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The subject of this article is located on these scenic highways.
The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway features hundreds of scenic overlooks, attractions, and hiking trails. There are waterfalls, mountain peaks, and spectacular views along the trails. Where do you even begin exploring this scenic drive?
You could start at one of the 14 visitor centers.
The visitor centers stretch along the parkway from Milepost 5.8 to Milepost 451.2, making it easy to find one about every 35 miles on average. The visitor centers are places for picking up a road map, collecting a cancellation stamp, and learning about road closures.
This travel guide includes an interactive map for the Blue Ridge Parkway visitor centers along with things to do when you stop for info and restrooms.
The official National Park Service app is an all-in-one tool for planning a national park adventure and finding your way around the park. The app has information about every national park site across the country, essentially putting all the online information at your fingertips.
The free app features interactive maps, self-guided tours, amenities like restrooms, and lists of things to do. The powerful app has an offline mode – with a single tap, you can save the park for offline use to access all the information later. You’ll also have access to important information like alerts, contacts, fees, and operating hours.
Mileposts on the Blue Ridge Parkway are concrete posts etched with numbers marking the distance from Waynesboro, Virginia, at Milepost 0. The last marker is Milepost 469 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee, North Carolina.
Like exit numbers on interstate highways, Mileposts are easy ways to determine the distance between attractions on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
How to use this map: Click the icon in the top-left corner to open the Map Legend, then click on any of the legend items to display more information. If you have a Google account, click the star beside the map’s name to save this map to your account, then access the map from your smartphone during your trip.
Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.
No. 1
The first visitor center heading south from Waynesboro is a great place to begin exploring this end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The small visitor center has information, maps, a small gift shop, and a place to collection your National Park Passport stamp.
At the end of the parking a short, easy trail leads through the Mountain Farm Exhibit. There is a large log home usually left open for visitors to explore during business hours.
No. 2
At just 650 feet above sea level the bridge crossing the James River is the lowest point on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. The small visitor center has restrooms and an information desk open during normal business hours.
There are three trails to hike at the James River Visitor Center. The Trail of Trees Trail is an easy 0.4-mile loop trail from the visitor center. The 0.4-mile Canal Lock Trail includes a rather cool walk along a pedestrian path beneath the highway bridge over the James River. On the other side of the river the trail leads to the restored Battery Creek Lock.
The final hiking trail is more strenuous but also more exciting. The 7-mile roundtrip Otter Creek Trail ascends from the visitor center to Otter Lake and then along Otter Creek to the campground. The best hiking option is just a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike from the visitor center to the end of Otter Lake where you’ll find a nice waterfall at the dam.
No. 3
There is a lot to see and do while visiting the Peaks of Otter. The visitor center is located in a small building directly beside the Parkway within sight of Abbott Lake. The visitor center includes an information desk, restrooms, and a small gift shop.
Located along Highway 43 about a mile from the Parkway is a rather nice picnic area. One end of the picnic area is a parking lot where visitors can hike the 1-mile Abbott Lake Loop Trail. The other end is a one-way road through a dense forested area with picnic table scattered around a creek.
READ MORE: 15 Places You Must Visit on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The 1.8-mile Johnson Farm Loop Trail takes visitors to the historic Johnson Farm to see what life on a farm was like in the late 1800’s. The 3.3-mile Harkening Hill Trail is a moderately strenuous hike across a ridge to a beautiful viewing area at Balance Rock. The 1.5-mile Sharp Top Trail is a strenuous route that challenges even the best of hikers as it ascends the side of Sharp Top Mountain to a stunning 360-degree overlook at the summit. Adventurous hikers can also tackle the 4.4-mile Flat Top Trail as it winds through a beautiful area back to the Fallingwater Cascades Parking Area.
No. 4
Explore Park is not owned or operated by the National Park Service, but they do have a very nice visitor center with information about the Parkway. The visitor center also includes a wonderful museum with giant 3D map of the Parkway. There is a large gift shop with lots of items like books, clothing, and souvenirs.
Hike the 0.17-mile Journeys End Trail to discover a hidden settlement village at Explore Park. The village includes about a dozen historic log structures like a two-story house, grist mill, and outbuildings.
No. 5
The Rocky Knob Visitor Center is a reminder of something that is no longer available on the Blue Ridge Parkway: gas stations. Located inside an old gas station complete with island where the pumps used to be, this is a reminder that at one time visitors would have needed gas in their vehicles just to do a short day trip on the Parkway.
The visitor center includes a small gift shop, information, and restrooms.
No. 6
Located near Galax, Virginia, the Blue Ridge Music Center is a part of the music heritage-oriented Crooked Road. The visitor center includes a very nice museum exploring that heritage of the surrounding area.
