Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a very special road in the United States. It is the longest straight park in the country. It stretches for 469 miles through two states: Virginia and North Carolina.

This beautiful road connects two big parks: Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It runs along the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are part of the larger Appalachian Mountains.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is very popular. It is the most visited part of the National Park System almost every year since 1946. The land on both sides of the road is taken care of by the National Park Service. There is no charge to drive on it, but big trucks need special permission.

There are many places to stop along the way. You can visit a folk art center and a visitor center near Asheville, North Carolina. There are also places to park for hiking trails and campgrounds where you can stay overnight. The road can be closed in winter because of snow, so it’s best to check the weather before visiting.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has many tunnels. There are 26 tunnels along the road. One tunnel is in Virginia, and twenty-five are in North Carolina. These tunnels were built to fit the land and protect the scenery. Most of the work was done by hand in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Special tools were used to drill holes, and dynamite helped break the rock.

The Pine Mountain Tunnel is the longest tunnel, stretching 1,434 feet (437 meters). The Ferrin Knob Tunnels are three tunnels close together.