Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway route map
Route information
Maintained byNational Park Service
Length	469 mi[1] (755 km)
Existed	June 30, 1936 (1936-06-30)–present
Tourist routes	Blue Ridge Parkway
Restrictions	No commercial vehicles
Major junctions
North end	US 250 /Skyline Drive inRockfish Gap, VA
Major intersections	US 60 inHumphreys Gap, VA US 220 inRoanoke, VA US 58 inMeadows of Dan, VA US 52 inFancy Gap, VA US 21 inAlleghany County, NC US 70 inAsheville, NC US 25 inBuncombe County, NC US 23 /US 74 inBalsam Gap, NC US 19 inSoco Gap, NC
South end	US 441 inRavensford, NC
Location
Country	United States
States	Virginia,North Carolina
Highway system
Scenic Byways National National Forest BLM NPS
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Ice Rock Milepost 242
Location	North Carolina &Virginia, USA
Nearest city	Asheville, NC &Roanoke, VA
Coordinates	36°31′07″N80°56′09″W / 36.51861°N 80.93583°W /36.51861; -80.93583
Area	93,390 acres (377.9 km2)
Established	June 30, 1936
Visitors	16,757,635 (in 2023)[2]
Governing body	National Park Service
Website	Blue Ridge Parkway

TheBlue Ridge Parkway is aNational Parkway andAll-American Road in theUnited States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is the longestlinear park in the U.S.,^[3] runs for 469 miles (755 km) through 29 counties inVirginia andNorth Carolina, linkingShenandoah National Park toGreat Smoky Mountains National Park. It runs mostly along the spine of theBlue Ridge, a majormountain chain that is part of theAppalachian Mountains. Its southern terminus is atU.S. Route 441 (US 441) on the boundary between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and theQualla Boundary of theEastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, from which it travels north to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The roadway continues through Shenandoah asSkyline Drive, a similar scenic road which is managed by a differentNational Park Service unit. Both Skyline Drive and the Virginia portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway are part ofVirginia State Route 48 (SR 48), though this designation is not signed.

The parkway has been the most visited unit of theNational Park System every year since 1946 except four (1949, 2013, 2016 and 2019).^[4][5] Land on either side of the road is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, and in many places parkway land is bordered byUnited States Forest Service property. There is no fee for using the parkway; however, commercial vehicles are prohibited without approval from the Park Service Headquarters, nearAsheville, North Carolina.^[6][7] The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections that pass over especially high elevations and through tunnels are often impassable and therefore closed from late fall through early spring. Weather is extremely variable in the mountains, so conditions and closures often change rapidly. The speed limit is never higher than 45 mph (72 km/h) and is lower in some sections.

In addition to the road, the parkway has a folk art center located at mile marker 382 and a visitor center located at mile marker 384, both near Asheville. There are also numerous parking areas at trailheads for the various hiking trails that intersect the parkway, and several campgrounds located along the parkway allow for overnight stays. TheBlue Ridge Music Center (also part of the park) is located in Galax, andMount Mitchell (the highest point in easternNorth America) is only accessible viaNorth Carolina Highway 128 (NC 128), which intersects the parkway at milepost 355.4.^[8]

The parkway runs from the southern terminus ofShenandoah National Park'sSkyline Drive in Virginia atRockfish Gap toU.S. Route 441 (US 441) atOconaluftee in theGreat Smoky Mountains National Park nearCherokee, North Carolina. It is an undividedtwo-lane expressway for most of its route. Access is controlled viainterchanges with local roads and state/US highways. The parkway crosses (but does not interchange with) severalinterstate highways along its route and is carried across streams, railway ravines and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts. Frequent pull-offs, rest areas, and scenic overlooks line the sides of the road. Outside of the Asheville, Boone and Roanoke areas, it largely avoids major population centers, and the road parallels several US and Interstate Highways along sections of its route, which are generally used for longer haul traffic. Because of this, the road and its vistas are designed to be the attraction itself, rather than merely a means of efficient travel. The use of interchanges and grade separation at cross roads is designed to allow for freer flowing traffic and better vistas than frequent intersections and stoplights would allow for.

