The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for four hundred and sixty-nine miles along the crest of the southern Appalachians, built through the 1930s as a scenic road and designed so that commercial traffic is banned, there are no billboards, junctions are grade-separated, and the whole thing curves gently at a speed limit that rarely exceeds forty-five miles an hour. It is consistently among the most visited units in the entire national park system. Overlooks come every few miles, looking out over ridge after ridge fading into blue haze, and trails run off it to waterfalls, balds and summits including Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. Along the way are restored mountain farms, a working grist mill at Mabry Mill and folk-art centres.

What you actually see

• The overlooks - ridge after ridge fading blue, particularly at Craggy Gardens and Linville.
• Mabry Mill - the photogenic working grist mill in Virginia.
• Mount Mitchell - the highest summit east of the Mississippi, reached by a spur road.
• Autumn colour - the reason the road is famous, peaking through October.

When to go

Late September into late October is peak colour, working down from the higher elevations, and it is by far the busiest time; May and June bring rhododendron and catawba in bloom. Sections close in winter for ice and snow, sometimes for months, so check the closure map before planning any winter drive.

Honest expectations

It is slow by design, so covering the full length takes several days and treating it as a route between two places is a mistake. Winter closures are extensive and unpredictable. In peak October the overlooks and the road itself are crowded, and accommodation in Asheville books out months ahead. Fog on the ridge can erase the views entirely.

Nearby

Asheville and the Biltmore Estate sit at the midpoint; the Great Smoky Mountains are at the southern end.