During your Blue Ridge Parkway trip you will experience a relaxing drive along North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway that will take you through a myriad of natural, cultural and recreational places.
Culture and Heritage
Witness the Blue Ridge Parkways’ culture and heritage as you weave through its vibrant and engaging communities. From Cherokee life and agricultural history to Southern Appalachian crafts and music, North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway offers many ways to explore its rich traditions.
Nature
From stunning long range vistas, to close up views of the mountains, to pastoral landscapes, you can delight in the Appalachian Mountains’ diverse ecology during your scenic Blue Ridge Parkway Drive. Beginning at the parkway’s lowest elevation and climbing your way up, you will notice numerous transitions among a variety of forest types. Watch for oak, hickory and tulip trees at lower elevations, buckeye and ash trees as you start to climb higher and fir and spruce trees at the highest elevations of the parkway.
Wildlife
Where there is lush vegetation there is also abundant wildlife and the Blue Ridge Parkway is no exception. Interspersed throughout the different forest types are small habitats such as mountain bogs and heath bolds in which different species make their homes. Bog turtles thrive in the mountain bog, the sheltered, wet coves is the perfect place to find a slithering salamander and of course the Blue Ridge Parkway’s wildlife would not be complete without its black bears, mountain lions and eagles.
With a combination of historical and natural areas, the Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks provide excellent photo opportunities. Whether you are inspired by the different habitats found throughout North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Parkway, or an eagle you see soaring through the sky, don’t forget to bring your camera, so that you can capture your favorite sights.