Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip: With Shenandoah & Great Smoky Mountains National Parks

by Jason Frye

Overview

From the sprawling green countryside of Shenandoah to the mists rising over the Great Smoky Mountains, endless adventure and beauty await along America's most scenic highway. Inside Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip you'll find:

• Multiple Routes: Choose from flexible getaways along the Blue Ridge Parkway, including the ultimate two-week route, a four-day loop from D.C., and more
• Eat, sleep, stop and explore: With lists of the best hikes, views, restaurants, and more, you can listen to live bluegrass, find the best barbecue around, or sip local moonshine. Wander through the renowned museums in Washington D.C. or take a break in a charming mountain town. Explore a labyrinthine cave system, hike a leg of the famous Appalachian Trail, and spot black bears and elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Try your hand at gem mining, spend an afternoon antique hunting, or pick fruit at a family-owned orchard
• Maps and driving tools: Easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the highway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, detailed directions, and full-color photos throughout
• Local expertise: North Carolinian and mountaineer Jason Frye shares his top tips for what to do
• Planning your trip: Know when and where to get gas, how to avoid traffic, tips for driving in different road and weather conditions, and suggestions for LBGTQ+ travelers, seniors, and road trippers with children

With Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip's flexible itineraries and practical tips you're ready to fill up and hit the road.

Exploring more of America on wheels? Try Moon Nashville to New Orleans Road Trip or Moon Drive & Hike Appalachian Trail. Doing more than driving through? Check out Moon Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
 

About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you. 

For more inspiration, follow @moonguides on social media.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640499911
Publisher:	Avalon Publishing
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Series:	Travel Guide
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	997,316
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Raised deep in the mountains of West Virginia, Jason Frye moved to North Carolina to pursue a master of fine arts in creative writing. There, his love for the state deepened into a longing to stay, settle, explore, and be a part of its people, culture, and history.

Jason has contributed stories to VisitNC.com, AAA's Go Magazine, Our State magazine, Southern Living, Salt, the CharlotteObserver, and Raleigh News & Observer, and acts as a culinary critic for the Wilmington StarNews. He is also the author of Moon North Carolina, Moon North Carolina Coast, and Moon Asheville & the Great Smoky Mountains.

Table of Contents

Discover The Blue Ridge Parkway 6

Planning Your Trip 16

Where to Go 16

When to Go 17

Before You Go 17

Driving Tips 20

Hit the Road 21

The 14-Day Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip 21

Four Days from Washington DC 27

Five Days from Knoxville 29

Music of the Blue Ridge 31

The Shenandoah Valley 35

Washington DC 41

Manassas Battlefield National Park 69

Front Royal 70

Shenandoah National Park 73

Waynesboro 93

Charlottesville 97

Virginia Blue Ridge 109

Rockfish Gap (MP 0.0) 114

Wintergreen Resort (MP 13.7) 116

Sherando Lake (MP 13.7) 117

Crabtree Falls (MP 27.2) 118

Whetstone Ridge (MP 29) 119

Yankee Horse Ridge (MP 34.4) 119

Bluff Mountain (MP 53.1) 120

Otter Creek (MP 60.8) 120

James River Overlook (MP 63.2) 122

US-501 West: Natural Bridge (MP 63.7) 122

Apple Orchard Mountain (MP 76.5) 124

Peaks of Otter (MP 85.9) 125

VA-43 South: Bedford (MP 86) 127

Purgatory Overlook (MP 92.1) 133

Great Valley Overlook (MP 99.6) 133

N&W Railroad Overlook (MP 106.9) 134

Roanoke 134

Virginia's Explore Park (MP 115) 147

Mill Mountain and the Roanoke Star (MP 120) 148

Roanoke Mountain (MP 120.4) 150

Roanoke Valley Overlook (MP 129.6) 150

Devils Backbone Overlook (MP 143.9) 150

Smart View (MP 154.1) 151

VA-8 North: Floyd (MP 165.2) 151

VA-8 South: Fairy Stone State Park (MP 165.2) 154

Rocky Knob Recreation Area (MP 167) 154

Chateau Morrisette Winery (MP 171.5) 156

Mabry Mill (MP 176.1) 158

Primland (MP 177.7) 158

Groundhog Mountain (MP 188.1) 159

Fancy Gap (MP 199.5) 159

US-52 South: Mount Airy (MP 199.5) 159

Sugarloaf Mountain (MP 203.9) 164

Blue Ridge Music Center (MP 213) 164

VA-89 North: Galax (MP 215) 165

North Carolina High Country 169

Cumberland Knob (MP 217.5) 173

US-21 South: Roaring Gap to Elkin (MP 229) 174

Stone Mountain State Park (MP 229) 176

Doughton Park (MP 238.5) 179

Northwest Trading Post (MP 259) 182

NC-163 West: West Jefferson (MP 261) 182

The Lump (MP 264.4) 187

E.B. Jeffress Park (MP 272) 187

US-321 North: Boone (MP 291.9) 187

Blowing flock (MP 291.9) 194

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park (MP 294) 200

Julian Price Memorial Park (MP 297.1) 201

Linn Cove Viaduct (MP 304.4) 202

Grandfather Mountain (MP 305) 203

Beacon Heights (MP 305.2) 207

Flat Rock (MP 308.3) 207

Linville Gorge (MP 316.3) 207

US-221 South: Linville Caverns (MP 317.4) 209

Chestoa View (MP 320.8) 209

McKinney Gap (MP 327.5) 210

Museum of North Carolina Minerals (MP 331) 210

NC-226 West: Penland School of Crafts (MP 331) 210

Little Switzerland (MP 334) 211

Crabtree Falls (MP 339.5) 212

Mount Mitchell State Park (MP 355.3) 214

Craggy Gardens (MP 364.6) 215

Asheville and the Southern Blue Ridge 217

Folk Art Center (MP 382) 223

Asheville (MP 382.5) 224

Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (MP 384) 247

US-Alt 74 East: Chimney Bock (MP 384.7) 248

North Carolina Arboretum (MP 393) 250

Lake Powhatan (MP 393) 251

Mount Pisgah (MP 408.6) 256

Cold Mountain Overlook (MP 412) 258

US-276 South: Pisgah Ranger District and Brevard (MP 412) 258

Looking Glass Rock Overlook (MP 417) 265

Graveyard Fields Overlook (MP 418.8) 265

Devil's Courthouse (MP 422.4) 266

US-215 North: Cold Mountain (MP 423.2) 267

Richland Balsam Overlook (MP 431.4) 268

US-74 East: Waynesville (MP 443.1) 268

Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (MP 451.2) 271

US-19 North: Maggie Valley (MP 455.7) 272

Soco Gap (MP 455.7) 274

Big Witch Gap Overlook (MP 461.9) 275

Southern End (MP 469.1) 275

US-441 South: Cherokee 275

US-19 South: Bryson City 280

Great Smoky Mountains 287

Great Smoky Mountains National Park 294

Gatlinburg 324

Pigeon Forge and Sevierville 334

Knoxville 341

Essentials 353

Getting There 354

Road Rules 356

Travel Tips 359

Health and Safety 361

Information and Services 361

Suggested Reading 362

Internet Resources 363

Index 366

Although every effort was made to make sure the information in this book was accurate when going to press, research was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and things may have changed since the time of writing. Be sure to confirm specific details, like opening hours, closures, and travel guidelines and restrictions, when making your travel plans.