The Blue Ridge Parkway is a ribbon of road that weaves through the region’s vibrant living traditions. From Cherokee life and agricultural history to Southern Appalachian crafts and music, the Parkway’s 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina offer many ways to explore rich traditions.
Millions of visitors enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway each year. Some think of it as just a motor road or a pleasant drive. But the Parkway is also a place of varied and significant natural resources.
Spanning the southern and central Appalachians, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers an exceptional glimpse of the regional flora and fauna. It is world-renowned for its biodiversity.
The Parkway covers a wide range of habitats along the Appalachian Mountains, and some of these habitats are exceptionally rare. Visitors encounter unsurpassed diversity of climate, vegetation, wildlife and geological features.
ALONG THE PARKWAY YOU’LL FIND:
- Some of the oldest mountains in the world
- Mount Mitchell – The highest mountain peak in the eastern United States
- New River – The oldest river in North America
- Linville Gorge – The deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon
- Whitewater Falls – The highest waterfall east of the Rockies
- Abundant biodiversity
