Starting at Parkway Mile Marker (MM) 267 and driving to Parkway  Mile Marker 291

MM 291 Exit to Blowing Rock 


Parkway crosses highway 321, exit to Blowing Rock, or proceed to Banner Elk


MM 293  -Plateau Rim 


The westerly side of Blue Ridge Plateau, this view provide a dramatic drop off into a vast expanse of sky, with the village of Blowing Rock Below


MM 293 -Moses Cone Park & Manor       


"The Denim King" Moses H. Cone a textile Magnate made Blowing Rock his home at end of the 19th century. He bought the park area, on Flat Top Mountain, constructed over 25 miles of carriage trails and propagated over one hundred varieties of Apples on the grounds of his estate. Horses are welcome at the park and many an equestrian enthusiast has spent a balmy fall afternoon here with their steed. The trails wind over Rich Mountain, named for the fertile "rich" soil, and Flat Top mountain and pass through virgin forests of giant hemlock and yellow poplar.

The Cone Manor looks over the town of Blowing Rock and the stocked Bass Lake Cone had created to fish in. The home is a masterfully built Queen Anne Style Mansion, which now houses the Southern Highlands Craft Guild's Parkway Craft Center as well as the visitor center.

One thing that impressed me about Moses Cone was he was a self made man who after purchasing vast tracts of land for his estate, befriended the local mountainfolk, inviting them to stay and work the land for their benefit. After his death his wife willed the estate to the National Park service "to be used as a park and pleasuring ground in perpetuity in order to make a lasting memory to Moses H. Cone.


MM 295 -299 Julian Price Park


Julian Price Park offers everything you need for an outdoor fall vacation on the Parkway. At 3,900 acres and boasting a stocked trout lake, canoe rentals, campgrounds, naturalist program, nature walks, rest rooms, amphitheater, picnic area and 25+ miles of hiking trails, If you are going to spend some time out of your car, this is the place to do it.

The reflection of the changing leaves over Price Lake seen from a canoe is awe-inspiring. Price Lake, 47 acres of cool mountain headwaters was a wish of Julian Price and is stocked full of mountain trout for the fisherman, or hikers can enjoy the blue reflective serenity of this cool mountain lake.

Julian Price for whom the park is named, acquired the land in the late thirties with the intention of creating a vacation haven for the employees of Jefferson Standard life Insurance3 Company. His sudden death halted these plans and the lands were donated to the Park Service by Jefferson Standard, as at this time the Parkway was just beginning to be constructed.

Before Price had bought the land, it was part of a vast tract which had been harvested of its timber by the lumber baron, William S. Whitting.

Daniel Boone's nephew, Jesse Boone, built a cabin and homestead here by a stream bearing his name, The Boone Fork which feeds Price Lake.
During the Civil War, close to Boone Fork, on Miray Knob, deserters of both armies piled in here to hide.

Writer and Hiker Randy Johnson names Price Park as his favorite Hike of 5 miles or less, and says this about it: "Price Lake, just south of Blowing Rock, in Julian Price park. It's about 2.5 miles and really is an 'On Golden Pond' kind of experience... lakeshore breezes, great autumn color, views across the lake to high mountain summits. The first part of the trail, about 1.3 miles, has been upgraded to be a disabled capable trail."


MM 298 Tanawha Trail


Tanawha, meaning hawk in Cherokee, is also the Cherokee name for Grandfather Mountain. This trail winds around the eastern side of Grandfather Mountain for 13.5 miles and along seven miles of the Parkway between Julian Price Memorial Park and Beacon Heights. There are several places to get on the Tanawha from parking overlooks along the way. It is a wonderful hike in the fall and there is a different climate that you will find inside the forest canopy covering  the peaceful trail.


MM 298 -305 Grandfather Mountain-


The east side of Grandfather Mountain borders the parkway


MM 299 -Calloway Peak View


Looking south west up the mountain from an elevation of 3,798 ft, you see the highest point of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Grandfather Mountain, Calloway Peak is more than 700 more than a mile high. Composed of two exposed of two rock outcrops known as whalebacks, the outcrops shape part of the "face" of Grandfather Mountain. For a live view of Grandfather Mountain, click here.


