National Park Service • U.S. Department of the Interior

Blue Ridge Parkway

Virginia and North Carolina

Summary of the Final General Management Plan
For more information, please contact

Park Headquarters

199 Hemphill Knob Road

Asheville, NC 28803

(828) 348-3401

Or visit us on the web at www.nps.gov/blri

or Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeNPS
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN iii

Appendix A Enabling Legislation 115

Appendix B Preparers and Contributors 119

CONTENTS

Overview 3

Brief Description of the Parkway 4

Purpose of and Need for the 

General Management Plan 5

Foundation for Planning 

and Management 8

Park Purpose 8

Park Significance 8

Fundamental Resources and Values 9

Primary Interpretive Themes 10 

Special Mandates and 

Administrative Commitments 12

Potential Boundary Adjustments 14

Planning Issues and Concerns 15

Parkway-Wide Management Strategies 23

Scenery Conservation 23

Land Protection 23

Natural Resources 23

Soundscapes 24

Cultural Resources 25

Interpretation and Visitor Services 26

Concessions 26

Access and Circulation 26

Campgrounds 27

Trails 27

Partnerships 28

Management Zones 29

Management Strategies for Parkway Segments 45

Segment 1 — Ridge, Mileposts 0-106 47

Segment 2 — Roanoke, Mileposts 106-136 48

Segment 3 — Plateau, Mileposts 136-217 49

Segment 4 — Highlands, Mileposts 217-305 50

Segment 5 — Black Mountain, 

 Mileposts 305-377 51

Segment 6 — Asheville, Mileposts 377-394 52

Segment 7 — Pisgah, Mileposts 394-469 53

Management Strategies for Recreation Areas 57

Humpback Rocks, Mileposts 6-10 58

James River / Otter Creek, Mileposts 60-65 60

Peaks of Otter, Mileposts 82-91 62

Roanoke Mountain, Mileposts 118-122 64

Smart View, Milepost 155 66

Rocky Knob, Mileposts 166-174 68

Mabry Mill, Milepost 176 70

Blue Ridge Music Center, Milepost 213 72

Cumberland Knob, Mileposts 217-219 74

Doughton Park, Mileposts 236-247 76

Julian Price Memorial Park, Mileposts 295-300 78

Linville Falls, Mileposts 315-319 80

Crabtree Falls, Mileposts 339-340 82

Craggy Gardens, Mileposts 364-369 84

Mount Pisgah, Mileposts 407-409 86

Mitigation Measures 91

Natural Resources 91

Water Resources 93

Wetlands 93

Soils 93

Air Quality 94

Cultural Resources 94

Visitor Safety and Experience 96

Hazardous Materials 96

Noise Abatement 96

Scenic Resources 96

Socioeconomic Environment 97

Sustainable Design and Aesthetics 97

User Capacity 99

Climate Change Management Strategies 106

Strategy 106

Science 106

Mitigation 106

Adaptation 107

Communication 107

Future Plans and Studies 109

Scenery Conservation 109

Land Protection 109

Natural Resources 109

Climate Change 110

Cultural Resources 110

Visitor Use and Interpretation 111

Concessions 111

Access and Circulation 111

List of Tables

Table 1. Parkway-wide Management 

Zones—Acreage Calculations 31

Table 2. Blue Ridge Parkway 

Management Zones 32

Table 3. User Capacity Management 

Framework by Management Zones 102
iv BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
Overview

Puckett Cabin Milepost 189.8

Julian Price Lake Milepost 296.7
Doughton Park Picnic Grill Construction Circa 1937

Park Picnic Grill 2012

Otter Creek Dam 1960

Otter Creek Dam 2013

2 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 3Overview

OVERVIEW

This summary document has been prepared for the Final General Management 

Plan / Environmental Impact Statement for the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 

purpose of the summary is to provide a concise reference guide to the key 

components and management decisions of the plan. 

The Record of Decision for the plan was signed by the Southeast Regional 

director of the National Park Service on April 14, 2013. This approval paves 

the way for the Blue Ridge Parkway to implement the preferred alternative 

management strategies described in the plan. These management decisions 

are tied to the concept of actively managing the parkway as a traditional, selfcontained, scenic recreational driving experience and designed landscape. To 

support that experience, many of the parkway’s recreation areas will provide 

enhanced opportunities for dispersed outdoor recreation activities. 

These management decisions proactively blend newer law and policy 

requirements and operational constraints with the traditional parkway 

concept developed from 1935 to 1955. As a result, the National Park Service 

will provide a better balance between traditional parkway experiences and 

modern-day management realities. For example, some areas will be managed 

differently to address natural and cultural resource concerns and visitor 

experiences or to achieve critical operational efficiencies.

The general management plan also provides a comprehensive parkway-wide 

approach to resource and visitor use management. Specific management zones 

detailing acceptable resource conditions, visitor experience and use levels, 

and appropriate activities and development will be applied to parkway lands 

(parkway segments and recreation areas). The selected action seeks to enhance 

resource protection and regional natural resource connectivity and build 

stronger connections with adjacent communities.

The completion and approval of the general management plan is the 

culmination of a great deal of time, energy, and input from members of the 

public, other agencies, and the National Park Service. The National Park 

Service values the public’s interest in the Blue Ridge Parkway and we look 

forward to implementing this plan with your support and collaboration. 

This summary of the final general management plan provides comprehensive 

guidance for perpetuating natural systems, preserving cultural resources, and 

providing opportunities for high-quality visitor experiences along the parkway 

for the next 20+ years. More than 75 years after the parkway was established, 

this is the parkway’s first comprehensive management plan. Sharing a vision for 

the parkway’s future—and the management strategies to create that future—is 

the primary goal of this document.

Craggy Pinnacle Milepost 364.4

Sharp Top Milepost 86.0

Humpback Rocks Milepost 6.0

Crabtree Falls Milepost 339.4
4 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PARKWAY

Congress allocated funds for the initial construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway 

to traverse a substantial portion of Virginia and North Carolina on June 16, 

1933, under authority of the National Industrial Recovery Act (48 Stat. 195, 

Public Law 73-67). Congress then authorized the National Park Service to 

administer and manage the parkway on June 30, 1936 (49 Stat. 2041, Public 

Law 74-848) as amended on June 8, 1940 (54 Stat. 249, Public Law 76-566).

The parkway is in Virginia and North Carolina in the central and southern 

Appalachian Mountains. It is 469 miles long and connects Shenandoah 

National Park to the north with Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the 

south. Created as a national rural roadway with limited access, the parkway 

was designed for pleasant motoring, a form of recreational driving free from 

commercial traffic. The Blue Ridge Parkway travels the crests, ridges, and 

valleys of five major mountain ranges, encompassing several geographic and 

vegetative zones ranging from 600 to more than 6,000 feet above sea level. It 

provides visitors with many varied vistas of scenic Appalachian landscapes 

ranging from forested ridgetops and mountain slopes to rural farm lands and 

urban areas. The parkway offers a “ride-a-while, stop-a-while” experience that 

includes scenic pullouts, recreation areas, historic sites, and visitor contact 

stations. It is known nationally and internationally for its designed landscape 

as a scenic motorway.

The parkway is many things to many people. It is the longest road planned as 

a single park unit in the United States. It is an extremely elongated national 

park system unit that protects significant mountain landscapes far beyond 

the shoulders of the road itself. It is a series of parks providing visitors access 

to high mountain passes, splendid natural “gardens” of flowering mountain 

plants, waterfalls and water gaps, deep forests, and upland meadows. It is a 

continuous series of panoramic views, the boundaries of its limited right-ofway 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 that provided a boost to the travel and tourism industry and helped 

the Appalachian region climb out of the depths of the Great Depression. It is 

an important neighbor that links 29 counties through two states and shares 

boundaries with other national park system units, national forests, tribal lands, 

and state parks. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway corridor is a complex area of overlapping 

jurisdictions, interests, and responsibilities. Strong and coordinated external 

relations are vital to the parkway’s role and mission. Formal and informal 

partner organizations provide essential services, staffing, funding, and 

innovative solutions to management of this linear park and the corridor 

through which it passes. And, it is the most heavily visited national park.

Parkway Master Plan 1942
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 5Overview

PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE GENERAL 

MANAGEMENT PLAN 

Prior to the approval of this general management plan, the Blue Ridge Parkway 

had never had a comprehensive planning document. For the first 52 years 

of the parkway’s existence, a major focus of management was to complete 

construction of the parkway, its designed landscape, and several major 

and minor recreation areas. This development was guided by master plans 

developed in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Once sections of the parkway 

were constructed, their management and maintenance was guided by a series 

of Parkway Land Use Maps, designed to maintain various aspects of the 

parkway designed landscape. With the parkway’s completion in 1987, the 

focus of parkway management shifted to ensuring that the parkway’s scenic, 

natural, cultural, and recreational qualities are protected into the future. 

Today, the parkway is situated in a much broader resource and visitor context 

that extends both physically and philosophically far beyond its boundaries. It 

is this ever-changing dynamic that is driving the need to reexamine past and 

current approaches to the parkway’s management and use.

The general management plan is the central document for managing the 

Blue Ridge Parkway for the next 20+ years. The purposes of the general 

management plan are as follows.

• Confirm the purpose, significance, and special mandates of the Blue 

Ridge Parkway.

• Clearly define resource conditions and visitor uses and experiences to 

be achieved in the parkway.

• Provide a framework for parkway managers to use when making 

decisions about how to best protect resources, provide high-quality 

visitor use and experience, manage visitor use, and develop facilities in 

and near the park.

• Ensure that this foundation for decision making has been developed in 

consultation with interested stakeholders and adopted by National Park 

Service leadership after an adequate analysis of the benefits, impacts, 

and economic costs of alternative courses of action.

Legislation establishing the National Park Service as an agency and governing 

its management provides the fundamental direction for the administration 

of the parkway (and other units of the national park system). This general 

management plan builds on these laws and the legislation that established the 

parkway to provide a vision for the park’s future and addresses desired future 

conditions that are not mandated by law and policy and must, therefore, be 

determined through a planning process.

The general management plan does not describe how particular programs 

or projects for the parkway should be prioritized or implemented. Those 

decisions will be addressed in the future through more detailed planning 

efforts. All future plans relating to programs or projects will tier from the 

general management plan.

Parkway Interpretive Program

Historic Parkway Fencing
4.4 million

17 million

Grand Canyon NP

Eiffel Tower

Great Wall of China

Magic Kingdom Disneyworld 

Blue Ridge Parkway

30 million Las Vegas Strip

6.7 million

9 million

17 million

Offers more than driving experiences

Approximately equal to the distance 

between San Diego and San Jose 

Blue Ridge 

Parkway 

stretches 469miles 17 million

annual 

recreational 

Attracts visitors

Visitors contribute 

annually into 

local economies

$2.3 billion

9 Campgrounds

13 Picnic Areas

14 Visitor Centers

369 Trail Miles 

≈

VA

NC

CA

3 Concession Lodges

Blue Ridge Parkway by the Numbers 
0 50 100 150 200 250

43

99

60

225

31

Amphibians

Fish

Mammals

Birds

Reptiles

Surrounded by scenic beauty and 

ecological diversity, the parkway contains 

A monumental management 

commitment encompassing 

A wide variety of animal species including 

Globally rare plant 74 and animal species 

miles 600 of streams 2074 plant 

species

29

adjacent 

counties 

3 mountain 

ranges 

16 peaks above 

5000 feet

The parkway’s historic design includes

adjacent private landowners 

thousand

26 Tunnels (36% of all NPS road tunnels) 

382 Overlooks

176 Bridges (10% of all NPS bridges) 

91 Historic buildings

910 Maintained Roadside Vistas

1110 

347 377

Boundary Miles Acreage 

83K

522K

199K

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Shenandoah NP 

Blue Ridge Parkway 

Comprehending the sheer size and extent 

of our nation’s first rural parkway 
8 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

FOUNDATION FOR PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

PARK PURPOSE

Purpose statements provide the foundation for the management and use of 

each unit of the national park system; they also reaffirm the reasons why each 

area was established as a unit of the national park system. These statements 

help visitors, neighbors, cooperating agencies, and other users understand the 

framework in which park managers make decisions. 

The following purpose statements are based on the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 

enabling legislation as well as laws and policies governing management of all 

national park system units. The purposes of the Blue Ridge Parkway are to

• connect Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks by 

way of a “national rural parkway”—a destination and recreational road 

that passes through a variety of scenic ridge, mountainside, and pastoral 

farm landscapes

• conserve the scenery and preserve the natural and cultural resources of 

the parkway’s designed and natural areas

• provide for public enjoyment and understanding of the natural 

resources and cultural heritage of the central and southern Appalachian 

Mountains

• provide opportunities for high-quality scenic and recreational 

experiences along the parkway and in the corridor through which it 

passes

PARK SIGNIFICANCE

Significance statements capture the essence of the park’s importance to 

our country’s natural and cultural heritage. Significance statements do not 

inventory resources; rather, they describe the parkway’s distinctiveness and 

help to place the parkway in its regional, national, and international contexts. 

Defining the park’s significance helps managers make decisions that preserve 

the resources and values necessary to accomplish the national park’s purpose.

The following statements define the significance of the Blue Ridge Parkway:

• The Blue Ridge Parkway was the first national rural parkway to be 

conceived, designed, and constructed for a leisurely driving experience. 

Its varied topography and numerous vista points offer easy public 

access to spectacular views of central and southern Appalachian rural 

landscapes and forested mountains.

• As an example of pre- and post-World War II era automotive rural 

parkway design, the parkway retains an exceptionally high degree of 

integrity. The parkway is further recognized throughout the world 

as an international example of landscape and engineering design 

achievements with a roadway that lies easily on the land and blends into 

the landscape. Highway 89 Milepost 215.8

Early Parkway Interpretive Exhibit

1964
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 9Overview

• The parkway is the highest and longest continuous route in the 

Appalachian area. Along its 469-mile length, the parkway provides 

scenic access to crests and ridges of three major ranges in the central 

and southern Appalachian Mountains, encompassing geographic and 

vegetative zones that range from 649 feet at James River in Virginia to 

6,047 feet at Richland Balsam in North Carolina.

• The parkway’s uninterrupted corridor facilitates the protection of a 

diverse range of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered plant 

and animal species and globally imperiled natural communities.

• The parkway preserves and displays cultural landscapes and historic 

architecture characteristic of the central and southern Appalachian 

highlands.

• The parkway is a primary catalyst for promoting regional travel and 

tourism, serving as a unifying element for 29 counties through which it 

passes, engendering a shared regional identity, providing a common link 

of interest, and being a major contributor to regional economic vitality.

FUNDAMENTAL RESOURCES AND VALUES

Fundamental resources and values warrant primary consideration during 

planning because they are critical to achieving the park’s purpose and 

maintaining its significance. The following resources and values are central 

to managing the parkway and express the importance of the parkway to our 

natural and cultural heritage. 

Cultural Resources

The Parkway Historic Designed Landscape. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the 

premier example of a national parkway designed for recreational motoring 

through rural scenery. The parkway is an exceptionally important work 

of design in the fields of landscape architecture and civil engineering. As a 

combination of scenic road and linear park, it represents a fusion of modern 

engineering with scenic landscape design. The original parkway road right-ofway and the sites and developments proposed as part of the 1936 master plan 

are elements of the designed landscape.

Landscapes of Southern and Central Appalachian Context. Several sites 

along the parkway, including the Blue Ridge Music Center and the Folk Art 

Center, are focused on the perpetuation and interpretation of regional cultural 

expression. The sources of traditional mountain culture are dying out and the 

National Park Service plays a role in documenting and celebrating examples of 

traditional culture.

Sites Associated with Local Communities. Many sites along the parkway 

have an affiliation with the parkway purpose and significance but have greater 

value as character-defining features of local communities and traditions. Such 

sites include Yankee Horse Railroad, Kelley School, Harris Farm, Moses H. 

Cone Park, and the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, among 

others. Smart View Milepost 154.6

Historic Entrance Sign
10 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Natural Resources

Globally Imperiled Communities. The parkway protects several ecosystems 

that are of global significance. These include spruce/fir forests, rocky outcrops 

and granitic domes, grassy balds, and high-elevation wetlands. The parkway 

is also considered a keystone area in which to track environmental changes 

related to water and air quality that could affect the entire region.

Rare and Endangered Plants, Animals, and Communities. The parkway 

contains 12 federally listed and more than 100 state listed species and new 

species are being discovered. These species of concern include the Peaks of 

Otter salamander, bog turtles, timber rattlesnakes, and numerous others.

Visitor Experience Values

Visual and Leisure Driving Experiences. When asked about the special 

values that are most important to their parkway experience, visitors describe 

the beauty of the views from and along the roadway. The natural setting of 

mountains and valleys, the peacefulness of rural and pastoral landscapes, and 

the dramatic high-elevation vistas are frequently highlighted by visitors. This 

idyllic scenery was integral to the experience intended by parkway designers.

The character of the parkway travel experience is also featured. Peace, 

solitude, leisure, freedom from traffic and speed, and the absence of 

commercial advertising are frequently mentioned as aspects of the parkway 

experience that are particularly valued.

Recreational Experiences. Ready access to recreational opportunities also 

has high value to parkway visitors. Trails, both in the parkway and accessible 

from the park, are most frequently mentioned as important recreational 

facilities.

Regional Connectivity

Travel and Tourism. The Blue Ridge Parkway, by virtue of its 469-mile length, 

provides a travel and tourism facility that unites a 29-county region in Virginia 

and North Carolina. The opportunity for some 20 million visitors each year 

to sample its scenic and recreational resources has established the parkway 

as a primary tourism magnet for the region. Parkway visitors spend some $2.3 

billion per year in communities outside the parkway boundary.

PRIMARY INTERPRETIVE THEMES

Primary interpretive themes are the most important ideas or concepts to 

be communicated to the public about a national park system unit. Their 

consistent use in park programs, events, exhibits, and publications helps 

increase visitor understanding and appreciation of park resources and values. 

The following interpretive themes have been developed for the Blue Ridge 

Parkway.

Riding in the Ridge District

Historic Road Sign Milepost 229.6
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 11Overview

Parkway Design / Landscape

The Blue Ridge Parkway originated to generate employment and promote 

tourism in the mountains of southern Appalachia; it continues to influence and 

provide great economic benefits to the region.

The Blue Ridge Parkway incorporates innovative and enduring design, 

engineering, and construction techniques that harmonize with the southern 

Appalachian landscape.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a linear park unit threaded by a road in which 

visitor driving and enjoyment of scenery is the primary objective.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a human-manipulated environment that continues 

to shape parkway management practices.

Biology

The Blue Ridge Parkway has a wide diversity of habitat and supports as many 

plant species as any other national park system unit in the United States.

The Blue Ridge Parkway provides a protected migration corridor for many 

forms of life.

Visitors and residents have long interacted with the Appalachian environment, 

both adapting to and altering the natural history of the area.

Geology

The Blue Ridge Parkway stands at the summit of many local and regional 

watersheds that define the hydrological patterns of much of the southeastern 

United States. The three mountain ranges of the parkway include the 

oldest mountain-building processes in the world and contain economically 

significant minerals.

Air Quality, Weather, and Climate

Activities of people living outside the Blue Ridge Parkway and extreme 

weather conditions in the southern Appalachian Mountains influence the 

natural resources, visitation patterns, and air quality of the parkway.

Human Culture

The Blue Ridge Parkway conserves diverse and important examples of 

architecture, industry, and transportation associated with the people and 

communities of the mountains in southern Appalachia.

The Blue Ridge Parkway preserves evidence of human occupation from 

prehistoric to contemporary times.

