Skip to Main Content
Menu

Where do you want to go?

Lodging, Dining & Things to Do

Exploring the Parkway by Region

Ridge | Plateau | Highlands | Pisgah | Nearby National Parks

Regions of the Parkway

Find lodging, dining, attractions and all the must-see stops by Parkway district

At 469 miles, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers much to explore in a National Park! Driving the whole road takes three days at the least, and most opt for a week or more to really take in all the sights and towns along the way. Many people break their Parkway travels into multiple trips, returning later to see the rest.

Divided into four districts stretching north to south along the scenic byway: the Ridge region, the Plateau region, the Highlands region, and the Pisgah region, the Parkway can be explored bit by bit over a few different vacations. The Ridge and Plateau regions are located in Virginia, while the Highlands and Pisgah regions are located in North Carolina.

You’ll also find information about nearby places to explore in the two gateway National Parks at either end of the Blue Ridge Parkway – Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Blue Ridge Parkway Pisgah Region: Cowee Overlook

Ridge District: Milepost 0-106
Mabry Mill, Blue Ridge Parkway

Plateau District: Milepost 106-217
Row upon row of foggy ridges are visible at Thunder Hill, NC in the Parkway's Highlands region.

Highlands District: Milepost 217-340
Parkway Pisgah District Area Info

Pisgah District: Milepost 340-469
Where to Stay
All your lodging options

B&Bs, Inns, Cabins, Cottages, Campgrounds & RV Parks, Hotels, Motels, Lodges, Resorts & Ranches

See All
Wintergreen Resort
Where to Eat
DINING OPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARKWAY & SURROUNDING REGIONS

For dining in specific areas of the Parkway, use the Dining filter on our interactive map or select the region you’d like to visit on our Plan Your Parkway Trip page.

See All

Blue Ridge Parkway

Northern & Southern Gateways

The Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive connects to the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Travelers can continue from Skyline Drive south onto the Blue Ridge Parkway to begin at Parkway Milepost 0 in Virginia.

At the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Cherokee, North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park connects to the borders of the Parkway’s lands. Travelers can travel north from Cherokee onto the Blue Ridge Parkway to begin at Parkway Milepost 469.1. There are also numerous Access Points along the way where travelers can enter the Parkway.

While each of these park systems has its own Rangers, all are valued by travelers for their unique scenic beauty and wealth of charming accommodations, activities, and culture – not to mention local cuisine, brews, spirits, and wine.

Nearby National Parks

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Or Explore by Interest or Season

Blue Ridge Parkway ADA Accessible

Fall Color

Camp, RV, Hike, Drive, Bike and More

Spring Blooms

Some Points of Interest Along the Parkway

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Music & Culture
Blue Ridge Music Center
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 213: Blue Ridge Music Center The Blue Ridge Music Center is a state-of-the-art performing arts facility built to preserve and promote the historic music of Virginia and the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge region has produced more old-time and bluegrass musicians per capita than any other.
BRP Crabtree Falls
Crabtree Falls
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 339.5 – 340.2: Crabtree Falls Crabtree Falls is accessed by one of two moderate to strenuous routes: 1.8 Miles (round-trip to the falls and back) or 2.5 to 3 Miles (round trip for the whole loop) depending on which route you take to the 60-foot falls.
Parkway Point of Interest, Cumberland Knob
Cumberland Knob
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 217.5: Cumberland Knob Located near the Virginia state line, Cumberland Knob is the site where construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began in 1935. It was the first recreation area opened to the public and remains a favorite destination for both locals and visitors. The mixture of lush…
Doughton Park, Blue Ridge Parkway Point of Interest
Doughton Park
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 238.5 – 241: Doughton Park Visitor Information Station and Park Store, and Brinegar Cabin Renew your senses amid this landscape of open meadows. Doughton Park is one of the best places along the Blue Ridge Parkway to view white-tailed deer, raccoons, red and grey foxes, and…
Boy holding a map
Explore Park
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 115: Explore Park Recreational Area, Visitor Center and Park Store in the Roanoke Valley Explore Park is 1,100 acres of woods and land to explore with bike paths, hiking trails, and historic buildings. The Roanoke River runs through the park for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. Roanoke…
Folk Art Center Blue Ridge Parkway
Folk Art Center
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 382: Folk Art Center, Visitor Center and Park Store The Folk Art Center showcases the finest in traditional and contemporary craft of the Southern Appalachians. It houses the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s century-old Allanstand Craft Shop, exhibitions in three galleries, a library, auditorium, and a cooperating association book…
Blue Ridge Parkway - Linn Cove Viaduct
Linn Cove Viaduct
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 304.4: Linn Cove Viaduct & Visitor Center Final Link of the Parkway This seven-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway – once the Parkway’s missing link – was completed in 1987. It was delayed for twenty years as environmentalists, adjacent landowners, engineers, and architects sought a design that…
Mabry Mill, Blue Ridge Parkway
Rocky Knob & Mabry Mill
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 161.1 – 176.1: Mabry Mill, Rocky Knob Visitor Center and Campground, Rock Castle Gorge National Recreation Trail  Spanning Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 167 – Milepost 174, Rocky Knob comprises 4,800 acres and 15 miles of hiking trails. The 3,500-acre Rock Castle Gorge is within Rocky Knob, with its Rock Castle Gorge…

Where to Stop

More to Explore
Visitor Centers, Waterfalls, Hikes and More
See All Points of Interest