The parkway uses short side roads to connect to other highways, and there are no direct interchanges withInterstate Highways,^[a] making it possible to enjoy wildlife and other scenery without stopping for cross-traffic. Mileposts along the parkway start at zero at the northeast end in Virginia and count to 469 at the southern end in North Carolina. The mileposts can be found on the right-hand side of the road while traveling southbound on the parkway. Major towns and cities along the way includeWaynesboro,Roanoke, andGalax in Virginia; and in North Carolina,Boone andAsheville, where it runs across the property of theBiltmore Estate. TheBlue Ridge Parkway tunnels were constructed through the rock—one inVirginia and 25 inNorth Carolina.

Much of the parkway is located at high elevation, with colder, wetter and windier conditions than in surrounding areas.^[9] The highest point on the parkway (south ofWaynesville, nearMount Pisgah in North Carolina) is 6,053 feet (1,845 m) above sea level onRichland Balsam at milepost 431.^[10] Sections of the parkway may be temporarily closed to repair damage caused by the cold winter climate of the mountains or for other maintenance.^[9] The parkway's natural resource protection protocol limits the use of ice melting chemicals, and certain areas could remain closed for extended periods.^[11] During road closures alternative routes are used, but short-term closures may not have a signed detour route.^[12] Sections of the parkway near the tunnels are often closed in winter due to icy conditions.^[13]

• Mile 0Rockfish Gap nearWaynesboro, Virginia, is the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. To the north the parkway connects directly toSkyline Drive, which winds 105 miles (169 km) throughShenandoah National Park.
• 5 to 9.3Humpback Rock has aself-guiding trail through a collection of oldAppalachian farm buildings. Ahiking trail from the parking area (at mile 6.1) leads 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to The Rocks, whose humped appearance gives the area its name. Greenstone self-guiding trail (8.8).
• 10.7 Ravens Roost offers vistas of Torry Mountain and theShenandoah Valley to the west. The overlook is built above a cliff, so it is frequently used forrock climbing andhang gliding. There is also a single picnic table.
• 16 Sherando Lake is a recreation area inGeorge Washington National Forest 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from the parkway via VA 814.Swimming,picnicking, andcamping.
• 29 Whetstone Ridge provided many a mountain man with a fine-grainedsharpening stone.
• 34.4 Yankee Horse Ridge supposedly is where a hard-ridingUnion soldier's horse fell and had to be shot. A reconstructed spur of an oldlogging railroad provides access to Wigwam Falls.
• 58 to 63.6 Otter Creek runs 10 miles (16 km) down the Blue Ridge to theJames River.Otter Lake (63.1),fishing, trail.
• 63.8 TheJames River and Kanawha Canal is where a footbridge leads across the river to the restoredcanal locks and exhibits. A self-guiding trail follows the river bluff.
• 71 Onion Mountain's short loop trail leads throughrhododendron andmountain laurel.
• 83.4 Fallingwater Cascades can be seen along a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) loop trail.
• 84 to 87Peaks of Otter are three mountain peaks which have been popular viewing sites since the days ofThomas Jefferson. Ashuttle bus provides service to Sharp Top.
• 114.9 TheRoanoke River Gorge is visible after a short walk.
• 120.4Roanoke Mountain is a 3.7-mile (6.0 km) side trip. A one-way loop road, with steep grades, crosses over the mountain. Towed vehicles are prohibited.
• 129.6Roanoke Valley Overlook gives a view of the largest city along the parkway.
• 154.5 Smart View is named for having "a right smart view". A nearby cabin built in the 1890s is known as a spot for viewingdogwood blooms in early May.
• 167 to 174Rocky Knob Recreation Area overlooks Rock Castle Gorge.
• 176.1Mabry Mill was operated by E.B. Mabry from 1910 to 1935. A trail leads to hisgristmill,sawmill,blacksmith shop, and other exhibits. Old-time skills are demonstrated in the summer and fall.
• 188.8 Groundhog Mountain has a variety of rural fences:snake,Post-and-rail,picket andbuck.Picnic grounds and observation tower are also nearby.
• 189.1 Groundhog Mountain
• 189.9 Aunt Orelena Puckett Cabin Exhibit was the home of an area midwife.

