News Release

Parkway Announces Additional Modifications to Operations To Implement Local Health Guidance

Date: April 1, 2020
Contact: Public Affairs Office, [phone]

Blue Ridge Parkway managers, in response to county and state health guidance in North Carolina and Virginia, announced today additional modifications of planned seasonal facility openings to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  

In addition to previously announced closures, the following services and operations, originally scheduled to open between now and May 1, 2020, are now postponed until further notice: 

• Milepost 63.6 – James River Picnic Area
• Milepost 294 – Moses Cone Manor House and Craft Center
• Milepost 296.9 – Price Park Campground and Picnic Area
• Milepost 316.4 – Linville Falls Campground and Picnic Area
• Milepost 364.5 – Craggy Gardens Visitor Center
• Milepost 451.2 – Waterrock Knob Visitor Center
• All backcountry campsites, including sites at CCC Camp (Rock Castle Gorge, Milepost 167.1), Basin Cove (Bluffs North and South, Milepost 244.7), and John’s River Road (Milepost 296.9) are now closed.

A full list of current closures is available on the park website, nps.gov/blri. Decisions regarding future planned seasonal facility openings are pending.  

Park trails and the Blue Ridge Parkway motor road remain accessible to the public in accordance with the latest federal, state, and local health guidance, where not otherwise closed. The NPS encourages people who choose to visit the Blue Ridge Parkway during this pandemic to strictly adhere to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local public health authorities, to protect visitors and employees. Visitors are reminded to maintain social distance, plan visits at times other than busiest of the day and find alternate locations to experience the park away from crowded trailheads or overlooks. As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.