Many Blue Ridge Parkway sites have been tourist and vacation destinations for 

more than two centuries.

Grandfather Mountain Milepost 305
12 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

A unique Appalachian culture, defined by arts, crafts, music, and social 

institutions, has evolved and persisted in the region through which the Blue 

Ridge Parkway passes.

SPECIAL MANDATES AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITMENTS

Special mandates and administrative commitments refer to requirements for 

the parkway that are specified in laws or formal agreements. Consequently, 

these requirements are not open for evaluation as part of the general 

management plan; instead, they serve as guidelines with which planning 

proposals must be consistent. Mandates and administrative commitments 

that influence the Blue Ridge Parkway general management plan include the 

following.

Memorandum of Understanding between the National Park 

Service and U.S. Forest Service

On June 20, 1941, this agreement established procedures for determining the 

boundaries of the parkway where it passes through national forests and for 

protecting the scenic values of these lands and identified the management 

responsibilities of each agency to meet these goals.

Memorandum of Understanding between the National Park 

Service and the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources 

and Wildlife Resources Commission

This agreement, signed on December 16, 2011, establishes standards, terms, 

and conditions under which the Wildlife Resources Commission will conduct 

surveys of Carolina northern flying squirrels on lands owned and accessed by 

the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Memorandum of Understanding between the National Park 

Service and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the National Park 

Service agree to cooperate for the purpose of developing, maintaining, and 

managing fishery resources on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Memorandum of Understanding between the National Park 

Service and the Virginia Department of Conservation and 

Recreation

This agreement supports cooperative efforts between the two agencies to 

maintain and protect lands necessary for the conservation of natural heritage 

resources that occur in Virginia in the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Parkway Rhododendron
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 13Overview

Cooperating Association Agreement between the National Park 

Service and Eastern National

Eastern National is a nonprofit cooperating association chartered in 1948 to 

provide interpretive book sales at visitor centers and to promote educational 

and interpretive activities by returning profits to the National Park Service. The 

Blue Ridge Parkway serves as an agent of Eastern National under Public Law 

79-633, authorizing cooperating associations. 

Mountains-to-Sea Trail Memorandum of Agreement

This is an agreement of cooperation among the parkway; the U.S. Forest 

Service; the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural 

Resources; and the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail organization for 

planning and construction of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail system. Much of 

this trail is on parkway lands in North Carolina between the Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park and the Doughton Park recreation area. Trail 

maintenance is the responsibility of the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail 

volunteers.

Agricultural Leases

Agriculture has had an important influence on the land and the people of 

the Blue Ridge Mountains. Under the parkway’s Agricultural Land Use 

Program, lands are leased out to other landowners for agricultural use to 

ensure and perpetuate the cultural and traditional pastoral scenes typical of 

the Appalachian hill country. This blending of the parkway and the adjoining 

lands helps create the impression of a park that extends, in some instances, to 

the horizon.

Commitments Involving Roanoke River Parkway and Explore Park

The Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987

(Public Law 100-17) authorized the National Park Service to design and 

build an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway to connect to Explore Park 

in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The completed Roanoke River Parkway 

now provides a direct link for visitors from the parkway to the 1,100-acre 

property now owned by Virginia Living Histories. In June, 2005, the Virginia 

Recreational Facilities Authority—the state authority tasked with the 

development and operation of Explore Park—entered into a lease option 

agreement with Virginia Living Histories for the development of Explore 

Park. Explore Park was to become an outdoor living history museum and 

recreational park near milepost 115 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Roanoke. 

The downturn in financial markets at the end of the decade created financing 

challenges and construction did not begin as planned. As a result, the Virginia 

Recreational Facilities Authority appointed an economic development 

consortium to create alternative plans for Explore Park if Virginia Living 

Histories was not able to proceed. Agricultural Lease Milepost 143

Trail Sign Milepost 384.2
14 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Concurrent Legislative Jurisdiction

• Memorandum of Agreement for Concurrent Jurisdiction at National 

Park Service Units in the State of North Carolina, dated July 27, 1984.

• Memorandum of Agreement and Deed for Concurrent Jurisdiction at 

Areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the State of Virginia, dated July 12, 

1982.

POTENTIAL BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS

Unlike many national park system units, the Blue Ridge Parkway’s enabling 

legislation did not limit or direct land protection by establishing a legislated 

boundary or an acquisition ceiling. However, more specific direction for any 

parkway boundary adjustments was promulgated under two congressional 

acts—the Act of June 30, 1936 (49 Stat. 2041), which created the Blue Ridge 

Parkway and the Act of June 30, 1961 (75 Stat. 196), which further authorized 

the purchase and exchange of land and interests in land to adjust ownership 

lines and to eliminate hazardous crossings of and access points to the parkway. 

Also, a ruling in the United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit (June 29, 

1970) found that acquisition of land for the parkway was not limited solely 

to lands required for construction of the roadway but land acquired for 

recreation uses was within the statutory purpose of “consolidation” of land 

contiguous to the parkway when necessary for public uses. The Fourth Circuit 

Court ruling also concluded that “scenery,” “natural,” “historic objects,” and 

“wildlife” were included within the broad definition of the term “recreational.” 

Land protection for the parkway adheres to the congressional acts and 

court ruling and is further guided by a 1994 land protection plan; the plan 

will be amended by a land protection process that moves away from the 

predetermined list of tracts of land to protect. Tracts of land that become 

available from willing sellers will be evaluated to determine which of eight 

resource and visitor use management criteria are met—boundary management 

and ownership, historic or cultural landscape sensitivity, transboundary 

natural resource threats, scenic easement issues, at-grade crossings or 

accesses, visual sensitivity or scenic quality, visitor experience opportunities, 

and off-parkway recreation needs and trends. Compatibility with parkway 

management zoning and current nonfederal ownership and uses and local 

land use planning will also be considered to establish priorities for protection.

Only those land protection actions with willing sellers and that meet the 

evaluation criteria and compatibility analysis stated above will be deemed 

necessary by the National Park Service to carry out the land protection 

purposes of the parkway. Land protection plan priorities will include acquiring 

interests in lands to accomplish one or more of the eight resource and visitor 

use management criteria, to ensure compatibility of adjacent land use, 

eliminate or control hazardous at-grade motor road crossings or accesses, 

provide for recreation or natural and cultural resource protection, and 

conserve high-quality scenic views.

When the parkway was established, the states of Virginia and North Carolina 

donated parkway right-of-way acreages of 100 and 115 acres per mile, 

respectively. This did not meet the National Park Service standard of 150 acres 

per mile. Thus, National Park Service acquisition of interests in land has been 

Boundary Monument Section 2R
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 15Overview

an ongoing land protection strategy for the parkway, with the goal of meeting 

or exceeding the 150 acres per mile standard. That strategy will continue under 

land protection proposals presented in the general management plan.

Other potential boundary adjustments will include focusing at-grade road 

access and crossing land protection projects throughout the Plateau and 

Highland segments and in the northern section of the Black Mountain 

segment where the majority of private and secondary road at-grade crossings 

and access points occur. Recreation projects will be more dispersed and might 

occur in any of the segments. Transboundary natural resource protection 

priorities will be greatest in segments 5 and 7 but could occur parkway-wide 

depending upon severity of threat to resources. Land protection projects to 

conserve high-quality scenic views will be based on the parkway’s scenery 

conservation system. 

The scenery conservation system identifies some 1,200 landscape or view areas 

that lie beyond the parkway boundary and that are visible from overlooks, 

roadside vistas, agricultural leases, or scenic easements. Of the 1,200 view 

areas, about half of the scenic views are in the Plateau, Highland, and Black 

Mountain segments. Conservation of scenic views will be focused in these 

segments. Potential acquisitions are identified on a project-by-project basis 

when a willing seller or a private land trust contacts park land resource staff.

Because discrete boundary adjustments are authorized for park purposes on 

an as-needed basis, this general management plan does not call for any specific 

boundary adjustments.

PLANNING ISSUES AND CONCERNS

The following issues and concerns were identified during the general 

management planning process. Issues and concerns were identified by the 

general public; National Park Service staff; county, state, and other federal 

agencies; parkway partners; resource experts; and representatives from various 

organizations. An issue is defined as an opportunity, conflict, or problem 

regarding the use or management of public lands. 

Comments received during the planning process demonstrated that 

there is much that the public values about the parkway, especially its 

protection of scenery and high-elevation habitats; interpretation of local 

history and heritage; access to trails; the opportunity it offers to escape 

from commercialism and traffic; and the beauty of the road and parkway 

architecture. Issues and concerns expressed generally focus on balancing 

appropriate visitor use, types and levels of facilities, services, and activities 

with desired resource conditions. 

Increasing Residential and Commercial Development Visible from 

the Parkway

The parkway was designed as a park without visual boundaries, in response 

to the congressional intent to provide a scenic and recreational driving 

experience from which visitors could view the landscapes of the central and 

southern Appalachian Mountains. This primary purpose for the parkway is 

being threatened by the subdivision of hundreds of privately owned acres 

Parkway Agricultural Lease

Development Adjacent to Parkway

Milepost 125
16 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

of scenic farms and mountainsides for residential development. This land 

use trend is dramatically increasing in 14 of the 29 counties through which 

the parkway passes. By far the most commonly expressed concern in public 

comments relate to this issue. People are concerned with the loss of scenic 

quality and scenic variety. Some believe that solutions lie with additional 

vegetation buffers. Others advocate a stronger land protection program on the 

part of the park, ranging from cooperative agreements to purchase of scenic 

easements to full purchase of lands.

Relationships between the Parkway and Surrounding 

Communities

The parkway plays an important role in the broader region in which it 

is located. It connects communities and heritage tourism opportunities, 

contributes to economies, provides recreational escape, protects and links 

natural corridors, and provides a 469-mile window to the beauty of the region. 

Many of those who provided comments encouraged increased communication 

and cooperation between the parkway and surrounding jurisdictions, 

emphasizing the potential for better land use planning, scenery protection, 

greenway connections, and visitor information that could result. 

The Design and Character of the Parkway

The parkway was carefully designed to create a special experience for visitors, 

from how the parkway road was situated on the landscape, to the details of 

parkway architecture, to the carefully placed vistas and overlooks, to the 

strategic location of recreation areas and visitor services. Some people are 

concerned that budget limitations and changing public expectations and 

demands are compromising the original design standards of the parkway. 

Others believe that elements of parkway character, such as the absence of 

roadway striping and width, cause safety hazards. Some people would like to 

see development of additional pullouts and overlooks; others believe that too 

many overlooks have low-quality views due to vegetation growth or adjacent 

development. Some others also feel that certain overlooks have safety issues 

that make them higher crime areas and that these facilities should be evaluated 

for possible closure or redesign. 

Regional Road System Improvements

The Blue Ridge Parkway was authorized by Congress to be a national rural 

parkway with limited at-grade road crossings and with entrance and exit points 

spaced at intervals to reduce interruptions to the main flow of visitor traffic. 

There are 199 public secondary at-grade and 30 primary grade separated 

access points to the parkway from the regional primary and secondary road 

systems in Virginia and North Carolina. Many of these are scheduled to be 

upgraded. The improvement of both primary and secondary roads in rural 

areas is making these areas more attractive for residential and commercial 

development; thus, road projects have considerable influence on the parkway’s 

scenery by facilitating land use changes that are visually incompatible with 

parkway values. Also, the level of local traffic is increasing in several areas along 

the parkway. With the large number of at-grade road crossings, the potential 

for traffic accidents is rising from increasing cross-parkway traffic.

Blue Ridge Music Center Stage

Milepost 212.8

Parkway Construction
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 17Overview

Motorized Use of the Parkway

Motorized use of the parkway involves a mix of visitors and local commuters 

and different types of vehicles, which can result in conflict and concerns. 

Commenters noted that motorcycle noise, and in some cases excessive speed 

by motorcycle riders, is disturbing to them. Some people are concerned 

about the increasing size and number of recreational vehicles (RVs) on the 

parkway and believe some limits to address these concerns may be needed. 

Many mentioned that the parkway has too much commuter traffic that 

interferes with the slower pace and low traffic levels that are valued as part of a 

recreational experience.

Bicycling on the Parkway

Bicycling is permitted along the entire length of the parkway. Although cyclists 

represent only 1% of the road’s traffic mix, the parkway is popular with cyclists 

due to its limited access and relatively lower traffic levels and vehicle speeds 

when compared to most community streets and highways. The parkway, 

however, was not designed as a bicycle facility. It has no specific paved 

shoulders or bike lanes or paths; cyclists currently ride in the road’s travel 

lanes. During the scoping process, bicycling along the parkway was an issue 

of much discussion and a variety of views. Some people advocate bike lanes 

along the full length of the parkway, while others believe this is not feasible and 

would inappropriately change the parkway road character. Other commenters 

advocate bike routes parallel to the road, either along the full distance or only 

in high-use areas. Other commenters proposed banning bicycle use on the 

parkway altogether. As a related issue, mountain biking on trails is supported 

by some people and opposed by others. 

Additional Recreational Opportunities

As population has increased adjacent to the parkway and as visitors’ interests 

have shifted, there is more demand for additional or different day-use 

recreational opportunities along the parkway. For example, there is increasing 

demand for more off-season use and access, including keeping more of the 

parkway open in the off-season. Unlike most national park system units, 

parkway visitor services are only provided during a six-month season. Visitors 

traveling the parkway during the off-season do not have access to even basic 

amenities, such as restrooms. A lack of orientation and interpretive services 

during this time also limits visitors from understanding parkway resources 

and the range of recreational opportunities available to them. The public also 

advocated for additional rock climbing and horse riding opportunities. Some 

people would like to see more trails in the parkway and some are particularly 

interested in more links to trails and greenway systems with neighboring 

communities. 

Visitor Service Facilities

The parkway’s visitor service facilities were originally placed along the 

parkway to provide a leisurely, self-contained, long-distance driving 

experience, where visitors could drive a while, stop a while to stretch their legs, 

obtain information, picnic, and stop overnight for camping or lodging. For 

Recreational Vehicle Plateau District

Wild Acres Tunnel Milepost 336.8
18 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

a variety of reasons that include increased availability of services adjacent to 

the parkway and changing visitor use patterns and preferences, the parkway 

has concession services that struggle to remain economically viable and 

campgrounds that generally are underused. Some visitors have commented 

that the parkway should provide lodging with more modern amenities; 

others think concessions services are an outdated concept and compete with 

neighboring businesses. 

Many visitors have noted they would stay on the parkway if the campgrounds 

provided more updated services, such as showers, electrical hookups, and 

better accommodation of large RVs. Others feel that such changes are not 

necessary and would alter the rustic character of the campgrounds. The 

campgrounds have not had significant upgrades since their construction 

between the 1930s and 1950s. None have water/electric hook-ups at RV sites 

or showers in the comfort stations. Furthermore, loop roads, parking areas, 

and campsites were designed to earlier standards that do not adequately 

accommodate modern RVs. The absence of these amenities is the primary 

reason most visitors do not stay at the parkway’s campgrounds.

In addition, there is limited access to visitor service facilities in the off-season 

when the road is open but most of the visitor facilities are closed. Also, there 

are several key places where large numbers of visitors access the parkway in the 

peak season but don’t have access to information and services for orientation. 

As a result, there is a high frequency of visitors becoming disoriented and lost. 

Some people oppose the development of any new facilities along the parkway, 

while others advocate some additional overlooks, trails, and support facilities 

so long as they harmonize with the parkway design. 

Protection of Natural Resources

Under the provisions of the parkway’s enabling legislation, the parkway is 

responsible for conserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the unique natural 

and cultural resources of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains. 

Parkway lands contain 2,074 different vascular plant species, 5 listed rare 

and endangered plant species, 7 rare and endangered animal species, several 

areas that are classified as “globally imperiled” natural systems, 21 natural 

heritage areas, and 110 miles of streams. There were many comments about 

air pollution effects on views and ecosystem health; the frequency and amount 

of plant and animal poaching; the invasion of nonnative plants, insects, and 

diseases; visitor trampling, social trailing, and illegal camping; and suppression 

of wildfires and other damage to natural systems due to park practices and 

development, such as habitat fragmentation from trails and roads.

Protection of Cultural Resources

The parkway contains, and is challenged to manage, a diverse range of cultural 

resources, including 91 buildings, 2 sites, and 133 other structures that 

contribute to the parkway’s eligibility for inclusion in the National Register 

of Historic Places. The parkway also contains historic structures and places 

associated with events and activities prior to the parkway’s construction. 

The traditional pastoral landscapes and structures of Appalachian farms and 

settlements contribute to the richness of scenery and stories of lifeways. Many 

commented about concerns over the deterioration of historic structures and 

Folk Art Center Milepost 382

Parkway Trillium
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 19Overview

other features. Some commenters thought that resource threats are increasing 

and suggested that park managers place more emphasis on resource protection 

in making management decisions.

Climate Change

Climate change refers to any significant changes in average climatic conditions 

(such as average temperature, precipitation, or wind) or climatic variability 

(such as seasonality or storm frequencies) lasting for an extended period 

of time (decades or longer). Recent reports by the U.S. Climate Change 

Science Program, the National Academy of Sciences, and the United Nations 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change provide clear evidence that 

climate change is occurring and is anticipated to accelerate in the coming 

decades.

The National Park Service recognizes that the major drivers of climate change 

are outside the control of the agency. However, impacts from climate change 

are already occurring or are expected to occur throughout the national park 

system. Therefore, an important goal of the general management plan is to 

gain a better understanding of the influences of climate change on the Blue 

Ridge Parkway and implement effective strategies to manage for them. Because 

climate change is a long-term issue that may affect the parkway beyond the 

scope of this general management plan, the plan is intended to lay the initial 

groundwork to address climate change issues. 

Winter at Craggy Gardens Milepost 365
20 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 239
Blue Ridge Parkway

Management strategies

Historic Parkway Fencing

Parkway Mountain Laurel
Scenery Conservation

22 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 23

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

PARKWAY-WIDE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Because of the length and complexity of the parkway, the strategies for 

managing it for the next 20+ years have been organized into three levels of 

detail: (1) parkway-wide, (2) 7 parkway segments, and (3) 15 major recreation 

areas. Management zones are associated with the parkway segments and 

recreation areas. 

The parkway-wide management strategies are organized according to 10 

management topics.

SCENERY CONSERVATION

• Complete the baseline evaluation of the quality and condition of offparkway scenic views as seen from parkway overlooks and roadside 

vistas. Using the baseline evaluation as a guide, identify views along the 

parkway to be protected. 

• Actively collaborate with adjacent landowners, county officials, and 

developers on a site-specific project basis to conserve priority scenery. In 

addition, the parkway will work with its partners to provide leadership 

for regional efforts among adjacent landowners; local, state, and federal 

officials; and developers to establish long-term strategies for conserving 

views from the parkway.

LAND PROTECTION

• Continue to acquire interests in lands adjoining the parkway boundary 

from willing sellers to eliminate private road accesses (consistent with 

parkway legislation), to consolidate irregular portions of the parkway 

boundary that are difficult to manage, and to conserve tracts of land 

of moderate to high scenic quality (see also “Scenery Conservation” 

above). In addition, acquire interests in lands for protection of natural, 

cultural, and recreational resources and seek regional partnerships to 

provide for additional options to protect resources.

• Implement a land protection strategy that does not identify specific 

tracts of land but establishes (1) resource and visitor use management 

criteria, (2) park management zoning and land use compatibility factors, 

and/or (3) other protection goals that will be used to evaluate the merits 

of a property when it becomes available from willing sellers. Proactively 

seek out willing sellers for high-priority parcels.

