Entrances
At the entrance to each of the recreational areas along the Parkway you will find a large carved wooden sign bearing the Parkway emblem. This is also the designation used on the maps herein to locate the recreational areas now ready for use.
Elias Mabry Mill on the Parkway, Virginia.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
Shenandoah National Park—Roanoke, Virginia
North of the James River the Parkway winds through large sections of the George Washington National Forest. This scenic route is very spectacular where it crosses the high cliff sections of Humpback Mountain. Purple rhododendron blooms here in early June. Through this region, too, are glimpses of isolated mountain farm groups, as well as distant views to the fertile “bread basket of the Confederacy” in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
The Parkway is paved from Rockfish Gap south for nearly 46 miles to U S 60. Three small bridges along this route are being constructed, but traffic is maintained with little inconvenience to the traveler.
The Parkway section south of the James River to Roanoke features the lowest point on Blue Ridge Parkway, 670 feet elevation, where it will cross the river, and Thunder Ridge, where it climbs to almost 4,000 feet. South a few miles are the famed Peaks of Otter. This spectacular section lies partly through the Jefferson National Forest.
The famous Appalachian Trail, making its way from Maine to Georgia, touches the Parkway at several points. For detailed information, write the Appalachian Trail Conference, 1916 Sunderland Place, NW., Washington 6, D. C.
Shenandoah National Park conserves a large section of the Virginia Blue Ridge (74 miles southwest of Washington, D. C.). Well known for the Skyline Drive, a road wholly within that park but connecting with the Blue Ridge Parkway at Rockfish Gap, Shenandoah also has many miles of developed foot trails and varied tourist accommodations. For complete information, address Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park, Luray, Va.
| Mile Post | Elevation | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Rockfish Gap-Junction Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive of Shenandoah National Park. | 1,909 |
| 6 | Humpback Rocks, craggy rock outcropping. Foot trail from parking area to the Rocks. | 3,210 |
| 15 | Sherando Lake (George Washington National Forest). Swimming, fishing, picnicking. Turn on VA-814 for 3½ miles. | 1,500 |
| 27 | Tye River Gap | 2,969 |
| 45.6 | U S 60 crossing. Parkway grade dead-ends 7 miles south. | 2,312 |
| 63.7 | Junction U S 501 and Parkway section southward | 670 |
| 74.7 | Thunder Ridge Parking Area. One minute walk to superb view of Arnolds Valley. | 3,485 |
| 76.7 | High point on the Parkway in Virginia. Apple Orchard Mountain (El. 4,229). Forest Service fire tower. | 3,950 |
| 80 | Purple rhododendron blooms early June. | |
| 83.8 | Wilkinson Gap. Foot trail to summit Flat Top Mountain takes 1¾ hours. Trail down south side of mountain to vicinity Big Spring on VA-43 (1 mile off Parkway) takes 1 hour. | 2,511 |
| 86 | Peaks of Otter. Sharp Top (El. 3,875). Flat Top (El. 4,001). Recreational area under development. Sightseeing bus trips to top of Sharp Top; sandwiches, soups, drinks, sold at bus station. VA-43 to Bedford. | |
| 90 | VA-43 to Buchanan. Parkway closed to south. ROANOKE (Magic City). Western Virginia’s largest city. Population 100,000. Parkway headquarters. | 1,000 |
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK TO ROANOKE, VA.
PKY-B. R. 7005-1
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
Roanoke, Va.—North Carolina State Line
From Adney Gap (19 miles south of Roanoke by way of U S 221) the Parkway is paved south to the State Line and beyond to Deep Gap near Boone and Blowing Rock. This section of Parkway through lower Virginia is notable for its pictures of mountain farming. The Blue Ridge here is a high rolling plateau which breaks in a sharp escarpment toward the east and the lower Piedmont. The Parkway generally follows the crest, which is the water divide between Atlantic and Gulf drainage, affording occasional fine views over the low country. In other places the Parkway recedes into wooded and pastoral valleys of quiet charm.
