Blue Ridge Parkway
Exploring Blue Ridge Parkway from roadside views to short hikes.
USA
As we continued our way south we made it to The Blue Ridge Parkway. This road is often referred to as "America's Favorite Drive," and stretches through the stunning landscapes of Virginia and North Carolina.
With steep and windy sections we were fortunate that roadwork had been completed to fix sections damaged by Hurricane Helene. Just prior to our visit the hurricane had dropped up to 30 inches of rain – about four months’ worth – in three days in some areas along the Parkway.
This scenic highway runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, providing breathtaking views of the Appalachian Highlands.
After enjoying a few more of the roadside overlooks we went to the Upper Shamokin Falls trailhead. The trail was well maintained with great signage. The hike was just over 1km but we took our time and Aliya loved climbing on the wood beams and large rock outcrops.
The first trail we took on was called the Humpback Gap Overlook. It was about a 3km long trail with signage stating it would take about 40 minutes to reach the rocks. As we hiked the rain fell on and off. We gained just over 200 meters of elevation as we went up the steep rock steps and reached the viewpoint.
The wispy multi level clouds added to the view as we soaked in the surrounding landscape.
Our next stop was at the Greenstone Overlook. Just beside the small parking area was a short loop trail. The trail hugged a rock wall and then curved around to provide views into the valley.
Our final stop was the 20-Minute Cliff overlook. This spot was named as it served as a timepiece for locals and was said to be 20 minutes to dusk after sunlight hit the rockface.
During our visit it was overcast so we couldn't catch the suns rays hitting the rock, but the foliage was just starting to change colour. The valley hillsides were dotted with spots of yellow and orange.
We only travelled the northern portion of The Blue Ridge Parkway. We found it a very scenic way to travel through part of the state of Virginia and the road provides some great hiking opportunities.
We look forward to visiting again and exploring more of the 469 miles that the road spans. Happy Exploring!
