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The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the U.S. , noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles (755 km) through the famous Blue Ridge , a major Mountain Chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains . Land on either side of the Road is maintained by the National Park Service . It is the longest, narrowest National Park in the world. In many places, the park is bordered by land protected by the United States Forest Service . Begun during the administration of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt , the project was originally called the "Appalachian Scenic Highway." Most construction was carried out by private contractors under federal contracts under an authorization by Harold L. Ickes in his role as federal public works administrator. Work began on September 11 , 1935 near Cumberland Knob in North Carolina ; construction in Virginia began the following February. On June 30 , 1936 , Congress formally authorized the project as the "Blue Ridge Parkway" and placed it under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Some work was carried out by various New Deal public works agencies. The Works Progress Administration did some roadway construction. Crews from the Emergency Relief Administration carried out landscape work and development of parkway recreation areas. Personnel from four Civilian Conservation Corps camps worked on roadside cleanup, roadside plantings, grading slopes and improving adjacent fields and forest lands. During World War II , the CCC crews were replaced by Conscientious Objectors in the Civilian Public Service program. Construction of the parkway took over fifty-two Year s to complete, the last stretch (near the Linn Cove Viaduct ) being laid around Grandfather Mountain in 1987 . Twenty-seven Tunnel s were Constructed through the Rock -- One in Virginia and 26 in North Carolina . Sections of the Parkway near the tunnels are often closed in Winter . (Due to dripping Groundwater from above, Freezing Temperature s, and the lack of Sunshine , Ice often accumulates inside these areas even when the surrounding areas are above freezing.) The highest point on the parkway (South of Waynesville , near Mount Pisgah in North Carolina ) is 6047 Feet (according to the 2005 Parkway map) or 1845 M above sea level( AMSL ) on Richland Balsam Mountain at Milepost 431, and is often closed from November to April due to inclement Weather such as Snow , Fog , and even Freezing Fog from low Cloud s. The parkway is carried across streams, railways ravines and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts. The parkway runs from the southern terminus of Shenandoah National Park 's Skyline Drive in Virginia at Rockfish Gap to U.S. 441 at Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee , North Carolina . There is no fee for using the parkway, however Commercial Vehicle s are prohibited without approval from the Park Service Headquarters, near Asheville, NC. The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections which pass over especially high Elevation s and through tunnels are often impassable and therefore closed from late Fall through early Spring . Weather is extremely variable in the mountains, so conditions and closures often change rapidly. along Parkway, near Asheville , North Carolina .]] The parkway uses short side roads to connect to other highways, and there are no direct interchanges with Interstate Highway s, making it possible to enjoy Wildlife and other scenery without stopping for cross-traffic. Milepost s along the parkway start at zero at the northeast end in Virginia and count to 469 at the southern end in North Carolina. The mileposts can be found on the west side of the road. Major Town s and Cities along the way include Waynesboro , Roanoke , and Galax in Virginia; and in North Carolina, Boone and Asheville , where it runs across the Property of the Biltmore Estate . The Blue Ridge Music Center (also part of the park) is located in Galax, and Mount Mitchell (the highest point in eastern North America ) is only accessible via a state road from the parkway at milepost 355.4. ECOLOGY ALONG THE PARKWAY Wildflower s dominate the parkway in the spring, including Rhododendron s and Dogwood s, moving from valleys to mountains as the cold weather retreats. Smaller Annual s and Perennial s such as the Daisy and Aster flower through the summer. Brilliant Autumn Foliage occurs later in September on the mountaintops, descending down to the valleys by later in October. Often in early to middle October and middle to late April, all three Season s can be seen simply by looking down from the cold and Wind y parkway to the Green and warm Valley s below. October is especially dramatic, as the Color ed Leaves stand out boldly and occur mostly at the same time, unlike the Flower s. Major Tree s include Oak , Hickory , and Tulip Tree at lower elevations and Buckeye and Ash in the middle, turning into Conifer s such as Fir and Spruce at the highest elevations on the parkway. Trees near Ridge s, Peak s, and Pass es (often called gaps or notches) are often distorted and even contorted by the wind, and persistent Rime Ice deposited by passing clouds in the winter. PARKWAY HIGHLIGHTS (Much of this information comes from the official Blue Ridge Parkway map ''GPO:2003-496-196/40572 Reprint 2004'') Highlights in Virginia
Highlights in North Carolina The Blue Ridge Parkway crosses the North Carolina - Virginia state line at mile 216.9. The 1749 party that surveyed the boundary included Peter Jefferson , father of Thomas Jefferson .
CLOSURES Due to serious damage in 2004 from Hurricane Frances , then again by Hurricane Ivan , many areas along the parkway were closed until the spring of 2005 . Almost all of these are now fully open, with two exceptions. Just north of Mount Mitchell, the road was completely washed out during the storms. Although by May 2005 , repair crews managed to open it as a Gravel road, it sunk eight feet (nearly 2.5 meters) again after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Arlene in June . It has since been re-opened. The other closure, just south of Linn Cove and the Linn River extending south to the Bear Den overlook, is closed indefinitely, as the damage at one point is so severe that the road will have to be reconstructed, possibly raising the road onto a new Viaduct to make up for the major loss of ground beneath. Other damage, including the Flood ing of the Visitor Center at the Linn River, has been repaired, and all other facilities are open for the season. PARKWAY PHONE NUMBERS
SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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