NATURAL RESOURCES

• Make inventory and management of natural resources more proactive, 

incorporating a long-term approach that actively strives to advance 

regional ecosystem health through active partnerships with public and 

private entities.

Fall Parkway View

Milepost 107.9
24 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Establish a multiyear planning process for the natural resource program 

to implement multiyear projects.

• Pursue class I air quality classification and seek National Park Service 

and other project funding for monitoring and influencing air quality 

standards in the region. 

• Shift wildlife management focus to a more ecosystem-based approach in 

the region. 

• Consider strategies to maintain and improve habitat connectivity along 

and across the parkway corridor.

• Shift management of invasive flora and fauna from reactive, site-specific 

management to more comprehensive, parkway-wide, and regional 

strategies.

• Continue to manage designed landscape features, such as human-made 

lakes, for scenic and recreational purposes.

• Modify some landscape areas traditionally managed for scenery, such 

as roadsides, vista clearings, and agricultural leases, to actively protect 

natural resources. Improve habitat external to the parkway boundary 

through work with partners.

SOUNDSCAPES

• The following list includes indirect management strategies that apply 

information, education, and persuasion techniques to influence visitor 

behavior. Indirect management is often preferred because it allows 

visitors the freedom to choose their actions. 

- Encourage visitors to be respectful of others by not producing 

excessive noise. 

- Develop and implement educational and interpretive programs on 

soundscapes. 

- Consider identifying and designating “quiet zone areas.” These 

areas would be identified on maps, through signs, and through 

interpretation. Visitors would be encouraged to be quiet enough to 

hear natural sounds in these areas. 

- Plan in advance. Notify visitors during the planning process of the 

importance of acoustic resources. 

- Encourage Leave No Trace Principle 7 (be considerate of other 

visitors) as related to soundscapes. 

- Collaborate with adjacent property owners and appropriate federal, 

state, and local agencies and organizations to reduce noise. 

• The following list includes direct management strategies that rely upon 

enforcement of rules and regulations.

- In sensitive acoustic zones, reroute loud vehicles to routes outside of 

the parkway or to less sensitive acoustic zones within the parkway. 

Dogwood in Bloom

Sharptop Milepost 86
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 25

B

- Park management should consider ways to reduce their own noise 

lue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

footprint, as well as those caused by visitors or outside sources. 

Operation of maintenance equipment, tools, and construction 

equipment should be limited to times and locations that minimize 

impacts on visitors and ecologically sensitive areas. Parkway staff 

should select models of equipment with the lowest sound levels and 

operational specifications that meet their needs. Increase the use of 

quiet technology where appropriate. 

• The following list includes indirect management strategies specifically 

designed for visitors riding motorcycles.

- Encourage quiet and courteous riding through education. This 

message could be delivered to motorcyclists through a variety 

of “messengers” including National Park Service staff, gateway 

communities, friends groups, and local partners and stakeholders. 

Example messaging for roadside signs, brochures, website, and 

visitor center: Don’t rev it up! Ride motorcycles respectfully along 

the parkway. Example messaging for campgrounds: Be considerate 

of campground quiet hours. Be aware that the noise you make could 

affect other visitors and encourage friends and family to do the 

same.

- Discourage use of modified exhaust systems that increase noise 

levels. 

• The following list includes direct management strategies specifically 

designed for visitors riding motorcycles. 

- Consider having groups of organized riders acquire a special use 

permit. 

- Specify that any applications for organized rides must go through 

NEPA analysis. 

- Enforce existing noise ordinances (36 CFR section 2.12). Under this 

section the following is prohibited: operating motorized equipment 

or machinery that exceeds a noise level of 60 decibels measured on 

the A-weighted scale at 50 feet or, if below that level, nevertheless, 

makes noise that is unreasonable. 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

• Seek designation of the designed parkway corridor as a national historic 

landmark district while continuing to manage it as an eligible resource. 

The principal components of this designed landscape are the parkway 

road with its supporting structures and constructed landforms, a scenic 

corridor provided by a broad right-of-way, a chain of 17 original and 4 

more recent recreation areas, and a variety of exhibits interpreting the 

natural and cultural histories of the region.

• Continue to give priority for preservation to historic structures that 

are directly associated with the parkway’s original design intent and 

that are listed as structures contributing to the national significance 

of the parkway. Structures constructed or acquired after 1955 are 

not considered to contribute to the significance of the parkway and 

Humpback Farm Gate Milepost 6

Historic Photo of Gate
26 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

their merits for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and 

preservation activities will be determined individually.

• Continue to manage currently maintained vistas above 4,000 feet 

elevation, but determine their size and configuration by best practices 

for managing the potential habitat of sensitive species.

• Update the historic Parkway Land Use Maps to protect the parkway’s 

historic integrity while accommodating newer law and policy 

requirements and operational constraints.

INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR SERVICES

• Continue to implement curriculum-based school outreach programs 

using current staffing levels at schools and in the parkway, as available, 

during the school year.

• Expand operations at selected locations to provide services for a ninemonth visitor season. These locations include Humpback Rocks, James 

River, Peaks of Otter, Mabry Mill, Blue Ridge Music Center, Linn Cove, 

Linville Falls, Museum of North Carolina Minerals, Craggy Gardens, 

Folk Art Center, and Waterrock Knob.

• Increase visitor education using publications and waysides and emerging 

technology.

• Substantially increase the number of visitors contacted over current 

levels by providing visitor orientation services at underserved parkway 

entrances, particularly the northern and southernmost entrances.

• Continue to maintain 21 recreation areas along the length of the 

parkway with traditional visitor services that support a recreational 

and scenic driving experience, including camping, lodging, restaurants, 

camp stores, and picnic sites. Ensure that in the future these traditional 

recreation services remain a high priority and are enhanced, as needed, 

to respond to increases in visitor demand. This could be accomplished 

through hardening trails, providing overflow parking, and developing 

additional picnic sites, among other actions.

CONCESSIONS

Continue to find ways to provide viable concession services at all existing 

locations to ensure the long-term availability of in-parkway lodging, food, 

and other services. Strategies might include making upgrades to existing 

infrastructure and/or adding new facilities where appropriate.

ACCESS AND CIRCULATION

• Continue the moratorium on secondary road improvement projects in 

both Virginia and North Carolina until a comprehensive corridor access 

management plan and environmental impact statement are completed. 

Only address road improvements that are necessary to ensure public 

Overmountain Victory Trail

Celebration Highlands District

Abbott Lake Milepost 86
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 27

B

health and safety outside the comprehensive planning and compliance 

lue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

process. Continue to evaluate primary state and federal highway 

improvements or new construction projects on a project-by-project 

basis.

• Accomplish management of some nonrecreational local and commuter 

traffic by replacing at-grade crossings with new grade separation 

structures (some without access between the parkway and state road).

CAMPGROUNDS

• Continue to operate eight of the parkway’s existing campgrounds, 

including future repairs and rehabilitations focused on meeting backlog 

maintenance needs. Convert the Roanoke Mountain campground to a 

day-use recreation area. Collaborate with local communities and other 

park partners to consider innovative ways to effectively manage Roanoke 

Mountain over the interim of this conversion from a campground to a 

day-use area.

• Upgrade selected campground comfort stations to provide showers.

• Upgrade all campground comfort stations to be universally accessible.

• Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family sized tents.

• Upgrade certain amphitheaters to better accommodate visitors during 

interpretive programs.

• Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups at all 

campgrounds, except at Roanoke Mountain.

• Improve RV access to portions of campgrounds at Peaks of Otter 

and Julian Price. Upgrades at these campgrounds will include such 

improvements as widening the campground entrance and one of the 

loop roads, increasing turning radii, and enlarging existing RV parking 

spaces. Only a portion of the RV spaces at the campgrounds will be 

redesigned to better accommodate RVs.

TRAILS

• Work in partnership with the managers of the Appalachian National 

Scenic Trail to avoid sensitive resource areas by relocating some trail 

sections. Work with volunteer organizations and the state of North 

Carolina to complete the Mountains-to-Sea Trail within the parkway 

boundary where feasible.

• Continue to allow bicycling on the main parkway road and other 

parkway roads, recognizing that bicyclists will be sharing the road with 

higher volumes of motorized traffic, especially in the more urbanized 

areas of the parkway. Bicycling is not allowed on parkway trails.

• Ensure that undesignated social trails are not authorized within the 

parkway and any future designated connections to parkway trails will 

only be developed on public lands in collaboration with the associated 

local land management agencies. 

Milepost 363

Hiking Craggy Dome Milepost 366
28 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Strive to close and restore undesignated social trails in the parkway as 

much as possible, particularly when the undesignated trails are known 

to be causing notable negative impacts to natural resources, visitor 

experiences, or adjacent neighborhoods. 

• Develop adequate, formal parking areas for designated parkway trails 

to ensure visitor safety, protect resources, and preserve community 

character in adjacent or nearby neighborhoods.

• Develop improvements for equestrian use in designated areas.

PARTNERSHIPS

Actively pursue new partnerships with public and private entities to plan and 

implement joint ventures that support parkway goals. Explore broader base of 

partnerships.

Linn Cove Viaduct Milepost 304
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 29

B

MANAGEMENT ZONES

lue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

The primary building blocks for a general management plan are the 

management zones. All zones are developed within the scope of the park’s 

purpose, significance, mandates, and enabling legislation.

Management zones prescribe a range of desired resource conditions 

and visitor experience for the parkway and include statements about the 

appropriate kinds and levels of management, use, and development in each 

zone. The management zones provide primary guidance for subsequent 

decision making in the park. The eight management zones described below 

have been allocated across all Blue Ridge Parkway lands. 

The table on the following pages gives an overview of each management zone 

and describes the desired conditions for resources within each zone. It also 

compares the differences between zones—some slight, some major—in the 

tolerance for resource impacts, appropriate management activities, visitor use 

levels, and appropriate recreational activities.

Management zone maps can be found under the parkway segment and 

recreation area sections of this document. These maps were created and 

assembled by the National Park Service for informational, planning, reference, 

and illustration purposes only. None of these materials should be utilized 

without the benefit of advice and instruction from appropriate professional 

services. These materials are not verified by a Registered Professional Land 

Surveyor and are not intended to be used as such. The National Park Service 

makes no warranty, express or implied, related to the accuracy or content of 

these maps.

Mabry Mill 1953

Mabry Mill 1961

Mabry Mill 2012
30 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural Resources

This zone represents areas that emphasize the highest level of protection of sensitive habitats. 

Natural resources and processes will be preserved to maintain their pristine conditions and 

ecological integrity. Visitor opportunities will be limited to avoid human-caused impacts on 

these sensitive or rare ecosystems.

Natural Resources

This zone represents areas that support the broader ecological integrity of the parkway where 

natural processes predominate. Only low-impact recreational activities will be allowed. Visitors 

will be immersed in nature with opportunities to experience solitude and tranquility.

Scenic Character

This zone represents areas of the parkway that emphasize protection and viewing 

opportunities of the scenic landscape and natural and cultural settings of the central and 

southern Appalachian highlands.

Recreation

This zone represents areas that support moderate levels of visitor use to accommodate 

recreational, educational, and interpretive opportunities. While some resource modifications 

could occur, natural and cultural resources will remain largely intact.

Visitor Services

This zone represents areas of the parkway that support moderate to high levels of development 

and visitor services in order to accommodate concentrated visitor use and diverse recreational, 

educational, and interpretive opportunities.

Historic Parkway

This zone represents areas that emphasize protection and interpretation of the historic 

parkway corridor, which includes the road prism and its original supporting structures and 

constructed landforms.

Special Cultural Resources

This zone represents areas that emphasize protection of cultural landscapes and historic 

structures not associated with the design and development of the Blue Ridge Parkway. These 

include vernacular landscapes, such as the Harris Farm, or designed landscapes, such as the 

Moses H. Cone Estate. 

Park Support

This zone represents areas of the parkway that support administrative facilities for operations 

and maintenance.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 31

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

Class Zone Description Acres in the Zone 

Selected Action

SC Scenic Character 34,322

N Natural Resources 19,491

SNR Special Natural Resources 10,068

HP Historic Parkway 9,623

R Recreation 7,751

VS Visitor Services 356

PS Park Support 193

SCR Special Cultural Resources 388

41.8% 

23.7% 

12.2% 

11.7% 

9.4% 

0.4% 

0.2% 

0.5% 

Scenic Character

Natural Resources

Special Natural

Resources

Historic Parkway

Recreation

Visitor Services

Park Support

Special Cultural

Resources

Proportion of Management Zones for all Parkway Lands

Table 1. Parkway-Wide Management Zones—Acreage Calculations
32 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Overview Areas that emphasize 

the highest level of 

protection of sensitive 

habitats. Natural 

resources and processes 

will be preserved to 

maintain their pristine 

conditions and high 

ecological integrity. Visitor 

opportunities will be 

limited to avoid humancaused impacts on these 

rare ecosystems.

Areas that support 

the broader ecological 

integrity of the parkway 

where natural processes 

predominate. Only 

low-impact recreational 

activities will be 

allowed. Visitors will 

be immersed in nature 

with opportunities to 

experience solitude and 

tranquility.

Areas of the parkway that 

emphasize protection and 

sightseeing opportunities 

of the scenic landscapes 

and natural and cultural 

settings of the central and 

southern Appalachian 

highlands.

Desired conditions include 

maintaining the visual 

variety of the parkway 

road’s forested and 

pastoral/rural landscape 

settings consistent with 

early parkway design.

Areas that support 

moderate levels of visitor 

use to accommodate 

a wide range of 

recreational, educational, 

and interpretive 

opportunities. While some 

resource modifications 

could occur, natural and 

cultural resources will 

remain largely intact.

Natural 

Resource 

Condition

Ecological communities 

will be protected in 

a pristine condition, 

functioning unhindered 

by human activities and 

development. 

Globally imperiled 

habitats, state natural 

heritage areas and 

conservation sites, 

federal and state listed 

species, and other rare 

and exceptional natural 

resources, processes, 

systems, and values 

will be preserved and 

enhanced.1

Ecological integrity will be 

maintained by preserving 

and restoring natural 

resources and processes 

through an integrated 

natural resource 

management approach.

A mosaic of native 

vegetation communities 

will be maintained to 

showcase the parkway’s 

diverse natural settings.

Natural processes will 

function unhindered by 

human activities and 

development in most 

areas, except where 

managed specifically for 

visitor use. 

The natural and pastoral 

settings of the parkway 

will be maintained or 

modified as necessary 

to provide appropriate 

recreational opportunities 

and visitor health and 

safety. 

Tolerance 

for Natural 

Resource 

Impacts

Extremely low tolerance 

for natural resource 

impacts.

Modification of natural 

resources will only occur 

when necessary to restore 

habitats or to mitigate for 

human-caused impacts. 

Evidence of visitor use will 

be largely unnoticeable.

Low tolerance for natural 

resource impacts.

Only minimal 

modifications will be 

allowed that harmonize 

with the natural 

environment. 

Low to moderate 

tolerance for natural 

resource impacts.

Modifications that 

enhance the scenic 

qualities of the parkway’s 

landscapes will be 

allowed in a manner 

that minimizes natural 

resource impacts.

Low to moderate 

tolerance for natural 

resource impacts to 

accommodate visitor use 

and ensure visitor health 

and safety. 

Modifications will be 

aesthetically blended 

with the environment 

and designed to minimize 

resource impacts.

1. All globally imperiled habitats, state natural heritage areas and conservation sites, and 

federal and state listed species will be protected within all of the management zones, as 

required by National Park Service policy.

Table 2. Blue Ridge Parkway Management Zones
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 33

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

Areas of the parkway that 

support moderate to high 

levels of development and 

visitor services in order to 

accommodate concentrated 

visitor use and diverse 

recreational, educational, and 

interpretive opportunities.

Areas that emphasize 

protection and interpretation 

of the historic parkway 

corridor, which includes the 

parkway road prism and its 

original supporting structures 

and constructed landforms, 

including overlooks, water 

features, and recreation areas. 

Areas that emphasize 

protection of cultural 

landscapes and historic 

structures not associated with 

the design and development 

of the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

These include vernacular 

landscapes, such as the Harris 

Farm, or designed landscapes, 

such as the Moses H. Cone 

Estate.

Visitors will have opportunities 

to explore history first hand.

Areas of the parkway that 

support administrative 

facilities for operations and 

maintenance.

Natural systems and processes 

will be maintained to the 

greatest extent possible 

while emphasizing visitor use 

management objectives.

The effects of development 

and visitor use on the 

natural surroundings will be 

minimized through planning 

and design efforts.

The historic character of the 

parkway will be protected and 

maintained while allowing 

for modifications that achieve 

desired conditions for special 

natural resources.

Natural resources will be 

managed to maintain the 

character of these cultural 

landscapes. 

Natural resources will be 

managed to accommodate 

facilities for park operations. 

The effects of developments 

on the natural surroundings 

will be minimized through 

planning and design efforts.

Moderate tolerance 

for resource impacts to 

accommodate visitor use and 

facilities.

Modification of some visitor 

use areas will be allowed 

to enhance protection of 

sensitive natural resources.

Moderate tolerance for natural 

resource impacts in order to 

preserve the parkway’s original 

design and historic structures 

that contribute to its national 

significance. 

Modification of some 

designed landscape areas, 

such as roadsides, vista 

clearings, and agricultural 

leases, will be allowed 

to enhance protection of 

sensitive natural resources.

Moderate tolerance for 

natural resource impacts to 

maintain these special cultural 

resources.

Moderate tolerance for natural 

resource impacts.

Modification of natural 

resources will be allowed to 

accommodate park operations 

and to maintain employee 

health and safety.
34 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Appropriate 

Natural 

Resource 

Management 

Activities

Rare habitats will be 

actively restored and rare 

species will be recovered 

or reintroduced.

Management activities 

will emphasize research, 

inventory, monitoring, 

prescribed burns, pest 

management, nonnative 

species eradication, and 

other types of resource 

stewardship.

There will be very little 

evidence of on-site 

management except 

when necessary to 

address threats to 

resources or prevent 

human-caused impacts.

On-site management 

actions will emphasize 

resource protection 

objectives while providing 

limited facilities and 

services to support basic 

visitor needs.

Management activities 

will emphasize research, 

inventory, monitoring, 

prescribed burns, pest 

management, nonnative 

species eradication, and 

other types of resource 

stewardship.

Degraded sites will 

be restored in order 

to reestablish natural 

systems and processes 

with a priority on rare 

habitats for threatened 

and endangered species. 

On-site management 

actions will emphasize 

maintaining the designed 

landscapes and open 

pastoral settings of the 

parkway with sensitivity 

to natural resource 

conditions, including 

wildlife corridors.

Appropriate activities 

could include managing 

for certain types of 

vegetation over others 

to help maintain certain 

desired landscapes, such 

as open, pastoral settings. 

Activities could also 

include prescribed burns, 

pest management, 

and nonnative species 

eradication and other 

types of resource 

stewardship.

Degraded sites will be 

evaluated to determine if 

they should be hardened 

in order to accommodate 

visitor use or restored to a 

desired natural condition.

Invasive species will be 

suppressed to prevent 

further spread or 

eradicated where feasible.

Management will be 

adapted as needed to 

protect threatened and 

endangered species and 

rare habitats.

Cultural 

Resource 

Condition

Cultural resources 

contributing to national 

historic landmark 

designation and national 

register-eligible properties 

will be preserved using 

methods that do not 

impact sensitive natural 

resource conditions.

All other cultural 

resources will be 

evaluated to determine if 

they should be preserved, 

stabilized, restored, or left 

unmaintained.