| Mile Post | Elevation | |
|---|---|---|
| 136 | Adney Gap. Terminus 140 mile paved section to Deep Gap, N. C. | 2,690 |
| 144 | Devil’s Backbone Parking Overlook. Fine view over farming region. | 2,685 |
| 144.8 | Pine Spur Parking Overlook. Named for the white pine which is the tree depicted on Parkway emblem. | 2,703 |
| 150 | Magnificent flame azalea; blooms mid-May. | |
| 154.5 | Smart View, 500 acres, hiking trails, large picnic grounds, comfort stations, drinking water. The cabin home of T. T. Trail, immediately adjacent entrance road, is picturesque. Rim trail in this area is part of Appalachian Trail system. Smart View is center of Parkway’s dogwood bloom in early May. | 2,500 |
| 164 | Fine azalea show. Also mountain-laurel in late May. | |
| 165.2 | Tuggles Gap. VA-8, turn-off for Fairy Stone State Park 16 miles. Swimming, boating, picnicking. | 2,752 |
| 167 to 170 | Rocky Knob, 4,000 acres. Picnicking, camping, trailer sites, hiking, comfort stations, drinking water, fishing 5 miles of Rock Castle Creek. Foot trail from Saddle Parking Overlook (Mile 168) to summit of Rocky Knob (El. 3,570) takes 10 minutes, continues along rim to Grassy Knoll (Mile 170). Fine for flame azalea late in May. | 3,225 |
| 176.1 | Mabry Mill, grist and sawmill, wheelwright and blacksmith shops, illustrating typical mountain “industrial plant,” fascinating and ingenious. Buildings will later be opened for inspection. | 2,855 |
| 177.7 | Meadows of Dan. U S 58 longest east-west road across Virginia. Inquire locally about Lovers Leap and the Pinnacles of Dan. | 2,964 |
| 189.2 | Groundhog Mountain Parking Overlook, high point affording 360° view. Observation tower, simulating old tobacco barn. Examples of various types of old chestnut rail fences, such as snake, post and rail, and buck. | 3,030 |
| 189.9 | Puckett Cabin, home of Arlena Hawks Puckett, storied midwife of the local hills. | 2,850 |
| 199.5 | Fancy Gap. U S 52, where local products, such as cabbage, are gathered to be trucked down the mountains. | 2,920 |
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
ROANOKE VA. TO N. C. STATE LINE
PKY-B. R. 7005-2
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
Virginia State Line—Linville River
The northerly 60 miles shown finished on the map facing this page, like the section north toward Roanoke, thread a country remarkable for its mountain fields and pastures; but the country is more rugged, the Blue Ridge becoming more defined and higher. It is completed as to landscaping between the State Line and The Bluffs. A sandwich shop is open at Cumberland Knob.
Sixty miles of Parkway are available southward from Linville. From Deep Gap, near Boone, it is not far to Blowing Rock and Linville, resort towns at the edge of Grandfather Mountain. This “patriarch,” elevation 5,939 feet, is one of the oldest, shaggiest mountains of the Appalachians. The road across Grandfather, U S 221, is known as the Black Bear Trail (Yonahlossee in the language of the Cherokee).
| Mile Post | Elevation | |
|---|---|---|
| 216.9 | North Carolina-Virginia State Line | 2,547 |
| 217.5 |  Cumberland Knob, 1,000 acres, sandwich shop (sandwiches, drinks, soups, picnic box lunches), picnic area, comfort stations, drinking water. 15-minute loop trail to Cumberland Knob (El. 2,855). Loop trail into Gully Creek Gorge, 2 hours. | 2,740 |
| 218.6 | Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook and Parking Area. 10 minutes by trail to the Paradise, where old-time hunters listened to their hounds. | 2,805 |
| 219 | Fine display of pink azalea; blooms early May. Flame azalea blooms mid-May. | |
| 228 | Fine beds of pink azalea; blooms early May. This section also fine for mountain-laurel in early June. | |
| 238 to 245 | The Bluffs, 6,000 acres—picnic grounds (Mile 241), campgrounds (Mile 239), trailer sites, comfort stations, drinking water, 20 miles of trail. This area affords fine examples of bluegrass downs, terminating in precipitous bluffs. Purple rhododendron in meadows and on trails late May. At Mile 238.5 is the picturesque Carolyn Brinegar Cabin. Be sure to visit Wildcat Rocks (Mile 241.1), from which you may look down 1,500 feet upon what was once the homestead of the Caudill family, dramatic exhibit of isolated mountain life. 10-minute trail to Fodderstack Mountain. Gas station and coffee shop open. | 3,710 |
