The 469-mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway is often called the most scenic drive in America. Starting near Cherokee, NC, the parkway winds through the beautiful Smokey Mountains and through the Pisgah National Forest, as well as the Shenandoah National Forest, before ending just before Skyline Drive begins in Virginia.
Blue Ridge Parkway is mile after mile of beautiful mountain views, camping opportunities, and outdoor activities. Whether you’re planning a family day trip or a week-long hiking adventure, you can pack your Coleman cooler and enjoy the perfect trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails along the parkway, many of which access larger trail networks, including the Appalachian Trail, the North Carolina Sea Mountain Trail, and the Shining Rock Trail. wilderness. This three-part guide covers hiking trails along the Virginia section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can find a guide to North Carolina hiking trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway here.
MP 5.9 Mountain Farm Trail is an easy quarter-mile self-guided hike through a reconstructed 19th-century Appalachian mountain farm. During the summer months, there are live demonstrations on the farm, recreating life on the farm long ago.
MP 6.0 The Appalachian Trail is a 2,000-mile-long hiking trail that stretches through the eastern mountains from Georgia to Maine. Several sections of the trail can be accessed from the Blue Ridge Parkway. This 2-mile section is a strenuous hike up Humpback Mountain at 3,650 feet above sea level.
MP 8.4 Catoctin Loop Trail is a moderate .3 mile loop trail with beautiful views. This short loop is a great way to stretch your legs if you’re driving down the parkway.
MP 8.8 Greenstone Trail is a short (.2 mile) self-guided trail that winds through shady hardwood forest and examines the amazing rock formations along the parkway. This trail is a moderate hike.
MP 17.6 The Priest is an easy ten mile walk to an incredible view of the religiously named group of mountains looming in the distance.
MP 18.5 White Rock Falls Trail Connection is a moderate 2.9 mile hike to the White Rock Falls Trail.
MP 20.0 White Rock Falls Trail is a moderate hike that continues for .9 miles along a calm creek and ends at a small waterfall.
MP 26.3 Big Spy Mountain Trail is a short (.1 mile) but moderate hike to War Fields, a large meadow known for the many arrowheads found in the ground. At 3,200 feet above sea level, this trail offers a great view of the sky, as well as the beautiful Shenandoah Valley below.
MP 34.4 Yankee Horse Trail is a moderate .2 mile trail that passes a reconstructed railroad exhibit once used for logging in the Virginia mountains and leads to a small waterfall known as Wigwam Falls.
MP 38.8 Boston Knob Trail is an easy tenth-mile loop around the hill near the overlook. This is an ideal walk to stretch your legs after a picnic lunch at the available table.