Cultural resources 

contributing to national 

historic landmark 

designation and national 

register-eligible properties 

will be protected.

Selected cultural resources 

will be preserved or 

stabilized in order to 

provide educational 

opportunities for visitors.

The visual variety of 

the parkway’s forested, 

pastoral, and rural 

landscapes will be 

maintained in a manner 

consistent with the 

Parkway Land Use Maps.

Cultural resources 

contributing to national 

historic landmark 

designation and national 

register-eligible properties 

will be protected.

Selected cultural resources 

will be preserved to reflect 

a particular era, allowing 

people to experience 

these resources firsthand 

to learn about their 

associated stories and 

events. 

Table 2. Blue Ridge Parkway Management Zones

Doughton Park Milepost 244
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 35

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

Natural resources will 

be actively managed to 

accommodate interpretive, 

educational, and other visitor 

services.

Invasive species will be 

controlled to prevent further 

spread into other adjacent 

management zones.

Management will be adapted 

as needed to protect 

threatened and endangered 

species and rare habitats.

Natural resources in the 

designed landscapes of the 

parkway will be actively 

managed to maintain the 

landscape appearance.

Management will be adapted 

as needed to protect 

threatened and endangered 

species and rare habitats. 

Natural resources will be 

actively managed as a 

component of the cultural 

landscape.

Management will be adapted 

as needed to protect 

endangered species and rare 

habitats.

Natural resources will be 

managed as necessary to 

accommodate facilities for 

park operations. 

Management will be adapted 

as needed to protect 

endangered species and rare 

habitats.

Cultural resources will 

be actively managed to 

accommodate interpretation, 

education, and other visitor 

services.

Selected cultural resources 

will provide distinct visitor 

opportunities and experiences 

and will be the backdrop for 

interpretation, visitor use, and 

services where appropriate.

The historic design character 

and components of the 

parkway road prism, certain 

recreation areas, and facilities 

will be preserved.

Maintain the integrity of these 

primarily local and regionally 

significant structures and 

landscapes. A variety of 

resource treatments may be 

appropriate, depending on the 

condition and location of the 

resource.

Cultural resources contributing 

to the parkway’s national 

historic landmark designation 

will be protected.
36 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Tolerance 

for Cultural 

Resource 

Impacts

Low to moderate 

tolerance for cultural 

resource impacts.

Low to moderate 

tolerance for cultural 

resource impacts. 

Minor modifications 

of cultural landscape 

elements will be allowed 

only for resource 

protection.

Low to moderate 

tolerance for cultural 

resource impacts.

Modifications that 

enhance the scenic 

qualities of the parkway’s 

cultural landscapes will be 

allowed.

Low to moderate 

tolerance for cultural 

resource impacts when 

necessary to provide for 

visitor use.

Appropriate 

Cultural 

Resource 

Management 

Activities

Cultural landscapes will 

be allowed to gradually 

revert to a more natural 

state, except when 

cultural features can 

be preserved without 

compromising natural 

resource values.

Cultural resources that 

do not contribute to 

parkway’s national historic 

landmark designation 

could be stabilized or left 

unmaintained.

Selected historic 

structures will be 

stabilized or hardened2

to provide enhanced 

educational and 

interpretive opportunities 

for visitors.

Cultural resources that 

do not contribute to 

parkway’s national historic 

landmark designation 

could be stabilized or left 

unmaintained.

The parkway’s designed 

landscapes and open 

pastoral settings will 

be maintained with 

sensitivity to cultural 

resource conditions.

Selected historic 

structures could be 

stabilized or hardened 

to provide enhanced 

educational and 

interpretive opportunities 

for visitors. 

Cultural resources that 

do not contribute to 

parkway’s national 

historic landmark 

designation could possibly 

be stabilized or left 

unmaintained.

Selected historic 

structures could be 

stabilized or hardened 

to provide enhanced 

educational and 

interpretive opportunities 

for visitors. 

Overall Visitor 

Experience

Most visitors will 

experience these areas 

visually, as part of the 

more distant and rugged 

scenic views of parkway 

landscape. Limited 

opportunities will be 

available to visitors with 

time and backcountry 

skills who are seeking 

opportunities for outdoor 

challenge and solitude.

Access will require a 

moderate to high level 

of skill, self-reliance, and 

effort for visitors to these 

areas.

Visitors to these areas 

are likely to encounter 

intact natural resources, 

features, and systems 

for personal inspiration, 

education, and recreation. 

Visitors will have, 

among a variety of 

outdoor recreation 

activities, opportunities 

to experience solitude, 

contemplation, selfreliance, challenge, and 

risk.

Access will require a 

moderate to high level 

of skill, self-reliance, and 

effort for visitors to these 

areas.

Visitors will have 

opportunities to see and 

experience a variety of 

scenic settings evocative 

of central and southern 

Appalachian landscapes.

Access will involve a low 

to moderate degree of 

difficulty.

Visitors will have 

opportunities to 

participate in a range 

of both structured and 

self-guiding recreational, 

interpretive, and 

educational opportunities. 

Visitors will experience 

a mostly natural setting 

where some visitor 

services are available to 

accommodate moderate 

levels of use.

Access will involve a low 

to moderate degree of 

difficulty.

Visitor Use 

Levels

Visitor use levels will 

be very low to protect 

resource integrity. If 

conditions warrant, 

especially fragile areas 

could be closed to 

visitation.

Visitor use levels will be 

low to avoid degrading 

natural resources and 

values.

Visitor use levels will be 

low to high, depending 

on the level of amenities 

and services.

Visitor use levels will 

be low to moderate, 

depending on the 

proximity to access points 

and developments.

2. In this context, hardening refers to properly securing structures to prevent 

unauthorized access, treating surfaces in historically appropriate methods to prevent 

vandalism (graffiti), placement of sacrificial surfaces to deter defacing of historic 

structures, increased patrol of these areas by law enforcement, or better illumination, etc. 

Table 2. Blue Ridge Parkway Management Zones
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 37

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

Low to moderate tolerance 

for cultural resource impacts 

when necessary to provide for 

visitor use.

Low tolerance for cultural 

resource impacts.

Extremely low tolerance for 

cultural resource impacts.

Moderate tolerance for 

cultural resource impacts to 

accommodate facilities for 

park operations.

Selected historic structures 

could be stabilized or 

hardened to provide enhanced 

educational and interpretive 

opportunities for visitors.

The historic character 

of the parkway will be 

preserved while allowing 

for minor modifications to 

achieve desired conditions 

for visitor experiences, 

resource protection, and vista 

management.

Cultural landscapes and 

historic structures will be 

preserved and maintained 

to reflect a particular era or 

appearance.

Cultural resources will be left 

undisturbed, except when 

necessary for constructing 

new facilities for park 

operations.

Visitors will have opportunities 

to participate in a range of 

recreational, interpretive, and 

educational opportunities to 

experience and learn about 

the natural and cultural 

heritage of the central and 

southern Appalachians in 

built environments and social 

settings. 

Visitors will experience a 

designed setting that supports 

high levels of use, including a 

variety of visitor services and 

overnight accommodations.

Access to these areas will be 

easy for visitors.

Visitors will have a leisurely, 

uninterrupted driving 

experience in a designed 

roadway setting with a 

scenic backdrop of central 

and southern Appalachian 

landscapes and in the absence 

of commercial advertising, 

congestion, and driving 

conflicts.

Access to these areas will be 

easy for visitors.

Visitors will see and 

experience historic structures 

in their original landscape 

settings that are indicative 

of the cultural heritage and 

settlement patterns of the 

region.

Visitor opportunities and 

experiences will not be 

emphasized in this zone to 

avoid interference with park 

operations and maintenance 

activities.

Visitor use levels will be 

moderate to high.

Visitors may experience traffic 

congestion in parking areas.

Visitors will encounter other 

vehicles at volumes and 

frequencies where free-flow 

speeds are maintained; where 

the ability to move in traffic 

is only slightly restricted; and 

where the effects of minor 

incidents and breakdowns are 

easily absorbed.

Visitor use levels will be low to 

moderate, depending on the 

proximity to access points and 

developments.

Visitor use levels will be very 

low.
38 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Appropriate 

Recreational 

Activities

Law enforcement-led 

walks will be provided 

when appropriate for 

resource protection. 

Hiking and backpacking 

will be limited to 

designated trails only. 

Backcountry camping at 

designated sites will be 

considered. 

No horseback riding, 

mountain biking, or 

motorized vehicles will be 

allowed.

Low-impact recreational 

activities could include: 

hiking, backpacking, 

nature observation, 

photography, backcountry 

camping at designated 

sites, self-guiding 

interpretation, and smallgroup guided activities 

that do not degrade 

natural values.

Horseback riding will 

be allowed on certain 

designated trails where 

appropriate. No mountain 

biking or motorized 

vehicles will be allowed, 

except when authorized 

for management 

activities. 

Recreational activities will 

include: scenic viewing, 

photography, walking, 

guided hikes, and other 

activities that will be 

appropriate for particular 

landscape settings. 

Biking and horseback 

riding will be allowed on 

certain designated trails.

Recreational activities will 

include: organized group 

programs, self-guiding 

interpretation, nature 

observation, picnicking, 

hiking, backpacking, 

viewing natural and 

cultural resources, 

photography, exploring, 

and backcountry camping 

at designated sites. 

Biking and horseback 

riding will be allowed on 

certain designated trails. 

Visitor Services Limited directional signs, 

on-site interpretive 

materials, and 

structured interpretive 

programs related to 

the management and 

protection of natural 

resources will be available 

to visitors at selected 

locations.

Proactive education 

and law enforcement 

strategies will be 

emphasized to prevent 

exploitation of resources.

Park staff and law 

enforcement presence will 

be low.

Directional signs, 

interpretive waysides, and 

structured interpretive 

programs will be provided 

to promote safe and 

responsible recreation.

Proactive education 

and law enforcement 

strategies will be 

emphasized at targeted 

locations to prevent 

exploitation of resources.

Park staff and law 

enforcement presence will 

be low.

Low levels of visitor 

services will be provided. 

The majority of services 

will be in adjacent zones, 

such as the historic 

parkway and visitor 

services zones.

Park staff and law 

enforcement presence will 

be low. 

Moderate levels of 

visitor services could 

be provided, such as 

orientation, guided 

interpretive programs, 

signs and wayside 

exhibits, and commercial 

services such as guided 

hikes and guided bicycle 

rides.

Park staff and law 

enforcement presence will 

be moderate. 

Table 2. Blue Ridge Parkway Management Zones

Roanoke Valley Milepost 129.7
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 39

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

There will be a wide variety 

of recreational opportunities 

available to visitors, including: 

dining, lodging, camping, 

walking, bicycling, picnicking, 

shopping, scenic viewing, 

park special events, structured 

interpretive programs, and 

guided walks.

Recreational activities will 

include: low-speed and 

safe driving, scenic viewing, 

picnicking, bicycling, hiking, 

running, jogging, camping, 

interpretive activities, and 

other similar compatible uses.

Recreational activities will 

include: interpretive programs, 

sightseeing, photography, 

walking, and other activities 

appropriate to the setting.

Recreational activities will 

only be offered if they do 

not conflict with parkway 

operations and maintenance 

activities.

Moderate to high levels of 

visitor services will be provided 

and could include: orientation 

and interpretive programs, 

signs, wayside exhibits, 

commercial operations, 

convenience stores, dining, 

lodging, gift shops, and 

shuttle services.

Park staff and law 

enforcement presence will be 

moderate to high.

Orientation, interpretation, 

and educational opportunities 

will be concentrated in this 

zone.

Moderate levels of visitor 

services will be provided, such 

as orientation, interpretive and 

educational programs, signs 

and wayside exhibits, and 

commercial services.

Proactive education and 

law enforcement will be 

emphasized to promote visitor 

safety.

Specific on-site interpretive 

themes will be presented to 

visitors.

Minimal visitor services will be 

provided.
40 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Levels of 

Developments

Minimal developments, 

such as unpaved trails, 

will be provided in a 

manner that limits habitat 

fragmentation and 

generally protects natural 

resource conditions.

Existing developments 

that are not consistent 

with the desired natural 

resource conditions could 

be removed. 

Minimal facilities will 

be provided for visitors 

that support resource 

protection and facilitate 

low-impact use, including 

backcountry campsites, 

pit toilets, unpaved trails, 

trailhead facilities, and 

on-site interpretive media 

when needed.

Trail networks will be well 

planned; network density 

will be kept low to limit 

habitat fragmentation 

and generally avoid 

natural resource impacts. 

Existing developments 

that are not consistent 

with the desired resource 

conditions could be 

removed or modified.

Trails, roads, and other 

recreation facilities will 

be provided that are 

unobtrusive and blend 

with the natural and 

cultural landscapes of the 

parkway.

A moderate level of 

development will be 

provided to guide visitor 

use, enhance recreational 

opportunities, and protect 

resources, including: 

interpretive media, trails, 

trailhead restrooms, trail 

shelters, picnic tables, 

camp sites, access roads, 

and shuttle vehicles.

There will be a low 

to medium density of 

road and trail networks 

to ensure safe access, 

circulation for visitors, and 

protection of resources. 

The surfaces of roads, 

trails, parking areas, and 

other heavy use areas 

may be hardened where 

appropriate.

Table 2. Blue Ridge Parkway Management Zones

Asheville Corridor Milepost 380
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 41

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Strategies

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

There will be a moderate to 

high level of development 

to meet visitor use and park 

operation needs.

Orientation, amenities, 

and visitor services will be 

provided that support a safe 

and satisfying experience, 

including: visitor centers, 

contact stations, concession 

lodging and food services, 

developed campgrounds, 

picnic areas, trails, interpretive 

media, parking areas, and 

sidewalks.

There will be a medium to 

high density of paved roads 

and parking lots to ensure 

safe access and circulation for 

visitors. 

Developments will include 

existing facilities in the 

parkway road prism, such 

as: roads, parking areas, 

trails, vista cuts, waysides, 

information and regulatory 

signs, bridges, tunnels, walls, 

fences, guard walls and rails, 

and drainage structures. 

Other types of development 

directly associated with the 

original parkway concept will 

include visitor contact stations, 

campgrounds, picnic areas, 

comfort stations, exhibits, and 

maintenance areas.

Trails, roads, signs, waysides, 

and interpretive exhibits will 

be provided in a historic 

context.

Administrative offices, 

maintenance structures, 

equipment and fuel storage, 

utility systems, staff offices, 

meeting spaces, and living 

quarters could be located in 

this zone.
42 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

ParkLandUse Map (PLUM) Overlay Milepost 292
Management Strategies for

Parkway Segments

1959 Humpback Farm Milepost 5.8

Humpback Rocks Farm Milepost 5.8
Parkway Visitors Rocky Knob 1940

44 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 45Management Strategies For Parkway Segments

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR PARKWAY 

SEGMENTS

On the following pages, a brief description of each parkway segment is 

provided along with management strategies and a zoning map. The seven 

segments of the parkway are presented in order from north to south. They are 

as follows:

• Segment 1—Ridge, mileposts 0–106

• Segment 2—Roanoke, mileposts 106–136

• Segment 3—Plateau, mileposts 136–217

• Segment 4—Highlands, mileposts 217–305

• Segment 5—Black Mountain, mileposts 305–377

• Segment 6—Asheville, mileposts 377–394

• Segment 7—Pisgah, mileposts 394–469

Note the widths of the management zone colors shown on the segment maps 

are exaggerated for readability. The typical width of the parkway right-of-way 

averages 800 feet, but can be as narrow as 200 feet. 

See p. 47

See p. 48

See p. 49

See p. 50

See p. 51

See p. 52

See p. 53
46 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Bluff Mountain Tunnel Milepost 53.2
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 47Management Strategies For Parkway Segments

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Many visitors travel directly from Shenandoah National Park and its Skyline Drive 

and enter seamlessly into the Blue Ridge Parkway at Rockfish Gap. For some this 

begins a spectacular 469-mile journey south to Great Smoky Mountains National 

Park. Visitors traveling through the Ridge segment experience a scenic drive 

through deep mountain forests interspersed with pastoral vistas of agricultural 

lands. Almost the entire segment is bounded by national forest lands and four 

wilderness areas. Climbing and descending ridgetops and gaps offer magnificent 

views of the Great and Rockfish valleys. 

The segment also includes some of the parkway’s best examples of pre-1950 

Appalachian structures, sites, and transportation routes. Many miles of the 

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (the AT) are located in this segment of the 

parkway. The trail is managed under separate rules and regulations and the only 

allowable trail uses are hiking, backpacking, and backcountry camping.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

At the north entrance, improve the quality of the visitor entry experience and 

provide orientation services. The goal is to substantially increase visitor contacts 

over current levels. Potential actions include providing additional information 

and orientation through redesigning the existing pull-off parking area and 

installing new waysides. Parkway right-of-way is so narrow at the north entrance 

that National Park Service staff will have to partner with private landowners, 

local governments, Shenandoah National Park, and U.S. Forest Service to provide 

parkway information and orientation for visitors. The National Park Service will 

not fund or own a visitor center facility.

The proximity of U.S. Forest Service lands and regional trails provides 

opportunities for trail connections. Continue ongoing partnership efforts 

with local stakeholders to improve regional trail connections and potentially 

accommodate new or additional types of uses.

Make minor modifications to some overlook landscaping to improve pullout 

visibility by passing traffic.

SEGMENT 1 — RIDGE, MILEPOSTS 0-106 

James River/

Otter Creek

Humpback

Rocks

Peaks of Otter

Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail

SEGMENT 2

SEGMENT 1

Staunton

Fishersville

Waynesboro

Bedford

Stuarts Draft

Jolivue

Lexington

Buchanan

Daleville

Glasgow

Fincastle

0

5

35

40

95

90

85

80

75

70

65

60

55

50

45 30

25

20

15

10

105

100

JEFFERSON

NATIONAL FOREST

South River

Maury River

James River

Smith

Mountain

Lake

Tye R vi er

Whetstone Ridge

Botetourt

Rockbridge

Bedford Amherst

Nelson

Nelson

Bedford

Amherst

Boteto u rt

Rockbridge

Augusta

Albemarle

Buena Vista

./60

./ ./60 11

./11

./501

./501

./501

./221

./460

./221 ./460

ST6

ST ST6 43

ST56

ST56

ST43

ST814

ST664

ST151

ST130

ST151

ST624

ST664

ST151

ST151

ST814

ST122

ST682

ST640

ST695

ST640

ST619 ST726

§ ̈¦81

 ̈¦§64

§ ̈¦81

0 2.5 5 1.25 Miles[

Fall in the Blue Ridge District Milepost 74.7
48 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Roanoke

Mountain

Smart

View

SEGMENT 3

SEGMENT 2

SEGMENT 2

SEGMENT 1

Roanoke

City

Vinton

Daleville

Shawsville

Elliston-Lafayette

Boones Mill

Fincastle

95

105

100

150 145

140

135

130

125

120 115

110

Kelley School &

Harris Farm 

are SCR

PS

To Virginia's

Explore Park

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

JEFFERSON

NATIONAL FOREST

Smith

Mountain

Lake

Ro

anoke

R vi r e

Carvin

Cove

Reservoir

Roanoke

Roanoke

Fl oyd

Roanoke

Franklin

Bedford

Botetourt

Salem

Montgomery

./11

./220

./220

./221 ./460

./220

./460 ./221

./220

./221

ST24

ST24

ST419

ST619

ST ST634 116

§ ̈¦81

§ ̈¦581

0 2.5 5 1.25 Miles[

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The pulse of the parkway begins to change as visitors travel into the Roanoke 

Valley, the largest urban area along the parkway with a population of 225,000. 

