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The Atlas/North Carolina/Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway

469 miles of high-elevation ridge riding from Shenandoah to Great Smoky Mountains.

366 mi
Length
5
Verified stops
5,980 ft
High point
Scenic
Road type
// Mile by mile

What you'll hit along the way.

Rider-verified stops, overlooks, fuel, and the corners worth knowing about — in the order you'll meet them.

Mile 42.9

Mount Pisgah (MP 408)

Highest-elevation lodging on the Parkway, with views back toward the Pink Beds and Cradle of Forestry — a classic mid-route fuel-and-coffee stop.

Mile 69.5

Folk Art Center (MP 382)

Asheville's craft-guild gallery sits right on the parkway — the closest stop to town fuel, restaurants, and lodging.

Mile 86.9

Craggy Gardens (MP 364)

5,500-ft visitor center known for purple rhododendron blooms in June — short loop trail behind the center for stretching the legs.

Mile 95.5

Mount Mitchell access (MP 355)

Spur via NC-128 to the summit of the highest peak east of the Mississippi (6,684 ft) — observation deck, cafe, and a quick out-and-back ride.

Mile 147.5

Linn Cove Viaduct (MP 304)

1,243-foot concrete viaduct hugging the side of Grandfather Mountain — the most photographed section of the entire Parkway.

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Runs are rider-logged & GPS-traced in the app

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// Rider photos

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// Nearby & related
RouteNorth Carolina
7.9/10
Copperhead Loop (US-276 / NC-215 / US-64)
North Carolina
A roughly 77-mile loop from Brevard through Pisgah National Forest, crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway twice and passing waterfalls, swimming holes, and historic forest sites.
59
miles
StopNorth Carolina
Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort
North Carolina
Lodging, food, and the famous Tree of Shame at the south end of the Dragon.
RouteNorth Carolina
6.8/10
Diamondback (NC-226A)
North Carolina
North Carolina Highway 226A, universally known to riders as the Diamondback, is an 11-mile alternate highway dropping from Little Switzerland at 3,475 feet to US-221 near Marion at 1,390 feet, packing more than 190 steep, climbing curves into a short run through the Pisgah National Forest. The first five miles are the tightest — no guardrails, rocky outcroppings, and sheer drop-offs set the tone before the road opens into switchbacks and S-curves leading down to the valley floor. Part of a 38-mile fan-favorite loop that incorporates NC-226, US-221, and a stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the 226A section is the one riders plan the whole trip around. Pavement is smooth and well-marked, and the road is closed to commercial trucks, keeping traffic clean and rider-focused.
91
miles