blue ridge parkway

Many of the hiking trails in the Parkway feature beautiful views, such as in this photo of Crabtree Falls (Ken Lane). There’s a reason the Blue Ridge Parkway is America’s most visited National Park Service site. The 469-mile road does more than connect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It is both a fascinating display of the nation’s history and a gorgeous landscape to explore. It is renowned for its beauty and for its peaceful natural atmosphere—even though it is a popular vacation spot, the park is large enough that it feels secluded and peaceful.

Offering 469 miles of beautiful forests, hills, and gardens, Blue Ridge Parkway is known as “America’s Favorite Drive.” Winding south through the Smoky Mountains, the highway runs from Virginia to North Carolina. Both ends are home to a national park: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the north end, and the Shenandoah National Park at the south.