The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses theNorth Carolina–Virginia state line at mile 216.9. The 1749 party that surveyed the boundary includedPeter Jefferson, father ofThomas Jefferson.

• Mile 217.5 Cumberland Knob, at 2,885 feet (879 m), is the centerpiece of a small parkway recreation area.
• 218.6 Fox Hunters Paradise, down a short walking path, is wherehunters could listen to theirhounds baying in the valley below.
• 238.5 Brinegar Cabin was built by Martin Brinegar about 1880 and lived in until the 1930s when thehomestead was purchased from his widow for the parkway. The original cabin stands there today.
• 238.5 to 244.7Doughton Park was named for CongressmanRobert L. Doughton, a staunch supporter and neighbor of the parkway. The park has many miles of hiking trails, a lodge, dinner, picnic area and acampground.
• 258.6 Northwest Trading Post offers crafts from North Carolina's northwestern counties.
• 260.6 Jumpinoff Rock is at the end of a short woodland trail.
• 264.4 The Lump is a grassy knob that provides views of the forestedfoothills.
• 272 E. B. Jeffress Park has a self-guided trail to a waterfall known as the Cascades. Another trail goes to an oldcabin andchurch.
• 285.1Daniel Boone's Trace, which Booneblazed to the West, crosses near here.
• 292 to 295Moses H. Cone Memorial Park hashiking,fishing andhorse trails.Flat Top Manor, the former house of Moses H. Cone, is now used as the Parkway Craft Center.
• 295.1 to 298Julian Price Memorial Park, the former retreat of the insurance executiveJulian Price, offers a variety of hiking trails, campground, and 47-acre (190,000 m²) Price Lake. This is the only lake on the parkway on which paddling is allowed.
• 304.4Linn Cove Viaduct, the last segment of the parkway built, skirts the side ofGrandfather Mountain. A visitor center is located nearby and provides access to a trail under the viaduct.
• 308.3 Flat Rock provides views of Grandfather Mountain andLinville Valley.
• 316.3 Linville Falls Recreation Area provides trails with overlooks ofLinville Falls and theLinville Gorge. A campground and picnic area are also provided.
• 331 The Museum of North Carolina Minerals interprets the state's mineral wealth.
• 339.5 Crabtree Meadows &Crabtree Falls is a parkway recreation area with a picnic area, campground, giftshop and hiking trails.
• 349.2 Laurel Knob provides views of Grandfather Mountain, Linville Mountain, Hawksbill Mountain, andTable Rock.
• 355.4Mount Mitchell State Park, reached viaNC 128, is the highest point east of theMississippi River.
• 359.8 Walker Knob, formerly known as Balsam Gap, is located where theBlack Mountains and theGreat Craggy Mountains meet.
• 361.2Glassmine Falls is an 800-foot (240 m) ephemeral waterfall visible from an overlook on the side of the parkway.
• 363.4 to 369.6 Craggy Gardens in the Great Craggy Mountains are covered with purplerhododendron in mid-to-late June. Craggy Pinnacle Trail and other trails (364.1 and 364.6); road to picnic area and trails (367.6).
• 382 TheFolk Art Center is the flagship facility of theSouthern Highland Craft Guild. It offers sales and exhibits of traditional and contemporary crafts of theAppalachian region. There are interpretive programs, three galleries, a library and a book store.
• 384 The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center is the newest along the parkway.^[14] Exhibits focus on the history and heritage of the parkway and western North Carolina.
• 408.6Mount Pisgah was part of theBiltmore Estate. The estate became home of the first forestry school in America and the nucleus of thePisgah National Forest. Also located here is the Pisgah Inn resort, a park service concession.
• 417Looking Glass Rock is visible from many spots on the parkway starting at Mount Pisgah.
• 418 East Fork Overlook. Located here are the headwaters of thePigeon River. Yellowstone Falls is a short distance away and gets its name from the yellowish moss covering the rocks.
• 420.2Shining Rock Wilderness is the largestwilderness area inNorth Carolina, covering 18,483 acres (74.80 km²), with 25 miles (40 km) of trails and peaks over 6,000 ft (1,800 m). The wilderness is named forShining Rock.
• 420.2Black Balsam Knob is agrassy bald with panoramic views just outside the Shining Rock Wilderness inPisgah National Forest. The wilderness area also includesCold Mountain.
• 422.4Devil's Courthouse is a rugged exposed mountaintop rich inCherokee traditions.
• 423.5 Herrin Knob Overlook. A hiking trail goes aroundTanasee Bald and Herrin Knob. Tanasee Bald (423.7) is said to be the home of the mythical Cherokee giantTsul 'Kalu.
• 431Richland Balsam is the highest point on the parkway at 6,053 feet (1,845 m). There is a self-guiding trail that passes through a remnantspruce-fir forest.

