too. Her mother did not carry her.
Another favorite place is Linville Falls. Short walks lead to scenic views of the upper and lower falls.
I am not sure what the status of Mabry Mill is these days. It is an old grist mill powered by a water wheel. In years past there have been blacksmith demonstrations as well as grinding of corn and other grains by the mill itself. Near Daughton Park there are some churches not far off of the Parkway that have some very beautiful fresco paintings -- real frescos there were done by an artist who trained in Italy.
http://www.nps.gov/blri/home.htm
You can also find several others through any decent search engine like Hotbot or Yahoo.
If I had to pick a place I dearly love to visit, it is Mt. Pisgah Inn.
The rooms are fine and the restaurant associated with the Inn is quite good also. From there headed north, you can go by Mt. Mitchell, Craggy Gardens, and Crabtree Meadows. There is a short walk down to a very pretty cascade - waterfall. We made it fine with a 3 year old back in May. She did the walking, too. Her mother did not carry her.
Another favorite place is Linville Falls. Short walks lead to scenic views of the upper and lower falls.
I am not sure what the status of Mabry Mill is these days. It is an old grist mill powered by a water wheel. In years past there have been blacksmith demonstrations as well as grinding of corn and other grains by the mill itself. Near Daughton Park there are some churches not far off of the Parkway that have some very beautiful fresco paintings -- real frescos there were done by an artist who trained in Italy.
Aug 9th, 2000, 09:07 PM
#6
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Peaks of Otter lodge is south of Roanoke, very nice, great food. Douthat State Park is near Clifton Forge, north of Roanoke. Info on this is at http://www.state.va.us/~dcr/parks/douthat.htm It is a ways off Blue Ridge Pkwy but very historic and well worth a stop if you are driving. In the off season they rent cabins for a night, and there is a motel just off the interstate exit about 5 miles from the park entrance. Also taking a detour to the small town of Monterey in HIghland County is worth while, there is a lovely historic B&B there, the Highland Inn. Have a nice trip!
Aug 10th, 2000, 06:25 AM
#7
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OOPs. It is D o u g h t o n Park.
It is located about mile 240 on the Parkway. Of I recall correctly, one of the little churches with the frescos is near Glendale Springs -- Northwest Trading Post about mile 260.
Peaks of Otter are about mile 85.
They are, however, a little northeast of Roanoke. The lodge is indeed nice.
I forgot about it because that is the part of the Parkway I have visited the least. There are several interesting features, both scenic and historic, along that section of the drive.
It is located about mile 240 on the Parkway. Of I recall correctly, one of the little churches with the frescos is near Glendale Springs -- Northwest Trading Post about mile 260.
Peaks of Otter are about mile 85.
They are, however, a little northeast of Roanoke. The lodge is indeed nice.
I forgot about it because that is the part of the Parkway I have visited the least. There are several interesting features, both scenic and historic, along that section of the drive.
Aug 10th, 2000, 08:11 AM
#8
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As soon as the leaves start to change, the Blue Ridge Parkway is very busy. I would have reservations for sure. On peak weekends, Asheville has to open their armory to accommodate all the traverlers left without lodging. Enjoy the ride, it is a beatiful one!!
We have a place in Blowing Rock, I am sure you would enjoy exploring this quaint little villiage -- great shopping and dining. Chetola Resort is a beautiful resort. Chetola.com
We have a place in Blowing Rock, I am sure you would enjoy exploring this quaint little villiage -- great shopping and dining. Chetola Resort is a beautiful resort. Chetola.com
Aug 10th, 2000, 09:20 AM
#9
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We stayed one night at one of Shenandoah National Park's lodges in June - Big Meadows Lodge on Skyline Drive. It was during our two-day drive from Washington to Charlottesville. Very comfortable and the Lodge restaurant better than I expected (given that the place is run by a Nat'l Park concessionaire. Beautiful views from our balcony overlooking the Valley toward the Blue Ridge.
In case you're interested in anything off the Parkway - we stayed at a wonderful B&B in Charlottesville, right near Monticello.
In case you're interested in anything off the Parkway - we stayed at a wonderful B&B in Charlottesville, right near Monticello.