The biggest attraction to the Blue Ridge Music Center is the outdoor concert venue. Throughout much of the year (excluding the winter months) Saturday evenings are filled with music from bands playing all night long.
Learn about the annual celebration of the National Park System and read my travel guides to national park units across the country.
No. 7
Also known as the Parkway Craft Center and Flat Top Manor, this gorgeous mansion is a destination all on its own. The visitor center has information like maps, brochures, and a place to collect your National Park Passport stamp. The restrooms are located in a separate building near the parking lot.
Explore a couple of rooms of arts and crafts from local artisans. These crafts include paintings, photography, clothing, and jewelry.
The 5.2-mile roundtrip hike to Rich Mountain is a strenuous adventure with a pretty nice view from the top. The longer 6.8-mile roundtrip hike to Flat Top Tower is a bit more strenuous but is one of the most popular hikes in the area. An easy hike is the 0.8-mile Bass Lake Loop Trail. Visitors can walk down a connecting 2.5-mile trail from the Parkway Craft Center or drive down to a parking area beside the lake.
No. 8
The iconic Linn Cove Viaduct just might be the most recognizable landmark on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Located just off the south end of the bridge is the Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center. The small center has information, a gift shop, and a nice diorama depicting the construction of the viaduct. The restrooms are located outside at the edge of the parking lot.
One of the neatest things about this stop is the Tanawha Trail. At the far end of the parking lot a trail leads underneath viaduct before zigzagging to an elevation above the bridge. The trail connects Julian Price Memorial Park with the Stack Rock Overlook for an exciting hike, but the portion under the viaduct is only about two miles roundtrip.
No. 9
Linville Falls is one of the most-visited destinations on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The small visitor center includes information, brochures, a gift shop, and restrooms in a separate, connected building.
READ MORE: 5 Ways to View Linville Falls (and Dugger’s Creek Falls) on the Blue Ridge Parkway
There are two different trails leading to a total of five ways to view Linville Falls. Visitors can hike the 4-mile roundtrip Linville Falls Trail to three different overlooks for views of the waterfall. For a little more adventure the strenuous 2.4-mile roundtrip Plunge Basin Trail leads to the bottom of the waterfall.
This small waterfall is a hidden gem I overlooked for years before finally discovering it. Hike the 0.2-mile trail at the end of the parking lot to find the waterfall in a narrow ravine. The trail crosses a rustic bridge and on the other end you can climb down the easy path to the creek’s edge.
No. 10
This visitor center is located inside the Museum of North Carolina Minerals. The museum is free to explore where you will learn the fascinating geological history of minerals found in the North Carolina mountains. The small visitor center includes information, a gift shop, and restrooms.
No. 11
Craggy Gardens is a beautiful place to explore about forty minutes from Asheville. At the heart of the active area is the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center on the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The small visitor center includes information, a gift shop, and restrooms in the basement level. These restrooms are not handicap accessible.
READ MORE: 3 Ways to Explore Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The parking lot on the other side of the Craggy Pinnacle Tunnel has access to a trail leading to two overlooks at the top of Craggy Pinnacle. The 0.7-mile trail ascends about 230’ and is moderately strenuous, mostly because of the rugged terrain along the trail. The views from the top at the scenic overlooks surrounded by stone walls are amazing.
A much easier hike is along the 0.3-mile Craggy Gardens Trail to the bald-topped Craggy Knob. This trail passes beneath the shade of a dense rhododendron forest to a covered shelter before coming out on the bald mountain top.
No. 12
The Folk Art Center is mostly about arts and crafts from local artisans, but it also has a rather nice information desk and small gift shop. Be sure to walk through the museum/shop and check out all the wonderful art.
No. 13
Located just outside Asheville this is the visitor center for the Blue Ridge Parkway. The headquarters for the Parkway is located next door.
This visitor center is the largest on the Parkway. They have several exhibits about the wildlife, construction of the Parkway, and a giant, wall-sized map. The gift shop has clothing, bags, books, and souvenir items to collect. The restrooms are also located inside.
No. 14
This small visitor center if the first one you’ll reach coming from Cherokee, North Carolina and the southern end of the Parkway. It’s about 15 miles to the end of the Parkway from this visitor center.
The small building has an information desk with maps of the Parkway and a small gift shop to explore. The restrooms are located in a separate building in the loop of the parking lot.
The 1.2-mile Waterrock Knob Trail begins at the parking lot and lead to the summit of Waterrock Knob. It is a strenuous hike with a 400’ ascent to the top. The first ¼-mile of the trail is paved, though, and leads to a scenic overlook just above the parking lot.
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