The Blue Ridge Parkway, running through the Blue Ridge
mountain chain (part of the Appalachian Mountains), is the longest, narrowest
National Park in the world and the most visited area in the US National Park
System. The Parkway has east and west
facing slopes and elevations from just under 650 feet at James River in
Virginia to over 6,000 feet south of Mt. Pisgah in North Carolina.
The scenic highway connects Shenandoah National Park and the
Skyline Drive in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North
Carolina and Tennessee. Renowned for its
mountains, forests, wildflowers and lakes, it’s ideal for a wide range of
outdoor sports and activities.
Throughout the area are charming historic buildings and towns to visit,
including Asheville, NC, the site of The Blue Ridge Parkway’s headquarters.
For RV lovers, The Blue Ridge Parkway is a dream destination
any time of year. There is a great
variety of campgrounds nearby from which to choose. A list of 39 of them is on the “Campgrounds
and RV Parks Page” of blueridgeparkway.org.
In addition, there are 9 public campgrounds, most of which are at
elevations higher than 2,500 feet. These
campgrounds offer access to miles of hiking trails, Ranger talks and campfire
programs, but they do not offer hookups as they were built years ago. These campgrounds are open May through
October. Reservations may be made for
some of them by calling 877-444-6777 or visiting http://www.recreation.gov.
The Blue Ridge Parkway hosts numerous events throughout the
year. There are concerts, wine events,
art and craft festivals, motorcycle events, dancing, an apple harvest festival
and more. You’ll find a calendar of
events on virtualblueridge.com.
Whether you like skiing, hiking, bird watching, fishing,
enjoying the fall foliage and the spring flowers, or exploring historic towns,
you will have a wonderful camping experience at The Blue Ridge Parkway.