Blue Ridge Parkway road trip planner
469 slow, scenic miles through the Appalachians from Virginia's Shenandoah to the Great Smoky Mountains.
- Distance
- About 470 miles (755 km)
- Time
- 3–5 days
- Best time
- Mid-October for fall color; May–June for wildflowers
Route
- Waynesboro, VA
- Roanoke, VA
- Blowing Rock, NC
- Asheville, NC
- Cherokee, NC
Highlights
- Mabry Mill
- Linn Cove Viaduct
- Mount Mitchell, highest peak east of the Mississippi
- Craggy Gardens
Tips
- The speed limit is 45 mph or lower, so plan fewer miles per day than usual.
- There are no gas stations on the parkway itself — use the Fuel tab to find ones just off it.
Plan the rest in XCRSN
Open the route, then add your vehicle for fuel costs, pick hotels where each driving day ends, and add sights, dog parks and rest areas along the way. Send it to Google or Apple Maps when you're ready to go.
Open this route in XCRSN