From the March 4, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
The Roanoke Valley offers access to the Blue Ridge Parkway—ranked “America’s most scenic drive” by leading travel writers.
But visitors should be warned: Those who choose to take their time to visit should take their time to enjoy the nation’s skinniest national park as it should be—meandering among the 469 miles past spectacular scenery, with plenty of opportunities to stop in charming towns, visit adjacent attractions or to be pampered mountain resorts and other comfortable accommodations.
Starting in Virginia, travelers can pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway in Waynesboro, where Virginia’s 105-mile Skyline Drive ends in Shenandoah National Park. Of course, there are entry points all along the Parkway including several in the Roanoke Valley.
The Skyline Drive starts in Front Royal and offers great panoramic views of the Shenandoah Valley below. The Blue Ridge Parkway is markedly different, equally beautiful, but in a more rugged robust way. Linking the two drives together, visitors can travel more than 320 mountainous miles just in Virginia.
The Blue Ridge Parkway motor road is a two-lane curvy mountainous road beginning in Waynesboro and ending in Cherokee, N. C., connecting the Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Speed limit along the BRP is 45 mph.
The primary tourist season for the Blue Ridge Parkway is May through October with most concessions and lodges open during this time period. October because of the fall foliage, is the busiest month for traffic along the Parkway. Reservations for lodges are recommended, especially in October.
For those who thrive in hearty outdoor experiences, stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway offer leisurely picnicking and camping in the mountain meadows, hiking, swimming, canoeing and boating in the refreshing coolness of mountain summers.
Activities as diverse as hang gliding and cross-country skiing are available along this four-season Parkway to visitors who bring their own equipment and travel to areas where they are permitted. And for those interested I the rich mountain heritage, The Parkway has encouraged the preservation and interpretation of the area’s natural and cultural history.
Regular scheduled visitor activities begin in mid-June and continue through October. Schedules are posted weekly in all visitor centers and campgrounds along the Parkway.
The best time to view spring blooms is usually mid-June. The fall color season begins in early September and can last until Mid-November, depending on the weather.
Locally a popular Parkway attraction is the Peaks of Otter. Located nearly 25 miles northeast of Roanoke, the rustic splendor of the mountain area includes a lodge, country cuisine, hikes along self-guided nature trails, watching hawks circle above a trout-filled lake and riding a bus to the summit of Sharp Top for a breathtaking view of the mountains.
Fairy Stone State Park is also popular with many happy hours spent there at the park’s housekeeping cabins, tent and trailer campgrounds and activities along the 168-acrelake adjoining the Philpott Reservoir. The lake offers a sandy beach, picnic shelters and pleasure boats. In addition, there are hiking trails and a visitors’ center.
Mabry Mills is also a must-see stop. The water-powered grist mill and working blacksmith shop in the picturesque mountain setting are among favorite spots for photographers. The self-guided trail features old-time mountain industry. A restaurant offers a variety of homecooked food, including buckwheat cakes made from flour ground at the mill.
Whether on the Blue Ridge Parkway, May through October, is characterized by moderate temperatures while I late spring and early fall the temperatures may range from 30 degrees at night to 70 degrees mid-day.
Backpack camping is allowed in two areas on the Parkway—Basin Creek in Doughton Park and Rock Castle Gorge in Rocky nob. You must obtain a permit in each area. There is no charge.
The Monarch butterfly migrates about the middle of September. A good spot on the Parkway to view this migration is Wagon Road Gap (Milepost 412.2).
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
