Blue Ridge Parkway, Scenic road between Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, United States.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a mountain road stretching more than 460 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, connecting two major national parks. The route passes through forests and valleys, with pullouts along the way where drivers can stop and look out over the ridges.
Construction began in 1935 as a public works program during the Great Depression, providing jobs when people needed them most. The project took many years to complete because the route had to wind through difficult mountain terrain.
Visitor centers along the route display traditional Appalachian crafts, folk music instruments, and regional farming methods that reflect how mountain communities once worked. These exhibits show the practical skills and knowledge people passed down through generations.
Bring a physical map and use the milepost markers along the road for navigation, as GPS devices struggle to interpret them properly. Plan for slower driving and make time to stop at pullouts to explore the views and walk some of the trails.
The speed limit is intentionally low here, which allows travelers to spot deer, black bears, and wild turkeys living in the forest. This slower pace makes wildlife watching something that simply happens as you drive.
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