MM 300 Boone Fork Parking Area


You can access the Tanawa Trail or the privately owned Grandfather Mountain Trail System (permit required) from this area where the Boone Fork Creek Runs under the Parkway.

Writer and Hiker Randy Johnson recommends this hike as his favorite 5 -10 mile hike.
"The ridge-top hike across Grandfather Mountain. The best way to do this is to have two cars. Park one at the Boone Fork parking area on the parkway. Drive the other to the summit of the mountain - the Swinging Bridge visitor center area. Then hike over the highest peaks, climbing ladders up cliff faces, and look way down on the Swinging Bridge. It's an awesome, eye-popping view -  about a vertical mile elevation drop down to the Piedmont.

"Hike down and off the back side of Grandfather Mountain and you'll be at Boone Fork. Drive the car there back to get your other vehicle.

"Don't want to use two cars? Start at the top, hike over the first major summit and take the loop hike back to your car. It's a shorter walk, but the views are just as amazing."
 

MM 300 Green Mountain Overlook


An elevation of 4,134 leaf provides for leaf looking at it's best.


MM 301 Pilot Ridge Overlook 


This long steep overlook of 4,400 ft extends from the far base of Grandfather Mountain. This view, when looking front left is off the massive Globe, the huge hollow of a valley created by the westerly side of Blue Ridge Plateau, the Yadkin River Valley, and Grandfather, and Linville Mountains. From here you can see the village of Blowing Rock, Bass Lake, and on clear days, Cone Manor on the left.


MM 302 View of Wilson Creek Valley


At an elevation of 4,356, this provides an overhead view of the Northern part of the Pisgah National Forest.


MM 302 Rough Ridge Parking Area


At an elevation of  4,293, a trail leads up over a footbridge to the Tanawha Trail, go north on this section and there is an abundance of fern moss, flowers, trickling springs, and canopy created by the tall majestic trees above. Go south and you come to Rough Ridge, so named for the wind buffet and scrubbiness of the ridge. French explorers Andre and Francois Michaux were in awe by the fertility and proliferation of the vegetation on this mountain which they called "Greatfather".


MM 303 Yonahlossee Overlook 


At an elevation of  4,412 Yonahlossee, meaning bear track or Bear passing in Cherokee is the name of the 15 mile section of 221, which is detailed on the Featured Drives page under Banner Elk. This historic section of what was once a toll road until 1925, this predates the Parkway and traverses Grandfather Mountains south slope.
 

MM 303- Linn Cove Viaduct


Linn Cove Viaduct wraps around grandfather mountain, and is one of the greatest engineering Marvels of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was finished in 1983 and took 20 years of planning, study, consultation, and construction. The Viaduct is an elevated bridge spanning over 1/2  mile long and runs the perimeter of the southeastern side of Grandfather Mountain. Every aspect of the design and construction were designed to protect the craggy beauty of Grandfather Mountain.
Parkway expert William G. Lord describes the viaduct as "Riding the veering graceful curves of the viaduct is like the flight of a soaring hawk. Like Tanawha."

Writer Tim Murphy, describes the experience similarly. "On a clear day, you can see almost all the way to Charlotte (NC). You're looking 50 miles east; it's almost like being up in an airplane. And on your left side you have Grandfather Mountain towering over you."


MM 304 Stack Rock Parking Area 


At an elevation of 4,286 This provides an access to the Tanawha Trail going Northward to Stack Rock. Stack Rock has been used as a landmark for hikers and hunters and gets its name because of the cracks in the rock giving it the appearance of several rocks stack in a chimney-like manner, poking out of the canopy and slopes below.


MM 305 View From Beacon Heights 


A smooth quartzite outcrop sloping out from Grandfather.
Named by Poet A.M. Huger. The Parkway trail can be accessed from this site.

Bibliography - quotes, material, and reference material taken from the following

Looking for more information on taking your vacation in the High Country?
For information regarding accommodations, events, Dining in the High Country and things to do, visit the North Carolina Mountain Vacation guide.