Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I will be visiting charlotte for a weekend and one of the days I plan to do the blue ridge parkway. Any recommendations on the best route from charlotte to the parkway and then back to charlotte?
Not sure how far I'll go I saw that I could get on in Asheville and take it down as far as I like and then assuming I can get off and head back to charlotte but any better ideas would be welcomed! Thank you!
"Best" depends on lots of factors. One route would be to take I-85/Hwy. 74/I-26 to just south of Asheville, and get off at exit 36 to access the Parkway. Then proceed south on the parkway to Hwy. 276. Take that back to Hwy. 64 and return to I-26 at Hendersonville. That would be at least a 5-6 hour trip total without stops, and wouldn't give you a lot of miles on the Parkway, although the drive down Hwy. 276 is pretty scenic too, but without the grand vistas of the Parkway. You could extend the Parkway miles by staying on it until Hwy. 215, then going south back to Hwy. 64 and back to Hendersonville as before. That would add at least an hour, probably 2 hours, to the trip.
Another route would be I-85/Hwy. 74/I-26, but then north on the Parkway to Hwy. 80, then Hwy. 70, Hwy. 221 back to I-40, then pick up 321 at Hickory back to I-85. I'm guessing that's about 6-7 hours as well, maybe more.
The scenery and views are much more dramatic and beautiful south of Asheville.
The Parkway speed limit is 45 mph, and it IS enforced, not to mention that its dangerous to go faster.
Well, you can drive 2 hours to the Asheville area to catch it, or drive 2 hours north to Blowing Rock to catch it.
I'd suggest going north to Blowing Rock, then driving south on the Blue Ridge Parkway driving on the Linn Cove Viaduct(Google it, it's amazing). Maybe even make a stop at nearby Grandfather Mountain State Park. Then you can either head back north to Blowing Rock (back the way you came) or you head south on the BRP , getting off the BRP in the Jonas Ridge area, then down to Morganton where you can get on 40 and head back towards Charlotte.
You'd be looking at about 5 hours or so on the road total, with 40-60 minutes on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Throwing another suggestion into the ring...go north up 77 to 21 and over to Sparta to get on the BRP there and take it over to Blowing Rock, grab some lunch/dinner and head back to Charlotte via 321. Easy drive and not a terribly long day but get to see a lot. Could actually swing by Stone Mountain state park before going up to Sparta and check it out since it's right there too.
If you're in for a full day trip, I'd leave around 9:30 and drive out to Asheville (I-85 to I-26)...grab an early lunch at a shopping center called "Biltmore Park Town Square", and pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway just a couple miles from there, then you have two choices. South has more higher elevation views...North has more trees.
South: Drive for ~2-3 hours on the Parkway out to Rt 74, take Rt 74 North to I-40 East back to I-26 South & I-85 North (~2.5-3 hours back)...grabbing dinner somewhere along the way back (we like Fatz Cafe...Southern Applebees ). There's a few nice trails along the way on the Parkway and lots of stops for overlooks with nice views. We like Devil's Courthouse Trail...mile marker 422 roughly midway to Rt 74...strenuous but wide walking path up to nice overlook. Sometimes when the clouds & fog roll in it's pretty cool to look down on them).
North: Not as familiar with this way. Drive for an hour or two north to Linville Falls. Walk around there for an hour or two...easy walking trails with nice views of waterfalls. Go to Linville Caverns nearby if you desire. Take Rt 181 South to Rt 40 East to Rt 321 South to Rt 85 North (or take 40 East to 77 South if you're staying North of the city).
If you're in for a full day trip, I'd leave around 9:30 and drive out to Asheville (I-85 to I-26)...grab an early lunch at a shopping center called "Biltmore Park Town Square", and pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway just a couple miles from there, then you have two choices. South has more higher elevation views...North has more trees.
South: Drive for ~2-3 hours on the Parkway out to Rt 74, take Rt 74 North to I-40 East back to I-26 South & I-85 North (~2.5-3 hours back)...grabbing dinner somewhere along the way back (we like Fatz Cafe...Southern Applebees ). There's a few nice trails along the way on the Parkway and lots of stops for overlooks with nice views. We like Devil's Courthouse Trail...mile marker 422 roughly midway to Rt 74...strenuous but wide walking path up to nice overlook. Sometimes when the clouds & fog roll in it's pretty cool to look down on them).
North: Not as familiar with this way. Drive for an hour or two north to Linville Falls. Walk around there for an hour or two...easy walking trails with nice views of waterfalls. Go to Linville Caverns nearby if you desire. Take Rt 181 South to Rt 40 East to Rt 321 South to Rt 85 North (or take 40 East to 77 South if you're staying North of the city).
North would also be Craggy Gardens, Mt. Mitchell (the highest point in East of the Mississippi), you would also travel through the Pisgah National Forest
Do Blowing Rock to Asheville. 321 is a lot better since they improved it to 4 lanes, but I-40 or I-26 is still probably easier to come down. 40 has a really steep section around Asheville, too, but it's 6 lanes, 3 in each direction so easy to get around slow trucks, and not be in the super fast lane.
The section of the parkway from Blowing Rock to Asheville is fantastic — Moses Cone park, Grandfather Mountain, Linn Cove Viaduct, Rough Ridge, Beacon Heights, Linville Falls, the Orchard at Altapass, Craggy Gardens, Mount Mitchell, and tons more.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
