Blue Ridge Parkway

The park covers 3,600 acres. Many miles of horse and carriage trails, hiking, fishing.

Parkway Craft Center; comfort station; visitor information, publications.

This area covers 4,344 acres. Campground, picnic area, lake, boating, fishing, trails. Alt. 3,400

The late 19th century saw the emergence of a new upper class, composed of those men who had made their fortunes in the Gilded Age. Textile entrepreneur Moses H. Cone purchased 3,600 acres of land near Blowing Rock and built one of North Carolina's premier turn-of-the-century country estates. Julian Price, an insurance executive, in the late 1930s and early 1940s, bought thousands of acres of land to create a retreat for the employees of the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company. Both the Cone and Price lands were later given to the Parkway.

Today the combined parkland comprises the largest developed area along the Parkway. It offers a wide variety of recreational activities, including miles of hiking and horse trails, boating and fishing, camping and picnic areas, mountain handicraft demonstrations and sales, and daily guided walks and evening campfire programs.

The largest campground on the Parkway is located at Julian Price Memorial Park along with one of the more popular picnic areas. Interpretive programs, fishing, boat rentals for Price Lake, and an extensive trail system including the Tanawha Trail across the face of Grandfather Mountain make for a delightful Parkway visit.

The Moses Cone estate, Flat Top Manor, houses the Parkway's official craft center, along with a book sales area. The estate contains a family cemetery, carriage and apple barn, and an extensive system of carriage trails offer opportunity for a unique Parkway visit.

Milepost 304.4
Landmark: Linn Cove Viaduct Information Center

A marvel of modern engineering, the last link in the Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway to be finished, connecting approximately 470 miles of National Highway. Visitor information, comfort station, publications. Trail access viaduct. Alt. 4,000.

The Linn Cove Viaduct hugs the face of Grandfather Mountain and is recognized internationally as an engineering marvel. This was the last section of the Parkway to be completed and a model of the construction technique highlights a visit to the Linn Cove Visitor Center.

Several motels and bed-and-breakfast inns are located in or near Boone and Blowing Rock, just off the Parkway.

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