Showcasing the age-old beauty of the southern Appalachians, the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) is one of America’s most popular scenic drives. Connecting Shenandoah and Great Smokey Mountains National Parks, the 469 mile two lane road rides the crest of the Blue Ridge and other ranges, occasionally dipping into hollows or climbing above timberline to heights over 6000 ft.
The BRP is a National Parkway. The BRP was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.The parkway, while not a National Park, is the most visited unit of the National Park system.
The BRP tunnels were constructed through the rock—one in Virginia and twenty-five in North Carolina. The height of the tunnels concerned me since my rig is 11′ 4″. Most of the tunnels were 14 – 18 feet high, but a few were only around 12 feet. I avoided some of the lowest tunnels. I did find out the hard way that I needed to switch from prescription sunglasses to regular glasses before entering the tunnels. For about 30 seconds only the reflectors in the center of the road guided me through the dark tunnel. After that harrowing experience, I quickly changed to regular glasses before entering anymore tunnels. The highest point on the parkway (south of Waynesville) is 6053 feet above sea level on Richland Balsam Mountain at Milepost 431. The parkway is carried across streams, railway ravines and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts.
Driving the BRP is challenging, but not difficult. You certainly had to pay close attention as many spots along the parkway had very steep drop-offs. I pulled over quite often to let vehicles pass me. The speed limit was only 35 mph along most of the parkway which I usually was able to maintain. However, I would not want to drive behind my coach either because of the size of the coach obstructs the view and most people are on the BRP for the view.