Black bears are among the many mammals found across the Blue Ridge Parkway.
A Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special.
NC/VA - National Park Service officials are monitoring forecasts for the upcoming winter storm and preparing for a range of potential impacts across the Blue Ridge Parkway. Based on current forecasts, park visitors can expect closures parkwide beginning the evening of Friday, January 23, 2026. Park visitors and neighbors should expect closed gates, as well as barricades in ungated sections.
On September 15, the National Park Service announced completion of two landslide repair projects located at milepost 375 and 380 and reopened a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 382, in Asheville, NC, to milepost 355.3 at the Ridge Junction Overlook, near NC 80 and the entrance to Mount Mitchell State Park.
LAUREL SPRINGS, NC – On September 9, the National Park Service reopened seven miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 241.1, just south of Doughton Park and The Bluffs restaurant, to milepost 248.1, at NC 18 near Laurel Springs. Opening this road section signifies the completion of another section in a 75-mile road reconstruction project underway in northwest North Carolina.
A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 63.5 to 63.9 will close on or around September 9, for a significant rehabilitation of the multi-level James River Bridge at milepost 63.7. Planned repairs include bridge deck rehabilitation, new asphalt overlay on the bridge, bridge bearing replacement, as well as parking area repairs and rehabilitation. The work is expected to be complete by Fall of 2026.