The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic road that goes from the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina for 469 miles to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. I would love to drive the whole road sometime, but this post is only the section from Cherokee to Asheville, North Carolina.
Blue Ridge Parkway
We were there in October and all of the leaves were turning stunning colors.
My kids asked if we were moving there, because of how much I oohed and awed. Every turn was breathtaking! Even from inside the car the views were incredible!
There are several rest stops along the way. Depending on your time you can decide how many places to stop.
Cowee Mountain Overlook
The Cowee Mountain Overlook is a great place to stop and see the majestic rolling Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Beartrap Gap Overlook
The colors were so incredible here!
Wolf Mountain Overlook
The Courthouse Valley Overlook
Looking Glass Rock Overlook
Looking Glass Rock is an interesting rock formation that can be seen from the overlook.
There are more overlooks and some hikes that we missed because we didn’t have more time. When you are in Asheville, be sure to check out Biltmore.
Biltmore
Biltmore is the largest private residence in the United States at 178,926 square feet and 250 rooms! It looks like a French castle! It was built for George Vanderbilt and is fascinating!
If you were to drove along the freeway from Cherokee to Asheville , it would be a little over an hour, but along the Blue Ridge Parkway it’s a little over 2 1/2 hours, but it is so beautiful it’s worth it!
Also check out stunning Smoky Mountain National Park, including Cades Cove.