• 

  435.7 Licklog Ridge once hosted cattlemen and their herds of cattle before it became part of the national forest. The area earns its name from the cattlemen who would place rocks of salt into logs and holes in the earth.
• 451.2Waterrock Knob provides a panorama of theGreat Smokies, visitor center, trail, comfort station, exhibits.
• 458.2 Heintooga Ridge Road runs north from the parkway 8.8 miles (14.2 km) to Heintooga Overlook inGreat Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Mile 469 The southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with U.S. 441 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park nearCherokee, North Carolina.

Begun during the administration of PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt, the project was originally called the Appalachian Scenic Highway.

Original plans called for the parkway to connect Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park with the parkway either turning west into Tennessee atLinville, North Carolina, or continuing southward through North Carolina.Secretary of the InteriorHarold L. Ickes put together a three-person panel to study the possible routes the parkway could take.^[15] That panel, named after its chairmanGeorge L.P. Radcliffe, recommended the Tennessee route.^[15] However, Roosevelt had remained friends withJosephus Daniels, Roosevelt's superior asSecretary of the Navy duringWorld War I. Daniels wanted the parkway to go through North Carolina and persuaded Ickes to choose the North Carolina route.^[16] The Bruce Bowers documentaryThe Blue Ridge Parkway: The Long and Winding Road givesCongressmanRobert Doughton the credit for getting the route changed. The documentary claims Doughton worked to pass theSocial Security Act only after getting the route changed.^[17]

Most construction was carried out by private contractors under federal contracts under an authorization by Ickes in his role as federal public works administrator. Work began on September 11, 1935, near Cumberland Knob inNorth Carolina; construction inVirginia began the following February. On June 30, 1936, Congress formally authorized the project as the Blue Ridge Parkway and placed it under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Some work was carried out by variousNew Deal public works agencies. TheWorks Progress Administration did some roadway construction. Crews from theEmergency Relief Administration carried out landscape work and development of parkway recreation areas. Personnel from fourCivilian Conservation Corps camps worked on roadside cleanup, roadside plantings, grading slopes, and improving adjacent fields and forest lands. DuringWorld War II, the CCC crews were replaced byconscientious objectors in theCivilian Public Service program.

The parkway's construction created jobs in the region, but also displaced many residents and created new rules and regulations for landowners, including requirements related to how farmers could transport crops.^[18] Residents could no longer build on their lands without permission, or develop land except for agricultural use.^[18] They were not permitted to use the parkway for any commercial travel but were required to transport equipment and materials on side roads.^[18]

TheEastern Band of Cherokee Indians were also affected by the parkway, which was built through their lands.^[19] From 1935 to 1940, they resisted giving up theright-of-way through theQualla Boundary, and they were successful in gaining more favorable terms from the U.S. government.^[19] Specifically, the revised bill "specified the parkway route, assured the $40,000 payment for the tribe's land, and required the state to build [a] regular highway through the Soco Valley". (The highway referred to is part ofU.S. Route 19.)^[19] Cherokee leaders participated in the dedications when the Cherokee sections opened in the 1950s.

Construction of the parkway was complete by the end of 1966 with one notable exception.^[20] The 7.7-mile (12.4 km) stretch including theLinn Cove Viaduct aroundGrandfather Mountain did not open until 1987.^[21] The project took over 52 years to complete.

Due to serious damage in 2004 fromHurricane Frances, then again byHurricane Ivan, many areas along the parkway were closed until the spring of 2005, with two areas that were not fully repaired until the spring of 2006.