The elevation is lower, the number of farms increases as the land levels out, and 

the city approaches. Visitors find this area in a state of dramatic change from 

pastoral landscape to suburban residential growth. This area is one of the best 

on the parkway for interpreting land use through time, as well as the current 

issues of scenic protection and land use management. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Improve visitor orientation services in the Roanoke area of the parkway. The 

goal is to substantially increase visitor contacts over current levels by staffing 

a National Park Service / Blue Ridge Parkway information desk and giving 

programs at a site off the parkway such as in a downtown Roanoke location. 

Make minor modifications to some overlook landscaping to improve pullout 

visibility by passing traffic.

Continue to coordinate with municipalities and other partners on the Roanoke 

trail plan. Develop trails and provide trail connections.

SEGMENT 2—ROANOKE, MILEPOSTS 106–136

View of Roanoke Valley
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 49

SEGMENT 3—PLATEAU, MILEPOSTS 136–217

Management Strategies For Parkway Segments

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Visitors to this segment travel across the great plateau that overlooks Virginia’s 

piedmont region. They experience a mostly scenic drive through rolling hills 

that are a patchwork of farms, fields, and forests. Visitors have access to some 

major cultural sites along this segment, such as Mabry Mill, the most visited site 

on the parkway. 

This segment also includes Groundhog Mountain picnic area, observation 

tower, and fence exhibit. Unlike many segments of the parkway that are 

bordered by national forest lands, here the narrow parkway corridor is bounded 

by mostly privately owned rural and agricultural lands. The parkway maintains 

hundreds of agricultural leases; however, many of the adjacent lands have been 

or are being subdivided. The quality of the views in this segment is diminished 

by development and the loss of the traditional pastoral landscape. With the 

growing development, the parkway has a high level of local traffic crossing and 

using it as part of the local road network.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Continue to manage the Kelley School and a number of farms near milepost 

149, including the Harris Farm, for their scenic pastoral qualities. 

Mabry

Mill

Blue Ridge

Music Center

Smart

View

Rocky Knob

mberland

ob

ENT 4

GMENT 3

SEGMENT 4

SEGMENT 3

SEGMENT 3

SEGMENT 2

Galax

Cav

Mount Airy

Ferrum

Toast

Hillsville

White Plains

Flat Rock

Shawsville

Dobson

Fries

Elliston-Lafayette

205 200

195

190

185

180

175 170

165 160

155

150 145

140

135

130

220

215 210

PS

Kelley School &

Harris Farm 

are SCR

NORTH CAROLINA

VIRGINIA

Meadows

of Dan

Smith River

Philpott Reservoir

Groundhog

Mountain

Franklin

Patrick

Patrick

Carroll

Carroll

Floyd

Floyd

Carroll

Surry

Patrick

Grayson

./58

./52

./221

./221

ST8

ST8

ST97

ST18

ST89

ST640

ST681

ST681

ST860

ST615

ST807

ST799

ST638

ST679

ST691

ST620

ST701

ST ST775 775

ST620

ST613

§ ̈¦77

§ ̈¦77

0 2.5 5 1.25 Miles[

Puckett Cabin Milepost 189.8
50 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

SEGMENT 4—HIGHLANDS, MILEPOSTS 217–305

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Highlands segment begins at the state line between Virginia and North 

Carolina. This segment offers the greatest variety of views and gives visitors a 

strong sense of “being away from it all.” The designed landscape in this segment 

retains much integrity of original vistas, landscaped bays, agriculture leases, stone 

walls, and wood fences. Also, this segment includes the oldest original section 

of the parkway. Just south of the state line the parkway climbs onto the edge of 

the escarpment where Cumberland Knob, the parkway’s first recreation area, is 

located. 

From Cumberland Knob the roadway continues to wind around high mountain 

pastures before it drops in elevation to a forested landscape with views to 

the piedmont and high mountain valleys to the west. Much of the parkway 

is bordered by private lands in this area. The Northwest Trading Post is a 

concession-operated country store that provides local crafts and food products 

for visitors at milepost 258.6. EB Jeffress Park, at milepost 272, is a day-use 

recreation area for hiking and picnicking and no specific changes in facilities or 

visitor experiences are proposed. 

The greatest area of population growth adjacent to this segment is in the Boone 

/ Blowing Rock area, which is evident on the parkway in more urban views and 

higher levels of commuter traffic. At the southern end of this segment between 

mileposts 300 and 305 is Grandfather Mountain, which protects some of the 

most significant natural habitat and rare species in the southern Appalachians. 

This section of the parkway is bordered by national forest land and the stateowned Grandfather Mountain nature preserve. Outside of the road prism, this 

Grandfather Mountain section is zoned Special Natural Resources. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Continue ongoing partnership efforts with local stakeholders to improve regional 

trail connections and potentially accommodate new or additional types of uses.

There are unmet opportunities for additional recreation trails, especially in the 

Boone / Blowing Rock area.

No major point of contact for visitors for park information and orientation will be 

provided in the Boone / Blowing Rock area.

Blue Ridge

Music Center

e

Julian Price

Memorial Park

Doughton

Park

Cumberland

Knob

SEGMENT 4

SEGMENT 3

SEGMENT 4

SEGMENT 5

SEGMENT 3

SEGMENT 4

Galax

Hays

Boone

Mulberry

Beech Mountain

Sparta 

Millers Creek

Blowing

Rock

Dobson

Independence

Fries

Seven Devils

Sugar

Mountain

Grandfather

Jefferson

Elk Park

Newland

Banner Elk

Crossnore

305 300

295

290

285

250

245

240

235

230 225

220

215 210

15

310

280

275

270 265

260

255

NORT

NORTH CAROLINA

VIRGINIA

PS

VS

Moses Cone

Park Under

Separate

Planning

Process

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!( !(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

!(

New River

EB Jeffress Park

Northwest

Trading Post

Linn Cove

Grandfather

Mountain

Moses H.

Cone 

Memorial

Park (!

VS

Caldwell

Ashe

Wilkes

Wilkes

Alleghany

Watauga

Caldwell

Grayson

Avery

Surry

./58

./21

./221

./221

./221 ./221

./221

./421

./221

./421

./321

./221

./321

./221

ST16

ST18

ST18

ST18

ST18

ST18

ST88

ST16

ST163

ST613

ST113

0 2.5 5 1.25 Miles[

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in North Carolina is a 3,500-acre site along the Blue 

Ridge Parkway near the Boone / Blowing Rock communities. This parkway area receives 

considerable recreational use and has some very specific management issues relating to 

trail use for bicycling and horseback riding. A separate developed area management plan 

and environmental assessment for the site is under way. You will not see zoning maps for 

Moses Cone in this publication. However, any planning proposals for Moses Cone will be 

consistent with proposals made in the general management plan. 
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 51

SEGMENT 5—BLACK MOUNTAIN, MILEPOSTS 305–377

Management Strategies For Parkway Segments

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Visitors traveling through the Black Mountain segment experience a scenic drive 

through a mountain forest, climbing and descending ridgetops, and gaps that 

offer magnificent views of the valleys below. The Museum of North Carolina 

Minerals, in cooperation with the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, is 

a visitor facility that was recently renovated. This parkway segment, especially 

between mileposts 348 and 375, contains the critically, globally imperiled highelevation spruce/fir forest community. Also, the broad, central dome of the 

massive Black Mountains includes the highest mountain east of the Mississippi, 

found at Mount Mitchell State Park near milepost 355. Through this segment, 

much of the adjacent land use is national forest, which helps protect the quality 

of views. The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, commemorating 

the Revolutionary War route to the Battle of Kings Mountain, will intersect and 

follow the parkway between mileposts 327 to 333. The Minerals Museum is open 

year round. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 

No specific management strategies have been developed for the Black Mountain 

segment, other than management zone prescriptions.

Crabtree

Falls

Craggy Gardens

Linville

Falls

Julian Price

Memorial Park

MTS Trail

SEGMENT 6

SEGMENT 5

SEGMENT 5

SEGMENT 4

Asheville Boone

Fairview

Marion

Beech Mountain

Spruce

Pine

Black Mountain

Blowing

Rock

Burnsville

Grandfather

Old Fort

Elk Park

Banner Elk

Bakersville

Weaverville

305

380

375

370

365

360

355

350

300

385

295

290

345

340

335

330

325

320 315

310

PISGAH NF CHEROKEE NF

MOUNT

MITCHELL

STATE PARK

VS

PS

Overmountain Victory National

Historic Trail Joins the Parkway

from Milepost 327 - 333

Moses Cone

Park Under

Separate

Planning

Process Linville River

Museum of NC

Minerals and

Visitor Contact

Station

Folk Art

Center

Park

Headquarters

and Destination

Center

Linn Cove

Grandfather

Mountain

Moses H.

Cone 

Memorial

Park

Avery

Buncombe

Yancey

Mitchell

McDowell

Watauga

Caldwell

Burke

./19

./19

./70

./70

./221

./321

./194

./221

./221

./74A

ST80

ST194

ST194

ST105

ST184

ST181

ST181

ST183

ST226 ST181

ST226

ST128

ST694

226A ST

226A ST

0 2.5 5 1.25 Miles[ § ̈¦40

Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel Milepost 364.4
52 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

SEGMENT 6—ASHEVILLE, MILEPOSTS 377–394

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Asheville segment is the second largest urban area that the parkway passes through. Unlike the Roanoke 

segment, visitors entering this area are enveloped by the urban forest and have few views of the city landscape 

other than where the parkway crosses over city streets and waterways. This segment is popular for recreational 

trail use and is a major access area between the parkway and regional transportation corridors. At milepost 

382, the Folk Art Center is operated by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, whose mission is to preserve and 

interpret the many expressions of folk art associated with the region, including music, dance, storytelling, and 

crafts. At milepost 384 is a new regional destination center that will help orient and introduce visitors to the 

many attractions of the western North Carolina region. The center includes offices for the Blue Ridge National 

Heritage Area, which promotes the traditional Appalachian heritage of western North Carolina. Near milepost 

393 the parkway and the North Carolina 

Arboretum work cooperatively on educational programs about traditional native plant uses.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Existing trails in the Asheville segment are heavily used, primarily by local residents. Continue ongoing 

partnership efforts with local stakeholders to improve regional trail connections and potentially accommodate 

new or additional types of uses.

Develop additional parking for recreational use.

Mt Pisgah

SEGMENT 6

SEGMENT 5

SEGMENT 6

SEGMENT 7

Asheville

Fairview

Fletcher

Weaverville

410

380

37

405

400 395

390 385

PS

VS

VS PS

!(

!(

!(

!(

PISGAH

NATIONAL

FOREST

PISGAH

NATIONAL

FOREST

French

B

ro

ad

R vi er

Folk Art

Center

Park

Headquarters

and Destination

Center

./23

./25

./191

./74A

./25A

ST694

ST191

§ ̈¦40

§ ̈¦40

§ ̈¦26

§ ̈¦240

0 2.51.25 Miles[

Bent Creek, Milepost 393.6
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 53Management Strategies For Parkway Segments

Mt Pisgah

SEGMENT 6

SEGMENT 7

Ashe

Fletcher

Etowah

Brevard

Sylva

Cullowhee

Balfour

Bryson City

Mountain Home

Webster

Rosman

Dillsboro

Eastern Band

of the Cherokee 

Indians

(Qualla Boundary)

420

465

460

455

450

445

440

435

430

425

415

410

405

400 395

390 

GREAT SMOKY 

MOUNTAINS 

NATIONAL PARK

PS

PS

PS

VS

French Broad R vi er

Oconaluftee

Visitor

Center

(GSMNP)

Waterrock Knob Haywood

Haywood

Haywood

Jackson

Buncombe

Swain

Transylvania

Madison

Henderson

./19

./23

./74

./19

./23

./19

./191

./276

./441

ST215

ST191

ST151

ST215

§ ̈¦40

§ ̈¦40

§ ̈¦40

0 2.5 5 1.25 Miles [

SEGMENT 7—PISGAH, MILEPOSTS 394–469

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In the Pisgah segment, the visitor experience is dominated by remote natural areas and dramatic views of high mountains. 

Most of the parkway here is bordered by national forests, including portions of the Shining Rock Wilderness. The area between 

mileposts 417 and 460 is dominated by the critically globally imperiled high-elevation spruce/fir forest. It is host to numerous 

sensitive vegetation and wildlife species. Here visitors have many opportunities to learn about the area’s biological diversity 

and the parkway’s role in protecting many unusual plant and animal species. Visitors are encouraged to experience this area 

through scenic overlooks and hiking. The last 20 miles of the parkway pass through ancestral lands owned by the Eastern Band 

of Cherokee Indians, finally ending at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

At the south entrance, improve the quality of the visitor entry experience and provide orientation services. The goal is to 

substantially increase visitor contacts over current levels. Potential actions include providing additional information and 

orientation through redesigning the existing pull-off parking area and installing new waysides. Parkway right-of-way is so 

narrow at the south entrance that National Park Service staff will have to partner with private landowners, local governments, 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S. Forest Service, or Eastern Band of Cherokee to provide parkway information and 

orientation for visitors. The National Park Service will not fund or own a visitor center facility.

Modify designed landscapes, including vistas and overlooks as needed, to protect sensitive natural resources. Modifications 

could include altering mowing patterns and vegetation management practices, including the extent to which vistas are cut, and 

modifying drainage structures. 

Develop a comprehensive parkway-wide strategy to manage invasive plants, focusing on the segment between Asheville and 

Mount Pisgah. 

In cooperation with other land management agencies, develop regional strategies for managing invasive plants.

Mt. Pisgah and Pisgah Inn Milepost 408.5
54 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
Management Strategies for

Recreation Areas

Visitor at Linville Falls Milepost 316.4

Picnicking at Cumberland Knob 1946
Chestoa View 1946 Milepost 320.8

Chestoa View 2013 Milepost 320.8

56 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 57Management Strategies for Recreation Areas

SO U TH C A R OL IN A

WES T VIR G IN IA

VIR G IN IA

81

81

85

40

64

77

85

64

77

Durham

Raleigh

Charlotte

Greensboro

Charleston

NO R T H CA R O LIN A

KE N TU C KY

TE NN E SS EE

GE O RG IA

OH IO

Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Shenandoah 

National Park

New River Gorge 

National River

Cumberland Gap 

National Historical Park

Rocky Knob

Peaks of Otter

Doughton Park

Linville Falls

Humpback Rocks

Julian Price 

Memorial Park

Roanoke Mountain

James River/Otter Creek

Smart View

Cumberland Knob

Craggy 

Gardens

Mt. Pisgah

Crabtree Falls

Mabry Mill

Blue Ridge 

Music Center

0 25 50 12.5 Miles

Legend

Recreation Areas

Blue Ridge Parkway U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service

DSC Planning Division - August 2013

Blue Ridge 

Parkway

Southeastern U.S.

Major City

Capital

State Border

Interstate

Rivers

Blue Ridge Parkway

Recreation Areas

National Parks

National Forest

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR RECREATION AREAS 

The following pages present specific management strategies for 15 of the park’s 

21 recreation areas. They include a brief description of the recreation areas, the 

management strategies table, and zoning maps. The recreation areas are presented 

in order from north to south as follows:

• Humpback Rocks, 

mileposts 6–10

(see page 58)

• James River/Otter Creek, 

mileposts 60–65

(see page 60)

• Peaks of Otter, mileposts 

82–91

(see page 62)

• Roanoke Mountain, 

mileposts 118–122

(see page 64)

• Smart View, milepost 155

(see page 66)

• Rocky Knob, mileposts 

166–174

(see page 68)

• Mabry Mill, milepost 176

(see page 70)

• Blue Ridge Music Center, 

milepost 213

(see page 72)

• Cumberland Knob, 

mileposts 217–219

(see page 74)

• Doughton Park, 

mileposts 236–247

(see page 76)

• Julian Price Memorial Park, 

mileposts 295–300

(see page 78)

• Linville Falls, mileposts 

315–319

(see page 80)

• Crabtree Falls, 

mileposts 339–340

(see page 82)

• Craggy Gardens, 

mileposts 364–369

(see page 84)

• Mt. Pisgah, 

mileposts 407–409

(see page 86)
58 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

HUMPBACK ROCKS, MILEPOSTS 6-10 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Humpback Rocks is the first major recreation area that visitors encounter 

traveling south from Rockfish Gap. The 3,000 acres of mostly hardwood forest 

include several trails, including one to the geological feature of Humpback 

Rocks. Visitors are introduced to the Blue Ridge Parkway experience through 

staff, publications, and wayside exhibits at the visitor contact station. Adjacent 

to the contact station is the Mountain Farm, which consists of a single-room 

log cabin and a series of outbuildings that represent elements of regional 

architecture of the 19th and early 20th centuries. These buildings were collected 

during the early 1950s from several locations and reassembled at the current 

location. Costumed interpreters provide demonstrations and emphasize 

lifestyles of subsistence farmers of the late 19th century. Scattered through 

this area are remnants of an early farm and traces of the historic Howardsville 

Turnpike, which provided a transportation link between the Rockfish and South 

rivers. The Appalachian Trail parallels the parkway through a portion of the area 

to Rockfish Gap. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Retain the original management emphasis on traditional recreational pursuits; 

allow for and accommodate future increases in demand for these activities. 

Expect visitors to have moderate to high frequency of contact with others.

Mark the Howardsville Turnpike route and improve interpretation for visitors.

Keep visitor facilities consistent with the historic design; however, improve 

existing trails and potentially develop more trails to accommodate future 

increases in use levels and programs.

Continue to work in partnership with the Appalachian Trail to establish a route 

that avoids sensitive resource areas. This may entail rerouting trail sections or 

repairing trail treads.

Expand operations to provide services for a nine-month visitor season.

Humpback Rocks Milepost 6
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 59Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
60 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

JAMES RIVER / OTTER CREEK, MILEPOSTS 60–65 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The James River / Otter Creek recreation area offers hiking, camping, 

picnicking, seasonal concessions dining, and fishing. An accessible fishing pier 

on Otter Lake provides opportunities for visitors with disabilities to fish. A 

bridge and pedestrian walkway across the James River connects the seasonally 

open visitor contact station with the restored Battery Creek canal lock.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Retain the original management emphasis on traditional recreational pursuits; 

allow for and accommodate future increases in demand for these activities. 

Convert function of visitor contact station to a wayside shelter for the Otter 

Creek Trail but retain historic appearance.

Continue to periodically dredge the lake, which is part of the historic design, to 

remove silt and maintain lake qualities.

Continue to find ways to offer seasonal concession food service at Otter Creek. 

Strategies might include making upgrades to existing infrastructure and/or 

adding new facilities where appropriate.

Realign trail between restaurant and lake and provide additional trail links 

to accommodate higher use levels, with the possibility of expanding trail for 

future multiuse.

Allow for upgrades to the campground as described below.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations focused on those 

needed to meet backlog maintenance needs.

Upgrade certain comfort stations to provide showers. Upgrade all comfort 

stations to be universally accessible.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents.

Upgrade existing RV sites to provide water and electrical hookups.

Continue to provide limited access (i.e., narrow roads, tight turns, and small 

parking spaces) that does not adequately accommodate larger RVs.

Expand operations for a nine-month visitor season.

Picnic at James River Visitor Center

Milepost 63.6

Otter Creek Trail Milepost 61
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 61Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
62 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

PEAKS OF OTTER, MILEPOSTS 82–91 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Peaks of Otter recreation area includes about 4,100 acres of mostly 

hardwood forest. It is nestled within the triangle formed by Sharp Top 

Mountain, Flat Top Mountain, and Harkening Hill. Abbott Lake, created by 

parkway designers, provides the aesthetic focal point. The area is home to 

rare plants and animal species and is a prehistoric site of human occupation. 

