Road and Facility Closures

What's Open?

• The parkway road is open for driving. Road maintanence projects may cause single lane closures in a few sections. Severe weather may also cause temporary closures.
• Trails are open. Please read COVID-19 hiking precautions.

What's Closed?

• Restrooms and portable toilets
• Visitor Centers
• Picnic areas
• Campgrounds and backcountry campsites
• Peaks of Otter Lodge
• Many concession facilities, food services, and stores

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Road Closures and Maintenance

Road Maintenance

Upcoming road maintenance projects will result in temporary road closures along short sections of the parkway. Please check our Road Closure Map for real-time road closure information.

Asheville Corridor Resurfacing
Approximately 25 miles of the parkway in the Asheville, NC area will be resurfaced with thin-lift asphalt beginning April 27, 2020. This project is expected to be complete by September of 2020.

• Night work may take place from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., Monday–Friday, with full, two-lane closures from Milepost 382.6 (just south of the US 70/Tunnel Road ramps) to 393.7 (just north of the NC 191/Brevard Road ramp).
• Day work with single-lane traffic control: From Milepost 365.5 to 382.0 work may take place from 30 minutes past sunrise to 30 minutes prior to sunset.
• Day work with single-lane traffic control: From Milepost 382.0 (Folk Art Center) to 393.7 (at the NC 191 ramp) work is restricted to the hours between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Pavement Preservation in Virginia
Resurfacing work is expected to continue through November of 2020, with no work scheduled during October. Visitors in active work zones should expect single lane closures and delays.

• Milepost 0 to 27, Northern Terminus to Whetstone Ridge (27 miles)
• Milepost 37 to 65, Irish Gap to James River Area (28 miles)
• Milepost 175 to 200, Mabry Mill to Fancy Gap area (25 miles)

Edge Rutting
Asheville Corridor, Mileposts 385 to 397.5 – Work began in November 2019 and will continue into late spring. The work will be conducted with single-lane traffic control and will be limited to Monday-Friday from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm.

Weather Closures

Weather conditions may cause temporary road closures along the parkway. Much of the parkway is located at high elevation, where the climate is colder and wetter, and winds are stronger than in the surrounding communities. Please be aware that the parkway may be closed due to ice, snow or downed trees—even at times when the weather at lower elevations is sunny and pleasant. Please check the parkway's Road Closure Map (https://go.nps.gov/brp-map) for current closure information.

• Milepost 112.4 to Milepost 135.9 near Roanoke is closed due to damage to the road caused by heavy rains.

 

Facility Closures

These closures are in addition to the closures posted at the top of the page:

• Otter Creek Restaurant (Milepost 60.8) south of Buena Vista, VA is closed.
• Bluffs Lodge is closed.
• Rocky Knob Cabins are closed.

Please visit the Operating Hours and Seasons page and real-time closure map for additional facility schedules and closures.

Trail and Backcountry Closures

Please read the information about avoiding crowded trails in the COVID-19 Information section above.

• All backcountry campsites are closed.
• Duncan Carriage Road on the Moses Cone Estate (Milepost 294) from Moses Cone Manor to Bass Lake Parking Lot is closed to all uses due to seasonal maintenance operations from July 6, 2020 until July 17th, 2020.
• Dobie Mountain Trail at Humpback Rocks in VA (Milepost 6) has been permanently closed.

 

COVID-19 Information

From time to time, circumstances may necessitate the closing of trails or other actions to ensure visitor and resource safety. As part of your planning, visit this page to get special alerts and information. If you are a frequent visitor, you may want to bookmark this page.

Notice Regarding Visiting the Parkway:

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at the Blue Ridge Parkway is our number one priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for COVID-19 pandemic includes social distancing, and we need the public’s cooperation to ensure our visitation patterns adhere to CDC recommendations.

If you are coming to the parkway, please choose to visit areas that are not crowded to allow for adequate social distancing. Use this opportunity to explore different areas of the parkway. Visit our trail page to plan hikes to lesser known areas. If you encounter a crowded trailhead or overlook, go elsewhere.

We are closely monitoring COVID-19 with the federal, state, and local authorities. Outdoor spaces remain accessible to the public in accordance with the latest health guidance.

The National Park Service (NPS) encourages people who choose to visit the parkway during this pandemic to adhere to guidance from the CDC and state and local public health authorities to protect visitors and employees. 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.

COVID-19 Press Releases:

• May 22 - Blue Ridge Parkway to increase recreational access from Milepost 0 to 13
• May 8 - Blue Ridge Parkway Announces Increased Access to Historic Motor Route
• April 15 - Blue Ridge Parkway Announces Additional Modifications to Operations
• April 8 - Parkway Closes Northernmost Section to Support COVID-19 Prevention Efforts
• April 1 - Additional Modifications to Operations To Implement Local Health Guidance
• March 24 - Closure to Southern End of Parkway
• March 23 - Closure to Parkway Restrooms and Camping Shelter
• March 22 - Modifications to Backcountry Camping Permits
• March 17 - Visitor Center Closure