History & Culture

The road winding along crest of a mountain in autumn

David Smart photo

The Blue Ridge Parkway is Many Things

  • It is the longest road planned as a single unit in the United States.
  • It is an elongated park, protecting significant mountain landscapes far beyond the shoulders of the road itself.
  • It is a series of parks providing the visitor access to high mountain passes, a continuous series of panoramic views, the boundaries of its limited right-of-way rarely apparent and miles of the adjacent countryside seemingly a part of the protected scene.
  • It is a "museum of the managed American countryside," preserving the roughhewn log cabin of the mountain pioneer, the summer home of a textile magnate, and traces of early industries such as logging, railways, and an old canal.
  • It is the product of a series of major public works projects which provided a boost to the travel and tourism industry and helped the Appalachian region climb out the depths of the Great Depression.
  • Stretching almost 500 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge mountains through North Carolina and Virginia, it encompasses some of the oldest settlements of both pre-historic and early European settlement.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is all these things and more!

A person in historical dress is working outside of a small log cabin
People of the Parkway

Discover the people who lived in this area before the parkway and those who played key roles in the creation of this scenic roadway.

a blue car followed by another car and two motorcycles drive on the parkway from right to left.
Stories of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Discover the many stories that make the Blue Ridge Parkway “America’s Favorite Drive,”

black and white photo of the front of the Brinegar Cabin.
Preservation

The Parkway protects important examples of architecture, industry, and transportation associated with the people of these mountains.

stone headstones scattered throughout a plot of grass surrounded by a hand laid stone fence
Cemeteries along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Discover the cemeteries along the parkway that tell the varied stories of those who settled and lived in the Appalachian Mountains.

Last updated: February 13, 2025

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

199 Hemphill Knob Rd
Asheville, NC 28803

Phone:

828 348-3400

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