{"id":"nps-blri","slug":"blue-ridge-parkway","name":"Blue Ridge Parkway","designation":"Parkway","category":"parkway","categoryLabel":"Parkway","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"BLRI","designation":"Parkway","sourceId":"nps-blri"}],"states":["NC","VA"],"stateNames":["North Carolina","Virginia"],"location":{"lat":35.5657195274,"lon":-82.486484587},"bbox":[-83.2991,35.2842,-78.8555,38.0332],"acres":{"value":96617,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=38.0332&b_tl_lng=-83.2991&b_br_lat=35.2842&b_br_lng=-78.8555","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Blue%20Ridge%20Parkway","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"cover":{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C80E68A-1DD8-B71B-0B6752AF1737BF62.jpg","title":"Mabry Mill","alt":"Summer colors at Mabry Mill","credit":"NPS Photo","license":"Public domain (U.S. government work)","licenseUrl":null,"filePage":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm","tier":1,"source":"National Park Service"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C80E68A-1DD8-B71B-0B6752AF1737BF62.jpg","title":"Mabry Mill","alt":"Summer colors at Mabry Mill","credit":"NPS Photo","license":"Public domain (U.S. government work)","licenseUrl":null,"filePage":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm","source":"National Park Service","cover":true},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/3C80E949-1DD8-B71B-0B1ECE00402BA348.jpg","title":"Linville Falls","alt":"water cascading into Linville Falls plunge basin","caption":"The Linville Gorge offers visitors the opportunity to learn about fascinating geology and view magnificent waterfalls.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Arts and Culture","Live Music","Auto and ATV","Scenic Driving","Biking","Road Biking","Camping","Car or Front Country Camping","Fishing","Freshwater Fishing","Food","Picnicking","Hiking","Backcountry Hiking","Front-Country Hiking","Junior Ranger Program","Wildlife Watching","Shopping","Bookstore and Park Store"],"topics":["Engineering","Landscape Design","Music","Transportation","Bridges","Roads, Routes and Highways","Tunnels","Tragic Events","Animals","Birds","Elk","Fish","Foothills, Plains and Valleys","Forests and Woodlands","Deciduous Forests","Mountains","Scenic Views","Trails"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Parkway Road Hours","description":"The road is open 24 hours a day, weather permitting. Road closures due to inclement weather occur most frequently during winter. Sections of the road may also be closed during road maintenance projects. Check our road closure map to verify that the parkway is open before traveling.\n\nVisitor centers and other facilities have hours and seasons that vary. Most picnic areas, campgrounds, and visitor centers are closed from the beginning of November until early May.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"All Day","monday":"All Day","thursday":"All Day","sunday":"All Day","tuesday":"All Day","friday":"All Day","saturday":"All Day"},"exceptions":[]}],"directions":"The parkway is a 469-mile-long scenic road connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Numerous federal and state highways provide access to the parkway. Milepost markers are positioned every mile along the parkway, starting at 0 in Virginia and ending at 469 in North Carolina. We suggest using a map to identify the area you want to visit, as GPS directions often do not incorporate the parkway's milepost system.","weatherInfo":"The weather on the parkway can vary widely along its 469-mile route. Precipitation is possible any time of the year. Winter can be cold and snowy, especially at the higher elevations. Spring and fall can have large temperature swings, from near freezing to over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers are hot in the lower elevations, but the highest elevations remain cooler. Summertime thunderstorms are common, so be prepared for weather changes.","contacts":{"phone":"8283483400","email":"blri_info@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (Milepost 451.2)","description":"Waterrock Knob is our highest elevation visitor center on the Parkway. Known for its beautiful long-range views of several major mountain chains in the Appalachians, Waterrock Knob is uniquely suited for viewing sunrises and sunsets. The small visitor center introduces visitors to the area's rugged terrain and tremendous scenic resources, including the Great Smoky Mountains that are visible from here.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/waterrock-knob-mp-451-2.htm","lat":35.460514420752666,"lon":-83.14114187313666},{"name":"Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (Milepost 384)","description":"The visitor center features exhibits that showcase the natural and cultural history of the area, as well as the recreational opportunities offered by the region. You are able to watch the Parkway film at this location as well. Open year-round, the visitor center features National Park Service information desk, and America's National Parks store.