The parkway was on North Carolina's version of theAmerica the Beautiful quarter in 2015.^[22]

The entire length of the parkway was closed in late September 2024 due to damage fromHurricane Helene.^[23] Sections began to reopen on October 11, 2024. Portions of the parkway remain closed as of April 2025.^[24]

An extension of the parkway from its terminus at Beech Gap, North Carolina to a point north ofAtlanta, Georgia, was proposed in 1961 by North Carolina CongressmanRoy A. Taylor. The route was proposed to passWhiteside Mountain,Bridal Veil Falls, Cuilasaja Gorge, andEstatoah Falls, ending between Atlanta andGainesville, Georgia after crossing theChattahoochee River and passing to the east ofLake Sidney Lanier. By 1963 the National Park Service had proposed a terminus atInterstate 75 north ofMarietta, Georgia, in the vicinity ofKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.^[25] PresidentLyndon B. Johnson signed a bill to extend the parkway in 1967. A five-year schedule was proposed, with a budget of $87,536,000 (equivalent to $627 million in 2024^[26]). In 1970 planning was interrupted by the projected commercial development of land in the proposed path. Increasing costs associated with rerouting and the passage of time coincided with efforts to cut national debt and concerns about the project's environmental impact, and the project stalled in 1973. The project was formally cancelled on September 11, 1985; no construction work had ever taken place.^[27][28]

Floweringshrubs andwildflowers dominate the parkway in the spring, includingrhododendrons anddogwoods, moving from valleys to mountains as the cold weather retreats. Smallerannuals andperennials such as thedaisy andaster flower through the summer. Brilliantautumn foliage occurs later in September on the mountaintops, descending to the valleys by later in October.^[29] Often in early-to-middle October and middle to late April, all three seasons can be seen simply by looking down from the cold and windy parkway to the green and warm valleys below. October is especially dramatic, as the colored leaves stand out boldly and occur mostly at the same time, unlike the flowers.

Major trees includeoak,hickory, andtulip tree at lower elevations andbuckeye andash in the middle, turning intoconifers such asfir andspruce at the highest elevations on the parkway.^[30] Trees near ridges, peaks, andpasses (often called gaps or notches) are often distorted and even contorted by the wind, and persistentrime ice is deposited by passing clouds in the winter.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has also been a corridor for the spread of many invasive species, includingoriental bittersweet, privet, and multiflora rose.^[31]

