Red, Yellow, Orange and Blue Ridge Parkway
Fall is the perfect time of year to discover the rambling beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway. In total, the parkway winds 469 miles through 3 states, well over 200 miles just in North Carolina. It runs from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Endless miles of mountain meadows and vistas accompany the long , winding road. There are old farm homesteads and split rail fences and of course beautiful mountain views. As beautiful as the scenery is in spring it’s when the leaves begin to turn and the colors start to burst that a whole special kind of autumn beauty erupts. This is the perfect time for a visit and the parkway is always free.
There are thousands and thousands of acres of recreational areas within the parkway, with visitor centers and picnic areas, trails and campgrounds. Some lodges and restaurants are also dotted along the parkway. It was started in the 1930’s as a depression public works project and it took more than 50 years to complete. It’s the very first rural parkway, but also the longest. It was designed for a relaxing drive with speeds not above 45 mph, even a little less in some areas. Parking is permitted anywhere along the roads shoulder as long as the car is pulled off the road completely, so a spontaneous picnic can happen at anytime!
Hiking on the many trails can bring hours of enjoyment as you observe the vibrant excitement of all the splendor Blue Ridge has to offer. Biking is permitted on the parkway although it was built for cars so extreme caution is advised. Be sure to have reflectors and highly visible clothes and if planning an overnight food and water is necessary. While there are campgrounds on the parkway there are no water, electrical or sewer hookups available. Also, there are no gas stations on the parkway but are available off the parkway.
June through October ranger and volunteer programs, mostly on weekends, are full of campfire talks, music and history demonstrations, nature walks and of course slide presentations. Check with visitor stations and campground entrances; they will have the schedules available. More than 100 bird species can be found within the parkway. Groundhogs, chipmunks, foxes and deer are but a few of the wildlife that can be seen during a nature walk or shown in a slide presentation.
In the fall the wildlife plays second fiddle to the burst of artistic beauty that nature explodes. The Dogwoods and Blackgum trees turn a deep and warm red while the Tuliptree and Birches turn bright yellow. Then the Sassafras trees turn a vivid orange with the oaks becoming a golden russet and maroon, all fighting for attention with the evergreens adding a splash of green to the picture. This is an afternoon drive that can compete with any art museum for beauty and color.
Along the road there are mileposts marking your mileage and special information markers. The information markers have a long rifle and powder horn picture to mark them, a symbol of early European settlements in the region along the parkway. These markers indicate places of interest so don’t pass them up. The history and culture of the Southern Appalachian Mountains are described at many of the overlooks along the way.
The parkway passes through so many beautiful miles of North Carolina that taking a couple of days for this trip is well worth it. There are always festivals and happenings at different locations. Asheville has the Folk Art Center, home to Southern Highland Craft Guild. They have exhibits and demonstrations and on the weekend of Oct.18-21 there is a Craft Fair with over 200 exhibitors at the Asheville Civic Center that they sponsor. It would be a great side trip to take along with the drive through the parkway.
Along the parkway during fall there are many things to do. Here is just a few of the events that take place.
Oct 1 - 31 Mountain Glory Quilters Show - Marion, NC www.mcdowellarts.org
Oct. 5-7 Oktoberfest - Old Fort, NC www.oldfortchamber.com
Oct. 6 A 3 hour guided canoe ride by Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman, NC to experience leaf change from the river!
www.headwatersoutfitters.com/ColorsoftheFall.htm
Oct. 13 25th Annual Molasses Festival www.scc.clogdancing.com/molasses.html
Mountain Glory Festival - celebrating Autumn. www.downtownmarion.org
Oct.20 Apple Harvest Festival in Waynesville, NC. www.downtownwaynesville.com/calendar.html
Oct. 20- 21 Maggie Valley Arts & Crafts Festival www.maggievalley.org
So a visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway, thanks to nature, can never be the same twice. Pack you bags and your camera and enjoy the beauty of this North Carolina destination.
Robin Gardner, Editor At Large
North Carolina Tourist Guide - Mountains
There are thousands and thousands of acres of recreational areas within the parkway, with visitor centers and picnic areas, trails and campgrounds. Some lodges and restaurants are also dotted along the parkway. It was started in the 1930’s as a depression public works project and it took more than 50 years to complete. It’s the very first rural parkway, but also the longest. It was designed for a relaxing drive with speeds not above 45 mph, even a little less in some areas. Parking is permitted anywhere along the roads shoulder as long as the car is pulled off the road completely, so a spontaneous picnic can happen at anytime!
Hiking on the many trails can bring hours of enjoyment as you observe the vibrant excitement of all the splendor Blue Ridge has to offer. Biking is permitted on the parkway although it was built for cars so extreme caution is advised. Be sure to have reflectors and highly visible clothes and if planning an overnight food and water is necessary. While there are campgrounds on the parkway there are no water, electrical or sewer hookups available. Also, there are no gas stations on the parkway but are available off the parkway.
June through October ranger and volunteer programs, mostly on weekends, are full of campfire talks, music and history demonstrations, nature walks and of course slide presentations. Check with visitor stations and campground entrances; they will have the schedules available. More than 100 bird species can be found within the parkway. Groundhogs, chipmunks, foxes and deer are but a few of the wildlife that can be seen during a nature walk or shown in a slide presentation.
In the fall the wildlife plays second fiddle to the burst of artistic beauty that nature explodes. The Dogwoods and Blackgum trees turn a deep and warm red while the Tuliptree and Birches turn bright yellow. Then the Sassafras trees turn a vivid orange with the oaks becoming a golden russet and maroon, all fighting for attention with the evergreens adding a splash of green to the picture. This is an afternoon drive that can compete with any art museum for beauty and color.
Along the road there are mileposts marking your mileage and special information markers. The information markers have a long rifle and powder horn picture to mark them, a symbol of early European settlements in the region along the parkway. These markers indicate places of interest so don’t pass them up. The history and culture of the Southern Appalachian Mountains are described at many of the overlooks along the way.
The parkway passes through so many beautiful miles of North Carolina that taking a couple of days for this trip is well worth it. There are always festivals and happenings at different locations. Asheville has the Folk Art Center, home to Southern Highland Craft Guild. They have exhibits and demonstrations and on the weekend of Oct.18-21 there is a Craft Fair with over 200 exhibitors at the Asheville Civic Center that they sponsor. It would be a great side trip to take along with the drive through the parkway.
Along the parkway during fall there are many things to do. Here is just a few of the events that take place.
Oct 1 - 31 Mountain Glory Quilters Show - Marion, NC www.mcdowellarts.org
Oct. 5-7 Oktoberfest - Old Fort, NC www.oldfortchamber.com
Oct. 6 A 3 hour guided canoe ride by Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman, NC to experience leaf change from the river!
www.headwatersoutfitters.com/ColorsoftheFall.htm
Oct. 13 25th Annual Molasses Festival www.scc.clogdancing.com/molasses.html
Mountain Glory Festival - celebrating Autumn. www.downtownmarion.org
Oct.20 Apple Harvest Festival in Waynesville, NC. www.downtownwaynesville.com/calendar.html
Oct. 20- 21 Maggie Valley Arts & Crafts Festival www.maggievalley.org
So a visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway, thanks to nature, can never be the same twice. Pack you bags and your camera and enjoy the beauty of this North Carolina destination.
Robin Gardner, Editor At Large
North Carolina Tourist Guide - Mountains
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