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the cooler climate and mountain scenery 

began to attract vacationers and a small community developed to serve the 

needs of these tourists. The Johnson family and Polly Woods Ordinary are 

both intricately connected with tourism development. The Peaks community 

also included African Americans, including the Saunders family, whose home 

remains as visible ruins near the picnic area. Visitor amenities include the 

Peaks restaurant and lodge (open year-round), a campground, picnic area, 

general store, shuttle bus to Sharp Top Mountain, visitor contact station, 

environmental education center, and extensive trail system. The Peaks lodge 

and campground are part of the original historic design. These facilities are 

outdated and do not meet the needs of many visitors. There are few offparkway lodge or camping options nearby.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Retain the original management emphasis on traditional recreational pursuits; 

for much of this site, allow for and accommodate future increases in demand 

for these activities. 

Rehabilitate Saunders farm and the landscape at Johnson farm. Interpret both 

sites for visitors.

Continue to find ways to provide concession food and lodging services 

at Peaks of Otter. Strategies might include making upgrades to existing 

infrastructure and/or adding new facilities where appropriate. 

Allow for upgrades to the campground as described below.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations needed to meet 

backlog maintenance needs.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents.

Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Improve RV access to a portion of the campground. Upgrades will include 

widening the campground entrance and one of the loop roads, increasing 

turning radii, and enlarging existing RV parking spaces.

Continue to only offer tent and RV camping within the Peaks of Otter 

campground.

Expand operations to provide services for a nine-month visitor season.

Abbott Lake Milepost 62
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 63Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
64 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

ROANOKE MOUNTAIN, MILEPOSTS 118–122

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A loop road to the top of Roanoke Mountain is a popular attraction 

with dramatic overlooks of the city and the Roanoke Valley. Hang glider 

enthusiasts use the summit by permit. Mill Mountain Road provides access 

to a parkway campground, trails, a local zoo, and city overlooks. There are 

hiking and fishing opportunities along the Roanoke River and hiking near the 

campground. The area also offers horseback riding. Adjacent city and county 

of Roanoke visitor amenities, such as the zoo, generate demand for more 

day-use amenities in parkway-managed areas. The campground is underused, 

in part because its valley location makes it the hottest of the parkway 

campgrounds during the summer.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Establish an agreement with the city of Roanoke for partnership management 

of the Mill Mountain spur road area.

Convert the entire Roanoke Mountain campground to a day-use recreation 

area, including picnic and trail staging facilities. Collaborate with local 

communities and other park partners to consider innovative ways to effectively 

manage Roanoke Mountain over the interim of this conversion from a 

campground to a day-use area. Any new trail developments will be compatible 

with the Roanoke trail plan. 

View from Roanoke Mountain Milepost 120
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 65Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
66 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

SMART VIEW, MILEPOST 155

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This recreation area encompasses about 700 acres. The trails, group picnic 

shelters, and restroom facilities provide opportunities for visitors to participate 

in a variety of day-use recreational activities. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Retain the original management emphasis on traditional recreational pursuits, 

allowing for and accommodating future increases in demand for these 

activities, including additional trail infrastructure. 

Further protect the pastoral landscape through possible acquisition of lands or 

conservation easements

Smart View Picnic Area Milepost 154.5
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 67Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
68 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

ROCKY KNOB, MILEPOSTS 166–174

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Rocky Knob recreation area, including Rockcastle Gorge, has more than 

3,500 acres of mostly rugged, forested terrain. There are many overlooks 

and vistas along the parkway of the dramatic Rockcastle Gorge, making it an 

important scenic focal point. Near the parkway are a campground, picnic area, 

and a visitor contact station that is housed in a converted historic gas station. 

The gas station structure is an excellent example of original parkway design; 

however, as a contact station, this structure is small and inadequately serves 

the visitor. An extensive trail system in Rockcastle Gorge provides excellent 

hiking and access to backcountry and cabin camping opportunities. In the 

gorge are remnants of an abandoned mountain community. The National Park 

Service owns and administers the entire watershed of Rockcastle Gorge, which 

is home to a number of rare plants and provides opportunities for natural 

resource monitoring and comparative study. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Convert visitor contact station to trailhead shelter when a visitor contact 

facility is established at Mabry Mill.

Reduce the size of the picnic area to the historic footprint of the old 

campground.

Continue to provide guided walks to the historic Rockcastle Gorge settlement 

sites.

Upgrade gorge trail system and enhance backcountry camping area. Provide 

trailhead staging and improve parking near backcountry campsite.

Continue to find ways to provide cabin concession services. Strategies might 

include making upgrades to existing infrastructure and/or adding new facilities 

where appropriate. Retain historic character if possible. 

Allow for upgrades to the campground as described below.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations needed to meet 

backlog maintenance needs.

Upgrade certain comfort stations to provide showers. Upgrade all comfort 

stations to be universally accessible.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents.

Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Continue to provide limited access that does not adequately accommodate 

larger RVs within the seven campgrounds that offer RV camping (i.e., narrow 

roads, tight turns, and small parking spaces).

Rocky Knob Visitor Center

Milepost 169

Whorley House Milepost 174
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 69Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
70 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

MABRY MILL, MILEPOST 176

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Mabry Mill complex is one of the most picturesque and popular cultural 

sites on the parkway. It is an outdoor museum with an eclectic assemblage 

of buildings and exhibits that display Appalachian mountain industry and 

lifestyles. The mill was built around 1908 by Ed Mabry and operated until 

the mid-1930s. The reflecting pond was added later by the National Park 

Service. In addition to the mill and Mabry’s blacksmith shop, parkway 

designers added a number of other outdoor exhibits, including a sorghum 

cooker and shed, moonshine still, and farm implements. Mabry’s house, a 

wood-frame house, was apparently too modern for the designers and was 

replaced with the Mathews log cabin. Site personnel occasionally provide 

cultural demonstrations in the house and on the grounds. The Mabry Mill site, 

including its restaurant, is a very popular and traditional destination for many 

visitors, especially on weekends when pancake breakfasts and live music are 

big draws. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Continue to manage the Mabry Mill area—its buildings, raceways, and 

walkways—as an outdoor museum consistent with the experience intended by 

the parkway designers. 

Continue to provide concession food services. Strategies might include making 

upgrades to existing infrastructure or constructing a new restaurant elsewhere 

on site if appropriate.

Improve interpretive media and provide more diverse presentations of 

mountain industry. Pursue development of a visitor contact station.

Within the Historic Parkway zone improve quality of existing trails and 

upgrade site signs and wayside exhibits. For remainder of site, redesign 

pedestrian circulation, signs, and wayside exhibits.

Relocate the state road crossing that bisects Mabry Mill.

Expand operations to provide services for a nine-month visitor season.

Milepost 176.3

Mabry Mill Milepost 176.3
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72 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC CENTER, MILEPOST 213

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Blue Ridge Music Center recreation area, one of the newest along the 

parkway, covers more than 1,700 acres of meadow and forest landscape, 

including part of Fisher Peak Mountain. Located just north of the North 

Carolina state line in Virginia’s Grayson and Carroll counties, the music 

center is in the heart of the Blue Ridge old-time and string band music region. 

Much of this traditional Appalachian music was commercially recorded 

in the 1920s and 1930s but has roots going back to 19th century European 

and African influences. The music center complex, operated in partnership 

with the National Council for the Traditional Arts, provides opportunities to 

learn about this music in the interpretive center and hear it performed at an 

amphitheater at a series of summer concerts. The music center is one of the 

major stops along Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, the Crooked Road. This 

recently added site is likely to see considerable growth in visitation as the 

public becomes more aware of its amenities and the number and diversity of 

cultural demonstrations, music, and other events offered increase over time. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Expand information and orientation capabilities through partnership and 

park staff at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Expand the parkway’s active 

participation in regional heritage tourism projects. 

Expand operations for a nine-month visitor season.

Blue Ridge Music Center Milepost 212.8
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74 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

CUMBERLAND KNOB, MILEPOSTS 217–219

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The 2,000-acre Cumberland Knob recreational area is the site where 

construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began on September 11, 1935. The 

recreational area opened in 1937. The visitor contact station, which opened 

in 1942, is an outstanding example of rustic architecture. This day-use area 

includes mostly forested mountainsides, a popular picnic area, and hiking 

trails. The parkway closed the visitor contact station in 2005 when the Blue 

Ridge Music Center opened. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Restore the visitor contact station to its original historical appearance and 

install interior and exterior exhibits that present the story of parkway 

construction and early use.

Increase visitor services and enhance the visitor experience (e.g., staff visitor 

contact station and increase ranger-led programs).

Within the visitor services area, accommodate future increases in demand 

for use of picnic area as a day-use area and a location for on-site Parks-asClassrooms programs for schools from the surrounding counties, including 

additional trail and picnic infrastructure and outdoor program shelters. 

Cumberland Knob Shelter and Comfort Stations Milepost 217.4
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 75Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
76 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

DOUGHTON PARK, MILEPOSTS 236–247

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This recreation area of more than 5,000 acres contains the entire watershed 

for Basin Cove. It is a fairly isolated site and has a very rugged backcountry. It 

is contiguous with the Thurman Chatham Game Lands and Stone Mountain 

State Park. Originally called the Bluffs, this area offers a range of concession 

services, including a 24-room lodge, restaurant with craft sales, and store. 

There is no visitor contact station. This area has one of the parkway’s larger 

campgrounds, a popular picnic area, and more than 30 miles of backcountry 

hiking trails that access Basin Cove. The cove is popular for fly-fishing, 

horseback riding (Grassy Gap fire road), and backcountry camping. In the 

early 1900s, the Basin Cove area was home to a small community, but in 1916 

a devastating flood forced many people to leave. Interpretive programs are 

offered at Brinegar Cabin, which is listed in the National Register of Historic 

Places.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Designate mixed-use trails for horses and hiking. Construct trailhead parking, 

accommodate horse trailers, and provide equestrian backcountry campsites at 

trail junction. 

Upgrade popular picnic area to better accommodate existing and future use.

Continue to provide concession services at Doughton, including Bluffs 

Lodge and coffee shop. Strategies might include making upgrades to existing 

infrastructure and/or adding new facilities where appropriate.

Manage the fields at Brinegar Cabin to replicate the historic landscape.

Allow for upgrades to the campground as described below.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations needed to meet 

backlog maintenance needs.

Upgrade certain comfort stations to provide showers. Upgrade all comfort 

stations to be universally accessible.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents. Convert 

some tent sites to RV sites.

Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Continue to provide limited access (i.e., narrow roads, tight turns, and small 

parking spaces) that does not adequately accommodate larger RVs.

Bluffs Lodge Milepost 241.2
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 77Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
78 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

JULIAN PRICE MEMORIAL PARK, MILEPOSTS 295–300

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The wilderness-like appeal of more than 4,000 acres of forested highlands and 

cold mountain streams welcomes outdoor enthusiasts to Julian Price Memorial 

Park, a popular recreation area. Price Lake—47 acres of cool, mountain 

headwaters—further fulfills the wish of Julian Price to provide recreational 

opportunities for the public, including boaters and anglers. Currently the site 

includes a campground, picnic area, hiking trails, and a concession-operated 

boat rental facility at Price Lake. The campground has sites that are available 

through the national campground reservation system. It is one of the most 

heavily used campgrounds on the parkway. The boat rental office and dock are 

located in an area that is difficult for visitors to see or find. It is also difficult for 

concessions to monitor boating activity on the lake from this location.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Manage wetlands to protect sensitive species by adjusting current landscape 

management practices.

Relocate the picnic area out of the floodplain and restore current site. 

Relocate boat rental office and dock to resolve current visibility problems. 

Maintain the existing trail system and allow hiking only. Develop a part of 

the paved multiuse trail discussed under the Highlands segment, if feasible, 

through Julian Price recreation area to enhance opportunities for pedestrians 

and bicyclists to recreate and travel safely through the area with minimal 

interaction with automobile traffic.

Improve RV access to a portion of the campground. Upgrades will include 

widening the campground entrance and one of the loop roads, increasing 

turning radii, and enlarging existing RV parking spaces.

Allow for upgrades and redesigns to the campground as described above.

Price Lake Milepost 296.7
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80 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

LINVILLE FALLS, MILEPOSTS 315–319

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Linville Falls is a very popular, highly used recreation area of more than 1,100 

acres. A 1.2-mile spur road travels along the Linville River to within walking 

distance of the falls. A heavily used trail system takes the visitor to the falls, 

which cascade through a forested gorge of old growth eastern hemlock stands. 

Looking eastward, away from the falls and into the adjacent Pisgah National 

Forest, is a view of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Currently the site 

includes a picnic area, campground, hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and a 

visitor contact station. This campground has sites that are available through the 

national campground reservation system.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Retain the original management emphasis on traditional recreational pursuits; 

allow for and accommodate future increases in demand for these activities. 

Better delineate and possibly pave trails. Formalize access to visitor 

opportunities; improve universal access for fishing.

The visitor contact station is in the floodplain. It was recently remodeled and 

enlarged and provides site orientation and interpretation.

Allow for upgrades to the campground as described below.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations needed to meet 

backlog maintenance needs.

Upgrade certain comfort stations to provide showers. Upgrade all comfort 

stations to be universally accessible.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents.

Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Continue to provide limited access (i.e., narrow roads, tight turns, and small 

parking spaces) that does not adequately accommodate larger RVs.

Improve maintenance facility and area landscaping.

Expand operations to provide services for a nine-month visitor season.

Upper Linville Falls Milepost 316.4
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 81Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
82 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

CRABTREE FALLS, MILEPOSTS 339–340

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Visitors can participate in a variety of recreational activities at Crabtree Falls, 

including camping, hiking, picnicking, amphitheater programs, and dining. 

Visitors also have access to a camp store, gift shop, and snack bar. The many 

acres of meadows, adjoining forest, and spectacular Crabtree Falls provide a 

cool and delightful summer retreat within the shadow of the Black Mountain 

Range. Facilities include a picnic area, campground, hiking trails, fishing 

opportunities, and a visitor contact station. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Retain the original management emphasis on traditional recreational pursuits; 

allow for and accommodate future increases in demand for these activities. 

Expect visitors to have moderate to high contact with others.

Continue to provide concession food and gift store services. Strategies might 

include making upgrades to existing infrastructure and/or adding new facilities 

where appropriate.

Allow for upgrades to the campground as described below.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations needed to meet 

backlog maintenance needs.

Upgrade certain comfort stations to provide showers. Upgrade all comfort 

stations to be universally accessible.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents.

Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Continue to provide limited access (i.e., narrow roads, tight turns, and small 

parking spaces) that does not adequately accommodate larger RVs.

Crabtree Falls Milepost 339.5
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 83Management Strategies for Recreation Areas

Crabtree Falls
84 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

CRAGGY GARDENS, MILEPOSTS 364–369

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Craggy Gardens comprises almost 600 acres, including important heath and 

grassy bald habitat. Visitor amenities include trails, picnic area, restrooms, 

and a visitor contact station. Site interpretation includes wayside exhibits 

supplemented with roving personal service, publications, and media inside the 

contact station. 

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Restore the grassy bald to its historic size and actively maintain it.

Close Craggy Pinnacle trail and restore trail tread to natural conditions in 

order to protect rare plant species. Provide a new formal hiking trail to Craggy 

Dome.

Expand operations for a nine-month visitor season.

Craggy Dome Milepost 364.1
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 85Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
86 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

MOUNT PISGAH, MILEPOSTS 407–409

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Mount Pisgah recreation area is a scenic, high-elevation site. It provides 

a variety of recreational and educational opportunities, including a popular 

concession-operated lodge, restaurant, gift shop, and camp store. Across from 

the concession facilities is a campground and amphitheater, picnic area, and 

trails. Most interpretive activities are concentrated at the campground. This 

area includes spruce/fir habitat and an 8,000-year-old high altitude bog. The 

bog is at risk because it is surrounded by a popular campground.

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Continue to provide concession food, lodging, and gift store services. 

Strategies might include making upgrades to infrastructure.

Restore the Buck Spring Lodge cultural landscape, including clearing 

vegetation.

Close and rehabilitate all tent camping sites that are directly adjacent to the 

bog. 

Convert a portion of existing RV sites to tent camping sites. 

In sensitive resource areas near the bog restrict visitor use to trails.

Continue to implement future repairs and rehabilitations needed to meet 

backlog maintenance needs.

Upgrade certain comfort stations to provide showers. Upgrade all comfort 

stations to be universally accessible.

Enlarge selected tent sites to better accommodate family-sized tents.

Upgrade existing RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Continue to provide limited access (i.e., narrow roads, tight turns, and small 

parking spaces) that does not adequately accommodate larger RVs.

Mt. Pisgah Trailhead Milepost 407.5
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 87Management Strategies for Recreation Areas
88 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN Fall Motorcycle Rider Milepost 418.6
Mitigation Measures

User Capacity

Climate Change Management Strategies

Future Plans and Studies

Mouse Species Monitoring

White Pine
Sable Clubtail (Gomphus rogersi)

90 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 91Mitigation Measures

MITIGATION MEASURES 

Congress has charged the National Park Service with managing the lands 

under its stewardship “in such manner and by such means as will leave them 

unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations” (National Park Service 

Organic Act 16 USC 1). As a result, the National Park Service routinely 

evaluates and implements mitigation whenever conditions occur that could 

adversely affect the sustainability of national park system resources. The 

following mitigation measures and best management practices will be applied 

to avoid or minimize potential adverse impacts from implementation of the 

general management plan. 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Vegetation

• Monitor areas used by visitors (e.g., trails) for signs of native vegetation 

disturbance. Use public education, revegetation of disturbed areas using 

native plant species, erosion control, and barriers to control potential 

impacts on plants from trail erosion or social trailing.

• Designate streamcrossing points for cattle in agricultural parcels and 

use barriers and closures to prevent trampling and loss of riparian 

vegetation.

• Develop revegetation plans for disturbed areas and require the use of 

native species. Revegetation plans should specify seed/plant source, 

seed/plant mixes, soil preparation, etc. Salvage vegetation should be used 

to the extent possible.

Wildlife

• Employ various techniques to reduce impacts on wildlife, including 

visitor education programs, restrictions on visitor activities, and park law 

enforcement patrols.

• Consider the use of large mammal wildlife passages at various key 

points along the parkway to maintain and enhance the wildlife habitat 

connectivity across the roadway.

• Implement a natural resource protection program that includes such 

standard measures as

- scheduling construction during seasons that are best for wildlife

- monitoring for adverse impact

- implementing best management practices to prevent and reduce 

erosion and sediment

- installing and maintaining fences or other barriers to protect 

sensitive resources adjacent to construction sites

- removing all food-related items to reduce or prevent bear intrusion

Grassy Bald Inventory

Bog Turtle
92 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

- salvaging topsoil 

- replanting with native vegetation

- periodic monitoring by resource management specialists or other 

park staff who will provide treatment and status reports

• Designate stream crossing points for cattle in agricultural parcels and 

use barriers and closures to prevent disturbances to wildlife habitat.

Invasive Species

• Apply an integrated pest management approach to comprehensively 

address invasive, nonnative plants on parkway lands. Implement 

integrated pest management at existing, developed park sites, at 

proposed future sites, and at other areas in need of pest management. 

