Heintooga Ridge Road–Balsam Mountain Road
Begin this drive near mile marker 458 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 11 miles from Cherokee. Travel about 8 miles along the paved Heintooga Ridge Road, a mile-high drive that is lined with evergreens. At this elevation, you’re often literally in the clouds. Near the Heintooga Picnic Area, take the narrow, unpaved 18-mile Balsam Mountain Road, sometimes called Roundbottom Road. Although it's only one lane wide and has many sharp curves, Balsam Mountain Road is well-maintained and does not require a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Travel trailers and other large vehicles are prohibited. The roadside scenery changes from firs and hemlocks as you descend from Balsam Mountain to the lowlands around Cherokee. There is a profusion of flowers along Balsam Mountain Road especially in the spring. If you tire of driving, there are plenty of nearby trails, including the 11-mile Balsam Mountain Trail and 3.3-mile Palmer Creek Trail. Another 12 miles on Big Cove Road, mostly through rural areas outside the park, gets you back to Cherokee.