Virginia - Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway winds its way through the states of Virginia and North Carolina along the Blue Ridge Mountains, the southern outliers of the Appalachians, for a distance of 469 mi. This tourist route (maximum speed 45 mph) begins at Rockfish Gap (milepost 0), on the south side of Shenandoah National Park, and ends on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, in Cherokee territory. All along the route there are overwhelming views of the dense forests with their variety of wild life and of the valley below; some signs of human settlement can also be seen, such as Mabry Mill (milepost 176). For those with time at their disposal there is magnificent walking on waymarked trails along the way.