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.


MM 306 Grandmother Gap


At an elevation of elevation 4,051 The pioneers used this rough trail as a direct route through Grandmother Gap, home to some of the roughest terrain in the Blue Ridge. It connects the Toe River Valley to the Eastern Lowlands. In the Toe River Valley, the trail joins the Yellow Mountain Road, which was a major pioneer artery between Carolina and Tennessee.


MM 306 Grandfather Mountain Overlook

Note- this text is taken directly from Blue Ridge Parkway Guide by William G. Lord, and I would recommend this book to anyone taking a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or coming to the area.
 
Grandfather Mountain represents the climax of the Blue Ridge in Height and grandeur. The long slopes incline to a sharp, jagged crest line of dark, gray rock. The profile of a grandfather is outlined along the summit. His nose is Calloway Peak, 5,938 feet, the high point of the Blue Ridge. The name however, probably comes from a stone face on the high slopes resembling an aged patriarch.
The Grandfather is composed of quartzite, one of the most durable rocks known. The region along the Parkway between mileposts 284 and 317 is largely a quartzite area surrounded by an older rock formation. Geologists tell us that a great mass of this older rock overrode the quartzite during a period of gradual but tremendous earth movement millions of years ago. It has since been eroded away by time and the elements, revealing the quartzite. The durability of this rock is a principle reason for the towering height of the Grandfather.


MM 307 Grandmother Mountain Parking Area


At an elevation of elevation 4,063 Grandmother Mountain lies directly on Grandfather Mountain, and gets its name from the patriarchal mountain as well. The parking lot is on the western side of the mountain and is home to a dense canopy of Rosebay Rhododendron. The canopy is so thick that only a few small wildflowers grow on the mossy floor.


MM 308 Flat Rock Parking Area


 At an elevation of  3,987 this area is similar to Beacon Heights as it is a quartzite outcropping. There is a self guided nature trail with an abundance of wild flowers and tall trees. From the outcrop you can look out over the Linville River Valley and see the Linville Golf Course and Lake Kawahna. The Tweetsie Railroad once ran through this valley, where passengers saw the crest of Grandfather on the right, just as one does today.


MM 310 View of The Lost Cove Cliffs


 At an elevation of 3,812 Lost cove meaning isolated inlet extending deep into the mountains. This particular cove lies beneath a great cliff. From here you get a good view of the phenomenon known as the Brown Mountain Lights. These lights appear at night and flicker in and out, on and off. The lights come from Brown mountain which itself cannot be seen.
There are different explanations for the lights, but no clear reason for their existence.


MM 315 Camp Creek Parking Area


At an elevation of 3,443 Part of the Pisgah National Forest, and named for the Camp Brothers from Chicago who logged the area. Camp Creek runs to Linville Gorge, after following the Parkway for a couple of miles. There is a nice trail here with rhododendron and tall hardwoods.


MM 316 Linville Falls Recreation Area

This is home to the Grand Canyon of the east, Linville Gorge. The Linville River flows 2,00 feet below Linville, Hawksbill, Table Rock and Jonas Ridge Mountains. The river flows through the gorge for twelve miles, until reaching the Catawba River Valley where the gorge melds into the lowlands. One of the best hiking trails in the area is located here, ascending into the gorge. The famous Linville Falls are located here and the gorge is filled with towering old growth trees that were inaccessible to lumberjacks. The gorge also boasts a wide variety of native plant life. If you like spectacular views or hiking, this stop is a must.

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