Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America’s favorite drives, and after borrowing Dave’s parents’ motor home we finally got the opportunity to see why. We started at mile marker 469 in Smoky Mountain National Park, and drove north counting down to mile marker 0 in Virginia. We bought the book “Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway,” which I used to narrate the entire trip. The book lists every mile marker and explains the history around each overlook, trail and landmark.

There were many well-known attractions along the Parkway. We spent an entire morning wandering around the North Carolina Arboretum (located just outside of Asheville) that showcased beautiful flowers and an amazing bonsai garden. Mabry Mill is probably the most popular destination along the Parkway. It gives you a glimpse of rural life in Appalachia with tours and demonstrations of the gristmill, sawmill & blacksmith shop. After eating breakfast at its café, we made sure to pick up a pack of locally made cornmeal. One of our favorite stops was the Blue Ridge Music Center. After reading about the preservation of Appalachian music, that until recently were only passed down verbally from generation to generation, we actually had the opportunity to watch an elderly farmer perform original folk songs that he had learned growing up.

The Blue Ridge Parkway also offers an abundance of hiking trails. Many of them lead to restored homes and structures once owned by mountain pioneers. Others wind through open pastures or tunnels of rhododendrons ending at stunning long-range vistas of the mountains. One of the hardest and probably most epic trails we hiked was Grandfather Mountain Trail. Before reaching our destination of Macrae Peak, we had to overcome several obstacles: using cables to pull ourselves up vertical rock walls, squeezing in between large boulders and climbing steep (and sketchy-looking) ladders built into the mountain. Once we finally reached the peak, we got a glimpse of the expansive view before the fog rolled in surrounding the rock we stood on. We had to take a longer way back down the mountain due to an unexpected bear encounter. Of course, out of all the national parks we hiked through out West, our first run-in with a bear on a trail is in North Carolina!

By the end of the trip, David and I felt like we explored every inch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I think we definitely underestimated the Parkway. We went into this trip knowing it would be an adventure with having to camp and cook our own food along the way, but driving home we felt like it was one of the best vacations we have ever taken. Every trail and landmark felt like a hidden gem that you just uncovered. It was such a different experience than any other national park; we now know not to take what’s in our own backyard for granted.