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/blue-ridge-parkway-visitor-center.htm","lat":35.56582264608358,"lon":-82.48632347368624},{"name":"Folk Art Center (Milepost 382)","description":"The Southern Highland Craft Guild hosts a large craft shop, craft demonstrators and upstairs galleries showcasing regional craftspeople. Within the Folk Art Center is also an America's National Parks store.","url":"http://www.southernhighlandguild.org/folk-art-center/","lat":35.59258704624832,"lon":-82.48171397272336},{"name":"Craggy Gardens Visitor Center (Milepost 364)","description":"The small, historic visitor center and America's National Parks store is nestled in the gap between the rocky, Craggy Mountains. At over 5,000 feet elevation, harsh weather often invades these exposed ridges, resulting in the gnarled forests of beech, birch, and buckeye. These summits have been home to some of the most spectacular rhododendron displays along the Parkway corridor.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/craggy-gardens.htm","lat":35.70029687546305,"lon":-82.3796455317102},{"name":"Museum of North Carolina Minerals (Milepost 331)","description":"The Museum of North Carolina Minerals highlights the rich mineral resources and the mining heritage of this portion of the Blue Ridge. The museum has interactive exhibits. This area, called Gillespie Gap, was also significant in the American Revolution, where frontiersmen from the mountains known as the \"Overmountain Men\" crossed the Blue Ridge on their way to the Battle of Kings Mountain.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/museum-of-north-carolina-minerals-mp-331.htm","lat":35.854162282312046,"lon":-82.05142190348434},{"name":"Linville Falls Visitor Center (Milepost 316)","description":"This facility was heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene and is closed for 2026. The Linville River flows from its headwaters high on the steep slopes of Grandfather Mountain and cascades through two falls as it begins a nearly 2,000-foot descent through this rugged and spectacularly beautiful gorge, carved out by the tall Linville Falls. Towering hemlocks, dense stands of rhododendron, and native wildflowers grow along the trails that begin at the visitor center and encircle the falls.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/linville-falls-mp-316.htm","lat":35.95456944576354,"lon":-81.92773877250863},{"name":"Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center (Milepost 304)","description":"The rugged slopes of Grandfather Mountain proved a challenging task to engineers as they completed the last section of the Parkway here in 1987, 52 years after construction began. To protect the fragile and ecologically sensitive slopes of the mountain, Parkway planners designed the award-winning Linn Cove Viaduct, and the visitor center at MP 304 celebrates this achievement. The beautiful Tanawah Trail runs nearby. The visitor center is currently closed, but parking lot is open for trail access.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/linn-cove-viaduct.htm","lat":36.09018314574874,"lon":-81.8150071734816},{"name":"Moses Cone Manor House and Visitor Center (Milepost 294)","description":"This visitor center information desk, America's National Parks store and Southern Highland Craft Guild craft shop share a grand, historic estate house. The visitor information desk is open from May through October. The America's National Parks store and the Southern Highland Craft Guild craft shop is open from mid April through November. The estate grounds have 25 miles of carriage roads for strolling, small lakes and other historic structures.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/moses-h-cone-memorial-park-mp-294.htm","lat":36.14920704552366,"lon":-81.69296297346614},{"name":"Blue Ridge Music Center (Milepost 213)","description":"The Blue Ridge Music Center celebrates the music and musicians of the Blue Ridge. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1997, with support from The National Council for the Traditional Arts, the Music Center includes an outdoor amphitheater, an indoor theater, and exhibits highlighting the historical significance of the region’s music.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/blue-ridge-music-center-mp-213.htm","lat":36.57319744648645,"lon":-80.85000087193924},{"name":"Rocky Knob Visitor Center (Milepost 169)","description":"The Rocky Knob area offers a visitor center, campground, and 15 miles of hiking trails, including the Rock Castle Gorge National Recreation Trail. Picturesque Mabry Mill is located just a few miles south of Rocky Knob.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/rocky-knob.htm","lat":36.81150144495113,"lon":-80.34987657202316},{"name":"Doughton Park Visitor Center (Milepost 241)","description":"Numerous hiking options are available in the Doughton Park area and nearby Brinegar Cabin offers insights into mountain living in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/doughton-park.htm","lat":36.433691039,"lon":-81.1775776},{"name":"Peaks of Otter Visitor Center (Milepost 85.6)","description":"Visitors of the Peaks of Otter gain a sense of both the history of community and tourism in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The long history of visiting the mountains for health and relaxation is told in the visitor center. An extensive trail system is available with the hike to Sharp Top being a long-standing tradition. Dining and lodging are available, along with fishing in Abbott Lake, camping, and picnicking.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/peaks-of-otter-mp-85-6.htm","lat":37.445606544928985,"lon":-79.60995817217201},{"name":"James River Visitor Center (Milepost 63.6)","description":"The James River visitor center is closed. The James River area offers visitors the opportunity to learn about transportation history in central and southern Appalachia.