Some road trips are better than others and at times, the season is the difference! For those looking to get one more road trip in before the long winter nights are upon us, an adventure down The Blue Ridge Parkway during the autumn fall foliage (usually early September to mid-October) is one of the best and most scenic adventures you can take in the eastern United States. The 469 mile adventure runs through Virginia and North Carolina, with The Shenandoah National Park on its north end and The Great Smoky Mountains National Park at its southern end.
Some of the more popular points of interest along the famous and scenic Blue Ridge Parkway include Humpback Rocks, Yankee Horse, Peaks of Otter, Rock Castle Gorge, Mabry Mill, Cumberland Knob, Jumpinoff Rocks, Linn Cove Viaduct, Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell State Park. Unlike some scenic road trips, an adventure down The Blue Ridge Parkway provides visitor with many hiking opportunities down various nature trails, ranging in difficulty from short and easy paths to difficult and strenuous journeys to visually rewarding destinations. If hiking is your thing, this adventure is for you!
With a distance of 469 miles from end to end, you will no doubt need several days to adequately and thoroughly enjoy what this road trip has to offer. Hiking gear, picnic supplies and some reservations may be necessary, but the romantic possibilities are endless and this will surely provide a series of memories to last a lifetime. As with all road trips, pay attention to the weather so you can properly gear up for elements. Good weather is usually necessary for scenic road trips and warm clothing may be necessary for those cool autumn days.
In addition to the points of interest listed above, there are several iconic overlooks you may wish to include on your list of stops along this adventure.
1. Purgatory Mountain Overlook, Mile 92.
2. Pine Tree Overlook, Mile 95.
3. Roanoke River Gorge, Mile 115.
4. Mill Mountain Overlook, Mile 120.
5. Roanoke Mountain Overlook, Mile 120.
6. Cahas Mountain Overlook, Mile 139.
7. Rocky Knob Recreation Area, Mile 167.
Although a road trip down The Blue Ridge Parkway will be memorable at any time throughout the year, we highly recommend the Autumn Fall Foliage Edition for those bucket list and Bunny List checks in the box!