Commonwealth/State	County[32]	Location	mi[33]	km	Destinations	Notes
Virginia	Augusta	Rockfish Gap	0.00	0.00	US 250 toI-64 –Charlottesville,Waynesboro Skyline Drive north –Shenandoah National Park	One-quadrant interchange plus connector road; northern terminus of parkway; I-64 exit 99
		Reids Gap	13.7	22.0	SR 664 (Beech Grove Road / Reeds Gap Road) –Waynesboro
	Nelson	​	16.0	25.7	SR 814 (Campbells Mountain Road) toSR 56	Unpaved road
		​	16.1	25.9	SR 814 (Love Road) –Sherando Lake
		Tye River Gap	27.1	43.6	SR 56 –Montebello,Steele's Tavern	One-quadrant interchange
	Rockbridge	Humphreys Gap	45.5	73.2	US 60 –Buena Vista,Amherst	One-quadrant interchange
	Amherst	Otter Creek	61.3	98.7	SR 130 –Natural Bridge,Lynchburg	One-quadrant interchange
	Bedford	​	63.9	102.8	US 501 –Big Island,Glasgow	One-quadrant interchange
		Peaks of Otter	85.9	138.2	SR 43 south –Bedford	North end of SR 43 overlap; north end ofVDOT maintenance of SR 43 (southern segment)
	Botetourt	Powell Gap	89.0	143.2	SR 618 north
		Bearwallow Gap	90.9	146.3	SR 43 north –Buchanan	Two-quadrant interchange; south end of SR 43 overlap; south end of VDOT maintenance of SR 43 (northern segment)
		​	105.9	170.4	US 460 (US 221) –Bedford,Roanoke	Two-quadrant interchange
	Roanoke	​	112.3	180.7	SR 24 –Stewartsville,Vinton,Roanoke,Booker T. Washington National Monument	Two-quadrant interchange
		​	115.2	185.4	Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center,Virginia's Explore Park (Roanoke River Parkway)
		​	120.5	193.9	Mill Mountain Park &Zoo,Roanoke Star,Downtown Roanoke (Mill Mountain Parkway)
		​	121.4	195.4	US 220 –Rocky Mount,Roanoke	Two-quadrant interchange
		Adney Gap	136.0	218.9	US 221	Connector road
	Floyd	​	159.3	256.4	SR 860 (Shooting Creek Road)	FormerSR 109
		Tuggle Gap	165.1	265.7	SR 8 –Floyd,Stuart	One-quadrant interchange
		​	174.0	280.0	SR 799 (Conner Grove Road)	formerSR 102 north
		​	174.1	280.2	SR 758 (Woodberry Road)	formerSR 102 south
		​	174.2	280.3	SR 758 (Buffalo Mountain Road)
	Patrick	Meadows of Dan	177.7	286.0	US 58 (viaUS 58 Bus.) –Stuart,Hillsville	Parkway and US 58grade-separated; two-quadrant interchange with US 58 Bus.
	Patrick–Carroll county line	Willis Gap	192.1	309.2	SR 771 (Willis Gap Road)
	Carroll	​	199.0	320.3	SR 608 (Lightning Ridge Road)
		​	199.2	320.6	SR 608 (Ranger Road)
		Fancy Gap	199.4	320.9	US 52 toI-77 –Mt. Airy,Hillsville	Two-quadrant interchange
	Grayson	Low Gap	215.7	347.1	SR 89 –Mt. Airy,Galax	One-quadrant interchange
North Carolina	Alleghany	​	217.2	349.5	NC 18 –Sparta,Mt. Airy	One-quadrant interchange
		​	229.6	369.5	US 21 –Roaring Gap,Sparta	Two-quadrant interchange
		​	248.0	399.1	NC 18 –North Wilkesboro,Laurel Springs	One-quadrant interchange
	Ashe	Miller Gap	258.7	416.3	Trading Post Road –Glendale Springs
		Horse Gap	261.2	420.4	NC 16 –North Wilkesboro,West Jefferson	Two-quadrant interchange
	Watauga	Deep Gap	276.5	445.0	US 421 –Boone,Wilkesboro,North Wilkesboro	One-quadrant interchange
		​	280.9	452.1	Old US 421	Connector road
		​	290.8	468.0	Green Hill Road
		​	291.9	469.8	US 221 /US 321 –Blowing Rock,Boone	Two-quadrant interchange
	Avery	​	294.6	474.1	US 221 –Linville,Grandfather Mountain	One-quadrant interchange
		​	312.1	502.3	NC 181 –Pineola,Morganton	One-quadrant interchange
		​	316.4	509.2	Linville Falls Road  –Linville Falls
		​	317.5	511.0	US 221 –Linville Falls Community	One-quadrant interchange
	Mitchell	Gillespie Gap	330.8	532.4	NC 226 –Spruce Pine,Marion	One-quadrant interchange
		​	333.9	537.4	NC 226A –Little Switzerland	One-quadrant interchange/connector road hybrid
	Yancey	Buck Creek Gap	344.1	553.8	NC 80 –Marion,Burnsville	One-quadrant interchange
		Black Mountain Gap	355.4	572.0	NC 128 –Mount Mitchell State Park
	Buncombe	Bull Gap	375.7	604.6	Elk Mountain Scenic Highway –Weaverville	ToVance Birthplace
		Craven Gap	377.4	607.4	NC 694 south (Town Mountain Road)
		Asheville	382.6	615.7	US 70 (Tunnel Road) –Black Mountain,Asheville	Two-quadrant interchange
		​	384.8	619.3	US 74A toI-40 /I-240 –Asheville	Two-quadrant interchange
		​	388.8	625.7	US 25 –Hendersonville,Asheville,NC Arboretum	Two-quadrant interchange
		​	393.6	633.4	NC 191 toI-26 –Asheville,Hendersonville	One-quadrant interchange
	Henderson	Elk Pasture Gap	405.6	652.7	NC 151 north –Candler
	Haywood	Wagon Road Gap	411.8	662.7	US 276 –Brevard,Waynesville	One-quadrant interchange
	Transylvania	Beech Gap	423.3	681.2	NC 215	One-quadrant interchange
	Haywood	Balsam Gap	443.5	713.7	US 74 /US 23 –Waynesville,Sylva	One-quadrant interchange
		Soco Gap	455.7	733.4	US 19 (Soco Road) –Cherokee,Maggie Valley	Two-quadrant interchange
	Jackson	Wolf Laurel Gap	458.2	737.4	Balsam Mountain,Black Camp Gap, Masonic Marker (Heintooga Ridge Road)
	Swain	Ravensford	469.1	754.9	US 441 –Cherokee,Great Smoky Mountains National Park,Gatlinburg	Southern terminus of parkway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

