Riding the Ridge Riding the Ridge The Blue Ridge Parkway wraps visitors in scenery stretching from Shenandoah National Park to the Smokies. There is a place where cool mountains combine with warm Southern hospitality to produce a perfect comfort zone. The parkway begins at milepost 0 at Rockfish Gap near the gateway city of Waynesboro, Va., and ends at milepost 469 at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Along the way, the route follows the Blue Ridge Mountains, skirts the southern end of the massive Black Mountains, weaves through the Craggies, the Pisgahs, and the Balsams and ends in the Great Smokies.
Numerous overlooks serve up awesome scenery.
Peak blooming and autumn color displays occur at different times and places due to variations in elevation, which ranges from 649 feet to 6,053 feet. The prime season runs from the beginning of May through October. Limited campground facilities are open during the winter, but sections of the parkway may be closed due to snow or ice. As you follow the parkway along the spine of the Southern Appalachian Mountain Range, you'll begin to appreciate what a magnificent achievement it is. The bridges are works of art built by Spanish and Italian stonemasons who put their considerable talents to work during the Great Depression.