Standard measures could include the following elements: 

- ensure construction and maintenance-related equipment arrives onsite free of mud or seed-bearing material

- use only seeds and straw material certified as weed-free

- identify areas of noxious weeds preconstruction

- use registered herbicides, where applicable (and low toxicity 

applications in areas with sensitive resources)

- treat noxious weeds or noxious weed topsoil before construction 

(e.g., topsoil segregation, storage, herbicide treatment) 

- revegetate with appropriate native species

- consider use of other management techniques such as mechanical 

removal, biological controls, prescribed fire, etc. 

• Implement an abatement program for nonnative, invasive wildlife (e.g., 

gypsy moth, hemlock woolly adelgid, etc.)

Threatened and Endangered Species and Species of Concern

Mitigation actions will occur during normal park operations as well as 

before, during, and after construction to minimize immediate and long-term 

impacts on rare, threatened, and endangered species. These actions will vary 

depending on the type of project and its location. Many of the measures listed 

previously for vegetation and wildlife will also benefit rare, threatened, and 

endangered species by helping to preserve habitat. Mitigation actions specific 

to rare, threatened, and endangered species will include the following:

• Conduct surveys for rare, threatened, and endangered species as 

warranted. Also, consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on 

the frequency required for surveys prior to the commencement of 

construction activities. Apply site and design facilities/actions to avoid 

adverse effects on rare, threatened, and endangered species. If avoidance 

is infeasible, minimize and compensate adverse effects on rare, 

Craggy Bald Restoration 2002

Craggy Dome Milepost 364.1
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 93Mitigation Measures

threatened, and endangered species as appropriate and in consultation 

with the appropriate resource agencies.

• Develop and implement restoration and/or monitoring plans as 

warranted. Plans should include methods for implementation, 

performance standards, monitoring criteria, and adaptive management 

techniques.

• Implement measures to reduce adverse effects of nonnative plants and 

wildlife on rare, threatened, and endangered species.

WATER RESOURCES

• Establish effective water quality best management practices to prevent 

soil erosion and sedimentation into creeks, rivers, and other water 

bodies. Apply on all construction projects on parkway lands. 

• Use erosion control measures (as per best management practices), 

minimize discharge to water bodies, and regularly inspect construction 

equipment for leaks of petroleum and other chemicals to prevent water 

pollution during construction. 

• Build a runoff filtration system to minimize water pollution from larger 

parking areas.

• Designate streamcrossing points for cattle in agricultural parcels and use 

barriers and closures to minimize effects on water quality.

WETLANDS

• Through consultation with the National Park Service regional wetland 

ecologist, determine if a wetlands statement of findings is needed for 

any future implementation project that could affect wetlands in the 

parkway and produce wetlands statement of findings documents where 

necessary.

• Consult with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for guidance and assistance 

on section 404 jurisdictional wetland delineations. 

• Delineate wetlands and apply protection measures before any ground 

disturbance. For example, wetlands will be delineated by qualified 

National Park Service staff or certified wetland specialists (with possible 

assistance by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) and clearly marked before 

construction work. Perform construction activities in a cautious manner 

to prevent damage caused by equipment, erosion, siltation, etc.

SOILS

• Build new facilities on soils suitable for development. 

• Minimize soil erosion by limiting the time that soil is left exposed and 

by applying other erosion control measures, such as erosion matting, 

Lower Linville Falls Milepost 316
94 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

silt fencing, and sedimentation basins in construction areas to reduce 

erosion, surface scouring, and discharge to water bodies. Once work is 

completed, revegetate construction areas with native plants in a timely 

period. 

• Identify potential acid-bearing rocks prior to construction activities (e.g., 

pyritic shale, high sulfur-bearing rocks) and take proper precautions to 

prevent acid drainage from rocks exposed during construction.

AIR QUALITY

Implement a dust abatement program. Standard dust abatement measures 

could include the following elements: water or otherwise stabilize soils, cover 

haul trucks, employ speed limits on unpaved roads, minimize vegetation 

clearing, and revegetate after construction.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

In general, actions to mitigate adverse effects will be determined in 

consultation with the state historic preservation officer(s) and/or tribal historic 

preservation officer, local governments, the public, and others as appropriate, 

in accordance with 36 CFR 800 and the 2008 programmatic agreement among 

the National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior), the Advisory 

Council on Historic Preservation, and the National Conference of State 

Historic Preservation Officers for compliance with section 106 of the National 

Historic Preservation Act.

Archeology

• Mitigation measures concerning archeological resources will follow 

Director’s Order 28A for archeological management and The Secretary 

of the Interior’s Standards for Archeology and Historic Preservation. 

Archeological collections will be curated per the curation regulations in 

36 CFR 79.

• Wherever possible, new facilities will be constructed in previously 

disturbed areas where archeological resources are not likely to 

occur. Archeological surveys will precede any ground disturbance of 

undisturbed or unsurveyed lands. National register-listed or -eligible 

archeological resources will be avoided during construction activities. 

Mitigation activities associated with invasive species may also require 

cultural resource compliance to ensure that ground-disturbing activities 

avoid archeological resources or other cultural resources. 

• If during construction previously unknown archeological resources are 

discovered, all work in the immediate vicinity of the discovery will be 

halted until the resources can be identified and documented and, if the 

resources cannot be preserved in situ, an appropriate mitigation strategy 

will be developed in consultation with the state historic preservation 

officer and, as necessary, American Indian tribes. In the unlikely event 

that human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of 

cultural patrimony are discovered during construction, provisions 

Parkway Air Quality

Archeological Survey Holloway

Mountain Road Milepost 298.6
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 95Mitigation Measures

outlined in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act 

(25 USC 3001) of 1990 will be followed. If non-Indian human remains 

are discovered, standard reporting procedures to the proper authorities 

will be followed, as will all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Cultural Landscapes

• The preservation and rehabilitation of cultural landscapes will be 

undertaken in accordance with The Secretary of the Interior's Standards 

for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment 

of Cultural Landscapes.

• Rehabilitate and/or restore cultural landscape resources to the extent 

feasible. This could entail restoring important historic viewsheds 

through manual vegetation thinning, rehabilitating agricultural fields and 

orchards, removing noncontributing and incompatible structures, and 

incorporating new additions using compatible design.

• Whenever possible, modify project design features to avoid effects to 

cultural landscapes. New developments will be relatively limited and 

will be on sites that blend with cultural landscapes. If necessary, use 

vegetative screening, as appropriate, to minimize impacts on cultural 

landscapes.

Ethnography

• Accommodate and facilitate access to and ceremonial use of sites and 

resources of significance to American Indians or other associated 

individuals and groups in a manner that is consistent with the park 

purposes and avoids adversely affecting the physical integrity of these 

sites and resources. 

• Document cultural and ethnographic landscapes and other resources in 

the park and identify treatments to ensure their preservation.

Historic Structures

• The preservation and rehabilitation of national register-listed or -eligible 

structures will be undertaken in accordance with The Secretary of the 

Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (1995) to 

ensure that the character defining features and integrity of the structures 

are minimally affected. 

• Any materials removed during rehabilitation efforts will be evaluated to 

determine their value to the park’s museum collections and/or for their 

comparative use in future preservation work at the sites. 

Moses Cone Estate

Carriage Concession 1975
96 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

VISITOR SAFETY AND EXPERIENCE

• The Blue Ridge Parkway has hired a safety officer to coordinate all 

aspects of employee and visitor safety.

• Implement parkway-wide or site-specific traffic control plans, as 

warranted. Standard measures include strategies to maintain safe and 

efficient traffic flow during the construction period.

• Implement measures to reduce adverse effects of construction on visitor 

safety and experience.

• Implement an interpretation and education program. Continue 

directional signs and education programs to promote understanding 

among parkway visitors.

• Conduct an accessibility study to understand barriers to parkway 

programs and facilities. Based on this study, implement a strategy to 

provide the maximum level of accessibility.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Implement a spill prevention and pollution control program for hazardous 

materials. Standard measures could include hazardous materials storage and 

handling procedures; spill containment, cleanup, and reporting procedures; 

and limitation of refueling and other hazardous activities to upland/

nonsensitive sites.

NOISE ABATEMENT

Implement standard noise abatement measures during construction. Standard 

noise abatement measures could include the following elements: a schedule 

that minimizes impacts on adjacent noise-sensitive uses, the use of the best 

available noise control techniques wherever feasible, the use of hydraulically or 

electrically powered impact tools when feasible, and the location of stationary 

noise sources as far from sensitive uses as possible. Mitigation measures will be 

applied to protect the natural sounds in the national park. Specific mitigation 

measures include exploration of options to reduce the noise levels from 

vehicular traffic, including motorcycles, and siting and design of facilities to 

minimize objectionable noise.

SCENIC RESOURCES

The parkway actively engages in a scenery conservation program that routinely 

reviews and assesses proposed developments on lands adjacent to and in 

the parkway. Parkway staff participate when landowners and/or developers 

request that parkway planners and landscape architects work with them or 

when local jurisdictions have land management requirements that provide for 

public review of proposed land use changes. 

The parkway’s scenery conservation system process involves

• identifying visual preferences and landscape character types

Hiking at Craggy Gardens Picnic Area

Milepost 367.6

View from Rough Ridge

Milepost 302.8
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 97Mitigation Measures

• determining viewshed sensitivity

• mapping view areas

• assessing view area scenic qualities

• identifying desired future conservation objectives

• monitoring and maintaining desired conditions

The data gathered throughout this process provides information to planning 

staff and leads to rational decisions relative to scenery as a key part of the 

parkway’s mission. Specific mitigation measures include the following.

• Where appropriate, use facilities such as boardwalks and fences to route 

people away from sensitive natural and cultural resources, while still 

permitting access to important viewpoints.

• Design, site, and construct facilities to avoid or minimize adverse effects 

on natural and cultural resources and visual intrusion into the natural 

and/or cultural landscape.

• Provide vegetative screening, where appropriate.

• Subject viewshed-related projects to site-specific planning and 

compliance. Avoid adverse impacts through use of The Secretary of 

the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic 

Preservation to preserve historic scenic views and landscapes where 

scenic resources are an integral component of the cultural landscape 

(see cultural resource mitigation measures above). If adverse impacts 

cannot be avoided, mitigate these impacts through a consultation 

process with all interested parties.

SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

During the future planning and implementation of the approved management 

plan for the parkway, the National Park Service will work with local 

communities and county governments to further identify potential impacts 

and mitigation measures that will best serve the interests and concerns of 

both the National Park Service and the local communities. Partnerships will 

be pursued to improve the quality and diversity of community amenities and 

services.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND AESTHETICS

Sustainable Development

Projects will avoid or minimize adverse impacts on natural and cultural 

resources. Development projects (e.g., buildings, facilities, utilities, roads, 

bridges, etc.) or reconstruction projects (e.g., road reconstruction, building 

rehabilitation, utility upgrade, etc.) will be designed to work in harmony 

with the surroundings, particularly in historic districts. Projects will reduce, 

minimize, or eliminate air and water nonpoint-source pollution. Projects will 

be sustainable whenever practicable, by recycling and reusing materials, by 

minimizing materials, by minimizing energy consumption during the project, 

and by minimizing energy consumption throughout the lifespan of the project.

Long Range Parkway View

Doughton Park

Highway 89 Bridge

Milepost 215.8
98 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Sustainable Trails

Trails will be designed and constructed in a sustainable manner. This means 

that the design of the trails will minimize natural and cultural resource 

damage including erosion, accommodate appropriate uses, plan for minimum 

maintenance while providing maximum ecological variety, and minimize 

conflict between trail users.

Archeology will be conducted on a site-specific basis to ensure that there 

is no impact to cultural or historic resources before trail alignments are 

considered. Trail alignments, where possible, will follow the natural contour, 

incorporate drainage to prevent erosion, have a durable tread, and maintain 

a grade of less than 10%. Trail alignments will avoid environmentally 

sensitive areas, wetlands, or areas where species of concern exist. Trail 

alignments will be chosen so as not to disturb wildlife migration routes. Trail 

construction materials, grades, and trail clearances will be chosen to reflect 

those sustainability goals and will be based on the type and volume of use 

anticipated, on the stability of native materials, and on the type of terrain 

along the route. In addition, surface treatments on some trails will be chosen 

to provide accessibility in compliance with the Uniform Federal Accessibility 

Standards (UFAS) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility 

Guidelines—this may include crushed gravel, asphalt, and appropriate grading.

Hikers at Doughton Park Milepost 241.6
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 99User Capacity

USER CAPACITY

General management plans for national park system units, including the Blue 

Ridge Parkway, must address the management of user capacity. The National 

Park Service defines user capacity as the type and extent of use that can be 

accommodated while sustaining the quality of a park unit’s resources and 

visitor experiences consistent with the park unit’s purpose. 

User capacity management involves establishing desired conditions, 

monitoring, and taking actions to ensure the park unit’s values are protected. 

The premise is that with any visitor use comes some level of impact that must 

be accepted; therefore, it is the responsibility of the National Park Service to 

decide what level of impact is acceptable and what management actions are 

needed to keep impacts within acceptable limits. 

National Park Service staff actively manage the levels, types, and patterns of 

visitor use to the extent necessary to achieve and maintain desired resource 

conditions and a high-quality visitor experience. The monitoring component 

of this process helps National Park Service staff evaluate the effectiveness 

of management actions and provides a basis for informed management of 

visitor use. The user capacity management process can be summarized by the 

following major steps: 

• Establish desired conditions for resources and visitor experiences 

(through management zoning), including the types of appropriate 

recreation opportunities and levels and types of development.

• Identify indicators—measurable variables that are monitored to 

determine whether desired conditions are being met (e.g., vegetation 

damage, encounter rates on trails).

• Identify standards (minimum acceptable conditions) for the indicators.

• Monitor indicators to determine trends in conditions and if 

management actions are needed.

• Take management actions to maintain or restore desired conditions.

The sheer scope of the parkway presents many challenges to managing user 

capacity. Not only does the parkway extend for 469 miles across two states 

and 29 counties, but it also includes many major recreation areas and myriad 

entry and exit points used by more than 16 million visitors annually. Given 

this incredible scope, user capacity management must be strategic through 

the efficient use of limited staff and funding, targeted focus on areas of most 

concern along the parkway, and creative approaches to monitoring and 

management strategies. 

This general management plan provides a general management framework 

tailored to the parkway that provides the fundamental structure for a longterm, comprehensive strategy to manage user capacity. This framework 

guides the strategic use of limited park staff and funding regarding future user 

capacity planning and management. This management framework includes the 

following components:

• The eight management zones described earlier provide the basis 

for managing user capacity. Each zone prescribes desired resource 

conditions, visitor experiences, and recreational opportunities for 

different areas of the parkway. The zones also prescribe the types 

Bicycling near Mt. Mitchell
100 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

and levels of developments necessary to support these conditions, 

experiences, and opportunities. This element of the framework is the 

most important to long-term user capacity management in that it directs 

the National Park Service on how to best protect resources and visitor 

experiences while offering a diversity of visitor opportunities.

• Existing and potential visitor-related concerns for each management 

zone are described, along with identification of priority areas in each 

zone for managing user capacity. As parkway managers collect more 

detailed information on visitor-related concerns in those areas, specific 

indicators and standards will be identified.

• Considerations for selecting potential indicators and standards are 

included to determine if unacceptable visitor-related impacts are 

occurring. 

• Potential management strategies are outlined that could be implemented 

to avoid or minimize adverse impacts from visitor use.

This framework is intended to be a starting point to an effort needing further 

reflection, development, and adaptation. Final selection of indicators and 

standards for monitoring purposes and implementation of management 

actions that affect use will comply with the National Environmental Policy Act 

(1969), section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, other laws, and 

National Park Service management policies as appropriate.

Table 3 describes the user capacity management framework for the Blue Ridge 

Parkway. Although the framework is organized by management zones, the 

approach developed for one zone can be adapted and applied to other zones 

as needed and appropriate. The ultimate goal of the framework is to provide 

strategic management guidance that is effective and efficient while maximizing 

flexibility for managers to maintain the desired resource conditions and visitor 

experiences of the parkway.

Graveyard Field with Cars
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 101 User Capacity Modern Parkway Bridge
102 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Table 3. User Capacity Management Framework by Management Zones

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Potential 

Visitor-Related 

Concerns

Impacts on rare plant and 

animal species, sensitive 

habitats, and ecosystem 

processes as a result of 

human-caused vegetation 

trampling and sensorybased disturbances.

Impacts on vegetation 

and soils resulting from 

off-trail use, camping in 

undesignated areas, or 

concentrated levels of use 

in fragile areas.

Impacts on visitors’ ability 

to experience the highquality scenic landscapes.

Impacts on the visitor 

experience as a result of 

conflicts between user 

groups (e.g., mountain 

bikers, horseback riders, 

hikers, and groups using 

the paved, multiuse trail).

Impacts on the visitor 

experience as a result of 

conflicts between user 

groups (e.g., mountain 

bikers, horseback riders, 

and hikers).

Priority Areas 

for Managing 

User Capacity

Globally ranked plant 

communities; critical 

habitats for threatened 

and endangered species; 

and state natural heritage 

areas and conservation 

sites that are accessible or 

near visitor-use areas.

Trail systems or 

backcountry campsites 

that are experiencing 

impacts and/or are not 

adequately designed to 

support heavy use or 

certain types of use.

Trail systems that receive 

high levels of visitation.

Trail systems that receive 

high levels of visitation.

Considerations 

for Potential 

Indicator Topics

Extent of trampling of 

select plant species. 

Measures of disturbance 

to certain wildlife species.

Extent and severity of 

trampling of vegetation 

cover, soil compaction, 

and/or erosion. 

Number of visitor-created 

trails and/or campsites.

Trail and/or campsite 

condition assessments.

Encounter rates between 

different types of user 

groups.

Frequency of complaints 

that are related to visitoruse conflicts and/or 

crowding.

Visitor evaluations of 

degree of use conflicts 

and/or crowding.

Encounter rates between 

different types of user 

groups.

Frequency of complaints 

that are related to visitoruse conflicts and/or 

crowding.

Visitor evaluations of 

degree of use conflicts 

and/or crowding.

Parking use rates and 

typical duration of parked 

vehicles at selected 

trailheads/parking areas.
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 103 User Capacity

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

Impacts on the visitor 

experience as a result of 

crowding and conflicts 

between user groups (e.g., RV 

and tent campers).

Impacts on the visitor 

experience while traveling 

the parkway as a result of 

traffic congestion and conflicts 

among user groups (e.g., 

automobiles, motorcycles, and 

bicycles).

Impacts on visitors’ ability 

to experience the highquality scenic landscapes of 

the parkway as a result of 

crowding at or near popular 

vistas and overlooks.

Impacts on historic structures 

that contribute to the national 

significance of the parkway, 

resulting from overuse or 

inappropriate types of use.

User capacity is not addressed 

for this zone, because visitor 

opportunities and services 

are generally not provided. 

As a result, visitor use is 

extremely low. If visitor use 

poses any future impacts, then 

indicators and standards will 

be developed.

Areas of the parkway that 

receive the greatest visitation 

or the highest frequency 

of complaints (including 

campgrounds, picnic areas, 

and lodges).

Parkway stretches that receive 

the highest traffic volumes 

or where the greatest visitor 

conflicts occur, such as near 

Roanoke, Boone / Blowing 

Rock, and Asheville.

Vistas and overlooks along 

the parkway that receive the 

highest levels of use.

Sensitive cultural sites that 

are accessible to visitors, 

especially those that receive 

high levels of use or those that 

do not have park staff present 

fulltime.

Frequency of complaints 

related to visitor-use conflicts 

and/or crowding.

Visitor evaluations of degree 

of use conflicts and/or 

crowding.

Level of service along road 

segments. 

Vehicles per viewscape.