| 271.9 | Cascades Parking Overlook. Woodland trail along a mountain stream to cascades tumbling several hundred feet. Delightful 8-minute walk. | 3,570 |
| 276.5 | Deep Gap. Between Deep Gap and Beacon Heights there are good connecting paved roads. The Parkway between Mile Posts 282 and 292 will be paved during 1949. | 3,140 |
| 304.9 | Beacon Heights. Make inquiry at Linville or Blowing Rock for entrance to Daniel Boone Boy Scout Trail over the seven peaks of Grandfather Mountain for which the larger part of a day must be allowed. | 3,140 |
| 308.2 | Flat Rock Parking Area. 10-minute trail to superb prospect of Linville Valley and Grandfather Mountain. Easy climb and most worth while. | 3,995 |
| 316.4 | Linville River Parking Area. Here is one of the Parkway’s largest stone arch bridges, three spans of 80 feet each. Fishing in Linville River under State laws. | 3,250 |
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
VA. STATE LINE TO LINVILLE RIVER
PKY-B. R. 7005-3
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
Linville River—Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Parkway between Linville Falls and Asheville traverses one of the great mountain sections of North Carolina where the Blue Ridge, the Blacks, and the Craggy Mountains merge. Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet in elevation, and the highest peak in the East, is prominent from the Parkway. The large holdings of the Mitchell Division of the Forest Service and the Asheville Watershed have protected the area from despoliation.
| Mile Post | Elevation | |
|---|---|---|
| 320.7 | Chestoa View offers an unusually fine view from one of the many vertical cliffs on Humpback Mountain. | 4,110 |
| 339.5 | Crabtree Meadows, 160 acres lying within the Pisgah National Forest and now partially developed. Hiking, picnicking, and comfort stations available. The 40-minute walk to Crabtree Falls is not to be missed. | 3,735 |
| 355.4 | Swannanoa Gap, Mount Mitchell State Park. 4.8 miles on spur road. South to Mile Post 367.5 the Parkway is under contract to be completed early in summer of 1949 when this spectacular section will be opened to traffic. Make local inquiry. Paving of the Parkway through the Craggy Mountains is scheduled for 1950, and over the crushed stone surface special care in driving should be exercised. | 5,185 |
| 367.5 | Bee Tree Gap, turn off for Craggy Rhododendron Gardens. Forest Service development. The peak of the rhododendron bloom is in mid-June. Make inquiries in Asheville for highway connection to Parkway from the city. ASHEVILLE, a leading city in the South. Population, 50,000. | 4,769 |
| 407 | Mount Pisgah. The Forest Service Pisgah motor road, Cutthroat Gap to Wagon Road Gap, is still open, and 5 miles of Parkway, graded with loose gravel, extend beyond Wagon Road Gap and are available for a “preview.” | |
| 468 | The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where the Parkway will one day terminate, is located equally in North Carolina and Tennessee. Its 460,000 acres of mountainous wilds may be viewed from paved roads and many wilderness trails. Tourist accommodations are in nearby towns. Inquire Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tenn. |
Parkway through Devils Garden, North Carolina.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
LINVILLE RIVER TO GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
PKY-B. R. 7005-4
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA
PKY-B. R. 7005
| MILEAGE TABLE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MILEAGE VIA PARKWAY | ||||
| SHENANDOAH N.P. | ROANOKE VA. | ASHEVILLE N.C. | GREAT SMOKY MTNS. N.P. | |
| NEW YORK N.Y. | 301 | 513 | 803 | 859 |
| WASHINGTON D.C. | 74 | 286 | 576 | 632 |
| ATLANTA GA. | 605 | 498 | 208 | 172 |
| COLUMBIA S.C. | 397 | 290 | 162 | 218 |
| BIRMINGHAM ALA. | 761 | 654 | 364 | 309 |
| NASHVILLE TENN. | 717 | 610 | 320 | 233 |
| LOUISVILLE KY. | 497 | 470 | 348 | 331 |
| INDIANAPOLIS IND. | 524 | 497 | 483 | 447 |
| PITTSBURGH PA. | 208 | 317 | 607 | 663 |
| HARRISBURG PA. | 135 | 347 | 637 | 693 |
| COLUMBUS OHIO | 416 | 389 | 467 | 465 |
Revised 1949 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1949 D-F—827633
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
North Caroline—Tennessee