Blue Ridge Parkway

Byway Details

Designation

All-American Road

Length

251 mi in North Carolina

About Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 250.8-mile All-American Road across western North Carolina, also designated a National Forest Scenic Byway. Part of the route runs through national forest land, and it touches Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Along the way it passes Cherokee, Biltmore Forest, Linville, Grandfather Village and Blowing Rock, so drivers can split the trip into shorter segments between towns. Early fall makes a good window for the drive. At a nearby weather station in Cherokee, typical averages show September highs near 78°F and October highs near 69°F, with fewer wet days than spring or summer. For the Great Smoky Mountains National Park stretch, area alerts as of October 2026 note that most visitors need a parking tag, and a weather-related closure was posted. Those notices cover the whole park rather than just the parkway, and they can change. Along the route, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail runs right beside the road. Julian Price Memorial Park Campground and Linville Falls Campground offer overnight stays, and the Linville River near the Linville Falls access is a nearby fishing option.