Frequency of complaints 

related to traffic volumes and/

or use conflicts.

Safety incidents.

Visitor evaluations of traffic 

congestion and/or use 

conflicts.

People at one time at high-use 

overlooks.

Portion of time parking is 

available.

Portion of visitors who avoid 

overlooks due to perceived 

crowding or lack of parking.

Visitor complaints about 

crowding.

Visitor evaluations of degree 

of crowding.

Wear on historic structures as 

a result of visitor use.

Incidents of disturbance 

or vandalism of historic 

structures. 

Historic site condition 

assessments.
104 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Special Natural 

Resources

Natural Scenic Character Recreation 

Considerations 

for Developing 

Potential 

Standards

Determine minimum 

levels of trampling and 

disturbances to avoid 

interference with factors 

affecting species viability. 

Determine trampling 

thresholds to maintain 

plant vigor. Determine 

an acceptable level of 

vegetation loss, soil 

compaction, and/or 

erosion at camp sites or 

along select trails. 

Determine appropriate 

levels of user group 

interaction considering 

setting conditions, use 

patterns, and visitor 

perceptions of use 

conflicts and crowding. 

Determine appropriate 

levels of user group 

interaction considering 

setting conditions, use 

patterns, and visitor 

perceptions of use 

conflicts and crowding. 

Potential 

Management 

Strategies

Educate visitors on 

reducing their impact on 

the natural environment. 

Restrict the types or levels 

of use to certain sensitive 

areas if standards are 

exceeded. Consider 

seasonal closures if 

impacts are specific to 

certain times of the year.

Educate visitors on 

reducing their impact on 

the natural environment. 

Consider establishing or 

relocating designated 

backcountry campsites, 

reroute trails away from 

fragile areas, or redesign 

them to accommodate 

different types or 

more use. Consider 

backcountry permits or 

other means to manage 

use levels, patterns, and 

behaviors.

Provide education on 

trail etiquette. Consider 

modifications or 

improvements to the trail 

design to make it more 

compatible for visitor use 

patterns. Consider oneway trails, seasonal-use 

trails, or trails dedicated 

to fewer types of 

activities.

Provide education on 

trail etiquette. Consider 

modifications or 

improvements to the trail 

design to make it more 

compatible for multiple 

uses. Consider one-way 

trails, seasonal-use trails, 

or trails dedicated to 

fewer types of activities.

Table 3. User Capacity Management Framework by Management Zones

Linn Cove Viaduct Milepost 304
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 105 User Capacity

Visitor Services Historic Parkway Special Cultural Resources Park Support

Determine acceptable levels 

of conflict and crowding at 

selected sites considering 

use patterns and visitor 

preferences.

Determine minimum levels of 

traffic volumes for different 

modes of transportation to 

maintain free-flowing speeds, 

where the effects of minor 

incidents are easily absorbed 

and encounters with other 

travelers do not diminish the 

leisure traveling experience.

Determine an acceptable 

amount of time when parking 

is at maximum capacity at 

select overlooks. Determine 

an acceptable degree of 

crowding considering visitor 

use patterns and visitor 

preferences at select sites.

Determine an acceptable level 

of damage (if any) to select 

cultural sites. Consider a 

range of standards that trigger 

incrementally more stringent 

management actions.

Provide pretrip planning 

information to visitors about 

peak periods of use along the 

parkway. Consider trafficflow improvements and other 

redesigns that enhance the 

visitor experience in developed 

areas.

Provide pretrip planning 

information to visitors 

about peak periods of use 

along the parkway. Restrict 

commuter traffic on the 

parkway, limit access onto 

the parkway, establish vehicle 

size restrictions, or provide 

new or additional off-parkway 

parallel bicycle paths, while 

still allowing bicycles on the 

roadway.

Provide pretrip planning 

information to visitors about 

peak periods of crowding 

at certain overlooks. Provide 

real-time information about 

parking lot conditions. 

Consider expanding parking or 

converting RV parking spaces 

into additional spaces for cars. 

Provide education on 

appropriate behaviors. Use 

signs and/or barriers to limit 

and manage contact with 

cultural resources. Increase 

park staff presence at cultural 

sites to avoid further damage. 

Modify visitor access and 

circulation or close portions 

of the site to minimize direct 

impacts.
106 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

CLIMATE CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Climate change has the potential to adversely affect the future resource 

conditions of the parkway. As global and regional climates continue to change, 

a management approach that enhances the protection and resilience of 

climate-sensitive resources is becoming increasingly important. The following 

outlines a strategy that adapts to our growing understanding of climate change 

influences and the effectiveness of management to contend with them. 

Climate change science is a rapidly advancing field and new information is 

continually being collected and released, yet the full extent of climate change 

impacts on resource conditions is unknown. Park managers and policy makers 

have not determined the most effective response mechanisms for minimizing 

impacts and adapting to change. For this reason, this proposed management 

strategy does not provide definitive solutions or directions; rather it provides 

science-based and scholarship-based management principles to consider 

when implementing the broader management direction of the parkway.

STRATEGY

The National Park Service Climate Change Response Program aims to 

prepare the agency and its parks for the anticipated management needs that 

result from climate change. To help parks cope with the uncertainty in future 

climate conditions, the Climate Change Response Program serves to help park 

managers determine the extent to which they can and should act to protect 

the parks’ current resources while allowing the parks’ ecosystems to adapt to 

new conditions. Efforts of the National Park Service Climate Change Response 

Program focus on the following strategies.

SCIENCE

• Conduct scientific research and vulnerability assessments necessary 

to support National Park Service adaptation, mitigation, and 

communication efforts. 

• Collaborate with scientific agencies and institutions to meet the specific 

needs of management as it confronts the challenges of climate change. 

• Learn from and apply the best available climate change science.

MITIGATION

• Reduce carbon footprint of the National Park Service.

• Promote energy efficient practices, such as alternative transportation.

• Enhance carbon sequestration as one of many ecosystem services. 

• Integrate mitigation into all business practices, planning, and the 

National Park Service culture.

Parkway Milepost
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 107 Climate Change Management Strategies

ADAPTATION

• Develop the adaptive capacity for managing natural and cultural 

resources and infrastructure under a changing climate. 

• Inventory resources at risk and conduct vulnerability assessments. 

• Prioritize and implement actions and monitor the results. 

• Explore scenarios, associated risks, and possible management options. 

• Integrate climate change impacts into facilities management.

COMMUNICATION

• Provide effective communication about climate change and impacts to 

the public. 

• Train park staff and managers in the science of climate change and 

decision tools for coping with change. 

• Lead by example.

With the guidance of the above strategies, the parkway will use the 

following management approach to address climate change throughout the 

implementation of this general management plan. Many of these specific 

management strategies are adopted from Some Guidelines for Helping Natural 

Resources Adapt to Climate Change (International Human Dimensions 

Programme on Global Environmental Change, 2008). Further elaboration and 

adaption of these strategies is anticipated as implementation of the general 

management plan proceeds.

• Identify key natural and cultural resources and processes that are at risk 

from climate change. Establish baseline conditions for these resources, 

identify their thresholds, and monitor for change. Increase reliance on 

adaptive management to minimize risks.

• Restore key ecosystem features and processes and protect cultural 

resources to increase their resilience to climate change. 

Adney Gap Milepost 136
108 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Use best management practices to reduce human-caused stresses (e.g., 

park infrastructure and visitor-related disturbances) that hinder the 

ability of species or ecosystems to withstand climatic events.

• Form partnerships with other resource management entities to maintain 

regional habitat connectivity and refugia that allow species dependent 

on parkway resources to better adapt to changing conditions.

• Reduce or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions associated with parkway 

operations and visitor use, such as alternative transportation options 

(e.g., shuttles and low-emission vehicles for the park’s fleet) and biofuels 

and other renewable energy sources for visitor centers, administrative 

buildings, and campgrounds.

• Use the fragile environments of the Blue Ridge Parkway as an 

opportunity to educate visitors about the effects of climate change on 

the resources they are enjoying. Inspire visitors to take action through 

leadership and education.

• Manage parkway facilities and infrastructure (structures, trails, roads, 

drainage systems, etc.) in a way that prepares for and adapts to the effects 

of climate change.

Vista Mitigation Rough Butt Bald before Restoration Milepost 425.4

Vista Mitigation Rough Butt Bald after Restoration Milepost 425.4
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 109 Future Plans and Studies

FUTURE PLANS AND STUDIES

Implementation of the general management plan will require other more 

detailed studies and plans prior to moving forward with certain actions. 

Some of these actions will require additional environmental compliance, 

public involvement, and consultation. The extent of further public input and 

environmental analysis will vary depending on the impacts anticipated from 

the management action. Appropriate permits may also be needed for certain 

actions. 

The following list of future plans and studies is organized by parkway-wide 

management strategies presented earlier in this chapter.

SCENERY CONSERVATION

• Complete the baseline evaluation of the quality and condition of offparkway scenic views from parkway overlooks and roadside vistas in 

order to identify specific views along the parkway for protection. 

• Work with partners to establish long-term strategies to conserve views 

from the parkway.

LAND PROTECTION

Develop a land protection strategy that does not identify specific tracts of 

land, but establishes (1) resource and visitor use management criteria, (2) 

park management zoning and land use compatibility factors, and/or (3) other 

protection goals that can be used to evaluate the merits of a property when it 

becomes available from willing sellers. 

NATURAL RESOURCES

• Develop a resource stewardship strategy that provides comprehensive, 

long-range direction for natural and cultural resource management. This 

strategy will establish a multiyear, ecosystem-based planning process 

for the natural resource program to implement inventories, condition 

assessments, monitoring, and restoration projects for 

- vegetation, including both native and invasive species

- wildlife, including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians

- wetlands, including bogs, springs, seeps, and riparian areas

- ecologically sensitive areas, including globally imperiled habitats, 

state natural heritage areas, conservation sites, and critical habitat 

for endangered species

- active management measures to maintain and restore natural 

ecosystems (e.g., addressing maturing oak forest that has not been 

exposed to wildfire over the past century)

- special status species, including federal and state listed plants and 

animals.

Park Land Use Map (PLUM) Overlay

Milepost 292
110 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Conduct continuous water quality and air quality monitoring along 

the parkway.

• Develop a restoration plan or plans to provide guidance for restoring 

rare habitats and special status species.

• Through consultation with the National Park Service regional 

wetland ecologist, determine if a wetlands statement of findings 

is needed for any future implementation project that could affect 

wetlands in the parkway and produce wetlands statement of findings 

documents where necessary.

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Develop a climate change action plan that builds on the parkway’s 

approach to addressing climate change outlined in this general 

management plan, including strategies to reduce the parkway’s 

carbon footprint and an analysis to determine the effects of climate 

change on park resources, values, facilities, and visitor services.

• Pursue data collection and research that addresses climate 

change effects on natural and cultural resources as well as human 

dimensions. These efforts could include scenario planning via the 

assistance of the Climate Change Response Program and partnership 

research efforts with other agencies/institutions.

CULTURAL RESOURCES

• Develop a resource stewardship strategy that provides 

comprehensive, long-range direction for cultural resource 

management, including the establishment of a multiyear planning 

process for resource inventory, assessment, research, interpretation, 

and protection. Cultural resources (such as archeological sites, 

historic structures, cultural landscapes, and ethnographic resources) 

will continue to be inventoried and assessed parkway-wide. 

• Update the collection and archive management plan, integrated pest 

management plan for collections, and scope of collections as needed.

• Complete the nomination of the parkway as a national historic 

landmark.

• Develop a parkway-wide strategy to identify, monitor, and mitigate 

the impacts of climate change on cultural resources.

• Develop treatment plans for special cultural resource areas (e.g., 

Harris farm) and cultural landscapes.

• Develop treatment plans for cultural resources in need of 

rehabilitation and stabilization (e.g., Saunders farm). Historic 

structures currently in use for concession operations may require 

specific plans for rehabilitation, restoration, or adaptation for new 

uses. 

Historic Sign, Milepost 169

Archeological Survey on Parkway
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 111 Future Plans and Studies

VISITOR USE AND INTERPRETATION 

• Develop an implementation plan or plans to substantially increase the 

number of visitors contacted over current levels by providing visitor 

orientation services at underserved parkway entrances, especially the 

northern and southernmost entrances. 

• Develop a user capacity strategy for the parkway consistent with the user 

capacity framework presented in this general management plan.

• Update visitor use and analysis data to serve as a foundation to help 

guide a variety of other implementation studies and plans.

• Develop new methods to reach a wider variety of audiences using 

available new technologies.

• Update the parkway’s comprehensive interpretive plan as needed.

CONCESSIONS

Develop a strategy (such as a new commercial services plan) to provide viable 

concession services at all locations to ensure the long-term availability of 

in-parkway lodging, food, and other services. An implementation plan will be 

developed if either upgrades to infrastructure or the addition of new facilities 

is appropriate.

ACCESS AND CIRCULATION

Campgrounds

Develop an implementation plan or plans to upgrade all nine of the 

parkway campgrounds, including comfort stations, tent sites, RV sites, and 

amphitheaters. Roanoke Mountain campground will be converted to a day-use 

recreation area. 

Partnerships

Strategies to enhance existing partnerships or actively pursue new ones with 

public and private entities will be incorporated into the future studies and 

plans listed previously. 

Access Plans

Develop a comprehensive access management plan that defines locations 

and traffic control strategies for all driveway and secondary road access on 

the parkway, including locations for the potential replacement of at-grade 

crossings with new grade separation structures. 

• Complete study and final design to evaluate, identify, and design 

improvements at pullouts.

Brinegar Cabin Milepost 238.5

Blue Ridge Music Center Stage

Milepost 212.8
112 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Complete conceptual and final design of new grade separation 

structures at locations identified in the access management plan, 

including negotiations for acquisition of right-of-way, if needed.

• Complete study and final design to evaluate, identify, and design parking 

and access improvements at recreational areas along the parkway.

Trail Plans

Develop an implementation plan or plans to expand and improve parkway trail 

systems to accommodate potential increases or changes in recreation demand. 

• Develop a trail master plan to identify the expanded locations and 

treatments of improvements for the trail systems to accommodate 

potential increases in recreation demand, including mountain bikes 

where appropriate. 

• Subsequently complete an implementation plan to negotiate agreements 

with adjacent agencies, if necessary, and outline funding. 

• Complete final design of new trails and trail improvements.

Trail Building on Parkway
Appendixes

Parkway Approach Sign

Parkway Directional Sign Milepost 0
114 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 115

APPENDIX A: ENABLING LEGISLATION
116 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 117
118 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 119

APPENDIX B: PREPARERS AND CONTRIBUTORS

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Phil Francis, (retired) Superintendent

Monika Mayr, Deputy Superintendent

Dan Brown, (retired) Superintendent, Blue Ridge Parkway (2001–2005)

Gary W. Johnson, Chief of Resource Planning and Professional Services / 

Landscape Architect

Dawn Leonard, Community Planner 

Suzette Molling, Environmental Protection Specialist

Steven Kidd, Cultural Resource Specialist

Bambi Teague, Chief of Resource Management

Ann Childress, Chief of Interpretation

Peter Givens, Interpretation Specialist

Bob Cherry, Field Staff Representative / Natural Resource Specialist

Chris Ulrey, Natural Resource Specialist

J David Anderson, Resident Landscape Architect

Steve Stinnett, Chief Ranger

Laura Rotegard, (former) Management Assistant / Planner, Blue Ridge 

Parkway

Mike Molling, Chief of Maintenance 

Al Hess, (retired) Cultural Resource Management Specialist

Patty Lockamy, (former) Chief of Interpretation

Mindy DeCesar, Field Staff Representative/Interpreter

Bruce Bytnar, Field Staff Representative / District Law Enforcement

Carolyn Sparks, Field Staff Representative / Maintenance Worker

Tim Francis, Field Staff Representative / District Law Enforcement 

Representative

Phil Noblitt, (retired) Public Information Specialist

Joe Aull, Administrative Officer

Ricky Baker, Facility Manager

Lena Boesser-Koschmann, Assistant Chief Ranger

Don Coleman, Supervisory Ranger

Roy Jones, Facility Manager

Michele Maertens, District Interpreter

Bobby Miller, District Ranger

Danny Myrtle, Facility Manager

Laura Nelson, Concessions Specialist

Michael Ryan, Facility Manager

Chris Ulrey, Plant Specialist

Tina White, District Interpreter
120 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DENVER SERVICE CENTER

Chris Church, Project Manager / Natural Resource Specialist

Ann Van Huizen (retired), Project Manager (2001–2010)

Harlan Unrau (retired), Cultural Resource Specialist 

Larry Van Horn (retired), Cultural Resource Specialist 

Gretchen Ward, Cultural Resource Specialist (2008–2010)

Carrie Miller, Cultural Resource Specialist

Don Wojcik, Natural Resource Specialist

Andrew Coburn, Community Planner

Jim Corbett, Visual Resource Specialist

Nell Conti, GIS Specialist

Ericka Pilcher, Visitor Use Management Specialist / Community Planner

Jennifer Stein, Visitor Use Management Specialist

Bob Merrick, Cost Estimator

Marilyn Hof (retired), Visitor Use Specialist / Planner

Terri Urbanowski, Landscape Architect

Ian Shanklin, (former) Landscape Architect

Jeff Reinbold, (former) Community Planner

Linda Dahl, (former) Community Planner 

Sharon Miles, (former) Community Planner

Carla McConnell, Architect/Planner

Erin Flanagan, Community Planner

Christy Fischer, (retired) Editor

Linda Ray (retired), Visual Resource Specialist

Doug Williams, (former) Landscape Architect

Bill Witmer (retired), Project Manager (2001–2003)

Kerri Cahill, Community Planner

Leslie Peterson, Contract Coordinator

Angel Lopez, Visual Information Specialist

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, SOUTHEAST REGIONAL OFFICE

Ben West, Chief of Planning

John Barrett, Planner, Regional Project Liaison / Planner

Zackary Ray, Student Planner 

John Fischer (retired), Regional Liaison / Planner

David Hasty, Historical Landscape Architect

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, HARPERS FERRY CENTER

Keith Morgan (retired), Interpretive Planner, HFC
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 121

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, WASHINGTON D.C.

PARK PLANNING AND SPECIAL STUDIES

Patrick Gregerson, Chief of Planning

Tokey Boswell, Program Analyst

Cherri Esperson, Program Analyst

John Haubert, (retired) Liaison/Policy Reviewer

Kevin Percival, Transportation Planner

Susan Grosser, Transportation Planner

CONSULTANTS

EDAW, Inc. (now AECOM)

Drew Stoll, GIS Specialist, Landscape Architect

Maria Michieli-Best, Editor

Karen Lusby, Natural Resource Specialist

David Evans and Associates

Stacy Tschour, Transportation Engineer 

Patty Steinholtz, Writer/Editor

Cassie Vetter

University of Vermont (Visitor Use/Carrying Capacity Sub-Contractor)

E2M/ Sammons and Dutton Subcontractor

Ron Dutton, Economist

WOOLPERT LLP (Mapping Contractor) 

Parsons

John Hoesterey 

Timberly Belish 

Alexa Miles

Cardno TEC, Inc.

Elaine Emerson, Editor

Kirstan Hattler, Graphic Design
122 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY | SUMMARY OF THE FINAL GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally 

owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting 

our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and 

historic places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy 

and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging 

stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major responsibility for American Indian 

reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration.

BLRI 601/122355

October 2013
Blu e Ri d g e Park way

Summary of the Final General Management Plan

U.S. De part m e n t o f t h e I n t eri or • Nat i o n a l Park S ervice