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/james-river.htm","lat":37.55516874534699,"lon":-79.36589267109593},{"name":"Humpback Rocks Visitor Center (milepost 5.8)","description":"The rock outcroppings on the mountain and the relocated collection of 1890s farm buildings where settlers scratched out a living in the rocky soil makes Humpback Rocks perhaps the best representation of the varied combination of natural and cultural features anywhere along the Parkway corridor.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/humpback-rocks-mp-5-8.htm","lat":37.97272404524165,"lon":-78.89946447123623}],"campgrounds":[{"name":"Doughton Park Campground","description":"Doughton Park Campground is nestled in a landscape of mountains and open meadows. Explore the history of early settlers, enjoy spectacular shows of flame azalea and rhododendron, stretch your legs on area hiking trails, and view wildlife such as white-tailed deer, raccoons, red and gray foxes, and bobcats. Originally known as The Bluffs, this area is now part of the 7000-acre Doughton Park, named in honor of Congressman Robert Doughton, a long-time advocate and supporter of the Blue Ridge Parkway.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/doughton-park-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233369","sites":108},{"name":"Julian Price Park Campground","description":"Julian Price Campground sits beside Price Lake, a pristine body of water that sparkles against the backdrop of rolling mountains. The surrounding forest offers a colorful assortment of wildflowers in the spring and vivid orange and red foliage in the fall. Canoes can be rented at the lake, and a dock offers opportunities for fishing. Area hiking trails include Price Lake, Boone Fork, Green Knob, and Tanawha trails. Campers may see bears, grouse, turkeys, owls, hawks and more.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/price-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234037","sites":190},{"name":"Crabtree Falls Campground","description":"Due to impacts for Hurricane Helene, Crabtree Falls Campground will be closed to all camping in 2026.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/crabtree-falls-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/258667","sites":81},{"name":"Linville Falls Campground","description":"Due to impacts for Hurricane Helene Linville Falls campground will be closed to all camping in 2026.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/linville-falls-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234036","sites":64},{"name":"Mount Pisgah","description":"Mount Pisgah Campground is located in the mountains of western North Carolina at an elevation of 4,980 feet, and offers moderate to cool temperatures during camping seasons. Mount Pisgah is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range, an area of the country with scenery that never disappoints. Several popular hiking trails, ranging from moderate to difficult, are easily accessible from the campground.","url":"https://www.nps.gov//blri/planyourvisit/mt-pisgah-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234182","sites":125},{"name":"Rocky Knob Campground","description":"Located in the Rocky Knob Recreation area, surrounded by 4,000 acres of forest, the campground is ideal for a traditional camping experience. The site offers easy access to the Rock Castle Gorge Trail, a 10.8-mile loop trail ranging in elevation from 1,700 to 3,572 feet. Rock Castle Gorge, a 1,500-foot ravine carved by the waters of Rock Castle Creek, is the focal point of this trail, offering hikers breathtaking scenery.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/rocky-knob-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233324","sites":106},{"name":"Peaks of Otter Campground","description":"The campground is nestled at the base of two mountains in the rolling hills of Virginia. Nearby Abbott Lake is well-stocked with small mouth bass and bluegill. A stream winds through the campground, creating a tranquil backdrop for your camping trip. Hikers may choose to climb a mountain or stroll on a flat, lakeside trail. Wildlife such as deer and wild turkey are spotted daily at the Peaks of Otter Campground.","url":"https://www.nps.gov//blri/planyourvisit/peaks-otter-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233403","sites":139},{"name":"Otter Creek","description":"As Otter Creek descends to the James River, the Blue Ridge Parkway dips to its lowest elevation, only 649 feet above sea level. This area's abundant water and warmer temperatures support plant and animal communities that are unlike those found at other areas on the Parkway. A short walk along the Trail of Trees or a hike along the clear, cool waters of Otter Creek will give ample proof that there is more to the Blue Ridge Parkway than mountain-top vistas.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/peaks-otter-cg.htm","reservationUrl":"https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/251534","sites":68}],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"carl-sandburg-home-national-historic-site","km":33},{"slug":"cradle-of-forestry-in-america-national-historic-area","km":33},{"slug":"pisgah-national-game-refuge","km":41},{"slug":"pisgah-national-forest","km":48},{"slug":"andrew-johnson-national-historic-site","km":73},{"slug":"cherokee-national-forest","km":75}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=blri"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.608Z","alerts":[],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/blue-ridge-parkway/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/blue-ridge-parkway.geojson"}