Blue Ridge Parkway
The Views Stretch For Miles
The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles long and runs through 29 counties in North Carolina and Virginia. It is America’s longest linear park and is named after the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are part of the Appalachian Mountain range. Haywood County boasts 46 scenic miles of some of the most beautiful and highest section of the parkway.
Tourists and locals alike enjoy driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which offers breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, valleys, and countryside. The Parkway is most popular in the fall when the leaves begin to turn shades of bright red, orange, and yellow.
The Blue Ridge Parkway can be accessed from four locations in Haywood County:
- US 276 at Wagon Gap Road
- NC 215 at Mount Hardy Gap
- US 23/74 at Balsam Gap
- US 19 at Soco Gap
Blue Ridge Parkway Closures
Check the U.S. National Park Services Blue Ridge Parkway Road Closure Map before traveling the Parkway for real-time road closure and condition information. Portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway are sometimes closed due to inclement weather, construction, or rock slides, especially in the winter months.
A list of planned milepost closures for maintenance is available here.
Blue Ridge Parkway Points of Interest
Black Balsam Knob
This section of trails includes some of the most spectacular mountains and balds, including Black Balsam Knob, Sam Knob, and Tennant Mountain.
Devil’s Courthouse
According to Cherokee folklore, the devil holds court in a cave on the mountain. A walk to the bare summit is worth every step.
Richland Balsam Overlook
The highest point on the entire parkway at 6,053 feet, Richland Balsam Overlook offers a beautiful 1.5-mile, self-guided loop trail.
Waterrock Knob
Waterrock Knob sits at nearly 6,000 feet. A 1.2-mile, roundtrip trail leads to the summit of Waterrock Knob for an almost 360-degree view of the Smoky Mountains.
