Blue Ridge Parkway Web Scavenger Hunt

Harold Blackwood photo

The Blue Ridge Parkway is an AMAZING place! Find out what makes it special by exploring our website to find answers to the Blue Ridge Parkway scavenger hunt. Then try to answer each multiple choice question and check to see if you guessed correctly using the dropdown menus. Good luck!

Question 1

The Blue Ridge Parkway was built specifically to connect two popular national parks. What two national parks does the parkway connect?

a. Grand Canyon National Park and Arches National Park
b. Everglades National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park
c. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park
d. Mammoth Cave National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Answer

c. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park
Learn more about the Great Smokies and Shenandoah!

Question 2

Mountain scenery abounds on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Jim Ruff photo

The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches through the beautiful scenery of the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. How many miles long is the Blue Ridge Parkway?

a. 670 miles
b. 469 miles
c. 444 miles
d. 154 miles

Answer

b. 469 miles
Learn more about the design and construction of the parkway.

Question 3

Bass Lake is a popular fishing spot on the parkway.

There are lots of things that you can do when you visit the Blue Ridge Parkway. Name three of them.

a. take a hike, ride a bike, paddle a canoe
b. go for a swim, skateboard, go hunting
c. camp under the stars, listen to old-time music, watch wildlife
d. go fishing, earn your Jr. Ranger badge, enjoy a campfire program with a ranger

Answer

Answers a, c, and d are all correct!
You can hike, bike, rent a canoe at Price Lake, camp, watch a concert, fish, earn a Jr. Ranger badge, and so much more! But swimming, hunting, and skateboarding are not allowed. Learn more about the fun things you can do on the parkway.

Question 4

Black bears can be dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach bears or allow them to approach you.

Harold Blackwood photo

Seeing a black bear can be exciting. But remember, black bears are wild animals and their behavior can be unpredictable. What should you do if you see a bear?

a. make yourself look big, make a lot of noise, and back away slowly

b. feed it a bite of your sandwich

c. run as fast as you can to get away

d. climb the nearest tree

Answer

a. make yourself look big, make a lot of noise, and back away slowly
Learn more about staying safe when you meet a bear! And discover which bears live in other national parks.

Hiking trails can provide peace and solitude in the forests along the parkway.

Alex Armstrong photo

Question 5

Lace up your boots and hit the trail! From short strolls to stretch your legs, to strenuous day-long treks, the parkway has many hiking options. How many miles of hiking trails can be found on the parkway?

a. 469 miles
b. 74 miles
c. 2000 miles
d. 369 miles

Answer

d. 369 miles
Learn more about the parkway's hiking trails.

Question 6

What Native American groups lived along the parkway?

a. Creek, Choctaw, and Miccosukee
b. Cherokee, Monacan, Saponi, and Tutelo
c. Apache, Cheyenne, and Hopi
d. Navajo, Sioux, Paiute, and Shoshone

Answer

b. Cherokee, Monacan, Saponi, and Tutelo
Learn more about the Native American people who lived in this region.

Question 7

There are 176 bridges on the parkway. That's 10% of all the road bridges in the entire National Park Service! The Linville River Bridge's two graceful arches span the Linville River.

Jim Ruff photo.

The parkway's Linn Cove Viaduct is a marvel of engineering. What is a viaduct?

a. a stone bridge with two or more arches
b. a bridge-like structure that crosses a section of low ground, for example from one high ridge to another
c. an artificial channel that carries water from one place to another
d. a gravel pathway through the forest that carriages used to drive on

Answer

b. a bridge-like structure that crosses a section of low ground, for example from one high ridge to another
Did we fool you with the picture of the Linville River Bridge? Viaducts and bridges have many similar features. Learn more about the famous Linn Cove Viaduct.

Gray's lilies bloom in early summer in the parkway's higher elevations.

Harold Blackwood photo.

Question 8

The plants of the Appalachian mountains are world renown for their diversity. How many different kinds of plants grow along the parkway?

a. 100 - 500 species
b. 750 - 1,000 species
c. 1,200 - 1,300 species
d. 1,400 - 2,000 species

Answer

d. 1,400 - 2,000 species
Learn about the parkway's amazing diversity of plants.

Question 9

One of three tunnels on Ferrin Knob.

Steven Freedman photo

When parkway designers and engineers couldn't route the road over the mountains, they tunneled through them. How many tunnels are there on the parkway?

a. 3
b. 5
c. 26
d. 52

Answer

c. 26
Tunnels are an iconic feature of the parkway. In fact, 36% of all road tunnels found in national parks across the United States are found here on the parkway. Learn more about the parkway's tunnels.

Question 10

To help protect the parkway's natural and cultural resources, some activities require visitors to get a permit before they can do that activity. Name an activity that does not require a permit.

a. weddings
b. hiking
c. backcountry camping
d. large group running events

Answer

b. hiking
Yep, you can hike a trail without a permit, but if you want to hold a wedding on the parkway, or participate in a large group run, you'll need to get a permit. Learn more about permits.

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