Blue Ridge Parkway tunnels

Bluff Mountain Tunnel
Overview
Location	Blue Ridge Parkway
Route	Blue Ridge Parkway
Operation
Work begun	1930s
Constructed	stone and concrete

There are 26tunnels constructed along the Blue Ridge Parkway. One, the Bluff Mountain Tunnel,^[34] is inVirginia and twenty-five are inNorth Carolina.^[35]

The design standards specified a minimum impact on the land. The vehicle tunnels were often constructed to reduce excessive landscape scarring that open cuts would have produced. They are used in areas of steep terrain where ridges run perpendicular to the roadway alignment.

North Carolina's more rugged terrain required the majority of the tunnels. Most of the work on the tunnel digging was done by hand and provided by theCivilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.^[36] Little machinery was used with the intention of creating manual labor in depressed economic times. They did have for tunneling truck-mounted water-cooled compressed air drills called "Jumbos." After the initial holes were drilled into thesubstrata,dynamite was used for blasting away the rock.^[37]

Concrete lining was done during construction due to tunnel cave-ins.^[38] This concrete lining was first used in the Devil's Courthouse Tunnel. It was later discovered that it enhanced the interior lighting within the tunnel itself. Where done the lining covered about a quarter of the interior structure. An additional benefit was the elimination of moisture entering the tunnel. Moisture in the winter caused ice problems.^[39]

The Pine Mountain Tunnel is the longest on the parkway at 1,434 feet (437 m). Ferrin Knob Tunnel #1 is the first and longest of thetriplet tunnels. The local people once referred to ferns as "ferrins." Ferrin Knob Tunnel #2 is located at milepost 401.3 and Ferrin Knob Tunnel #3 is located at milepost 401.5.

The distinctive stone masonry portals now on the parkway tunnels were generally not part of the original construction of the 1930s. They were added later.^[40]

The tunnels are listed below bymilepost, name, and length.^[41] The maximum height is in the center of the tunnel and the minimum height is at the edge stripe.

• 
  Tunnel construction 1930s
• 
  Bluff Mountain Tunnel
• 
  Craggy Flats Tunnel
• 
  Devil's Courthouse Tunnel
• 
  Young Pisgah Ridge Tunnel
• 
  Fryingpan Tunnel
• 
  Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel
• 
  Twin Tunnels
• 
  Grassy Knob Tunnel
• 
  Bunche's Bald Tunnel
• 
  Rattlesnake Mountain Tunnel
• 
  Little Switzerland Tunnel
• 
  Rough Ridge Tunnel

• Natchez Trace Parkway
• Cherohala Skyway
• Foothills Parkway

Wikimedia Commons has media related toBlue Ridge Parkway.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide forBlue Ridge Parkway.

• Official website
• Blue Ridge Parkway Association
• Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
• Driving Through Time: The Digital Blue Ridge Parkway
• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. NC-42, "Blue Ridge Parkway, Between Shenandoah National Park & Great Smoky Mountains, Asheville, Buncombe County, NC", 243 photos, 26 color transparencies, 28 measured drawings, 346 data pages, 40 photo caption pages
• HAER No. NC-42-A, "Blue Ridge Parkway, Linn Cove Viaduct, On Grandfather Mountain, Asheville, Buncombe County, NC", 41 data pages

• Google maps location of Bluff Mountain Tunnel
• Google maps location of Little Switzerland Tunnel
• Google maps location of the 3 Ferrin Knob Tunnels
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