The Blue Ridge Parkway "America's Favorite Drive"

The Blue Ridge Parkway, sometimes called "America's Favorite Drive", is the most visited parkway of America's National Park System. A drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway provides stunning, long range vistas and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the southern Appalachian mountains. It is designed as a drive-awhile and stop-awhile experience, so please don't be in a hurry. The speed limit on the Blue Ridge Parkway is 45mph.

Whether you travel north, south, east or west, few parts of this country compare to the natural beauty you'll find along the Blue Ridge Parkway. As it meanders through North Carolina and Virginia, and continues into the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennesee; you'll marvel at the lush hillsides, abundant wildlife, and quaint, picturesque cities and towns.

The Blue Ridge Parkway leisurely weaves its way through the Appalachian Mountain chain as it extends to the southern end of the massive Black Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway is over 469 miles and ending near the Great Smoky Mountains. Everywhere you look, you'll find trees, trees, trees - and in autumn, they burst into color, ranging from deep red to bright yellow and vivid orange. Springtime is no less spectacular. The flowering shrubs put on a show that rivals the display of trees.

The Blue Ridge Parkway history is full of colorful characters and hard working, determined, supporters. The road was not easily built, nor was the route easily determined. Several excellent Blue Ridge Parkway histories have been written and many Blue Ridge Parkway books are available at the visitor contact centers along the Parkway.

The Blue Ridge Parkway begins at Milepost 0 between Waynesboro and Afton in Virginia and ends 469 miles away in Western North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles of pristine beautiful mountain vistas known worlwide for its preservation, greenery, fall colors and outdoor recreation for all ages.  The Blue Ridge Parkway averages 20 million visitors, tourists, and travellers per year. Visitation builds during the spring and summer and peaks in the months of October when the fall leaves changes the parkway into a beautiful klaiedoscope of colors.

There are many overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, some overlooks are better than others and have great views for digital photography and video.