Blog

Catch up on the latest news about our efforts to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photo by Vicki Dameron

Steward Story: Growing up on the Blue Ridge Parkway
April 20, 2018
The Blue Ridge Parkway leaves each of us with special memories and a deep connection to the mountains. For Doris Luening, that bond was made when she and her family lived near Mount Mitchell as her father and uncle helped build the Blue Ridge Parkway in the 1930s. Here is her story: Doris Luening was only five years old when she spent a year on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but even today she can direct you straight to the site of the camp that she and her family called home while her father and uncle helped construct the new roadway. 
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Foundation welcomes new officers and trustees
April 14, 2018
We are pleased to announce the election of six new members and a new slate of officers to serve on our board of trustees. At the Foundation’s board meeting in November 2017, Cynthia Evans Tessien of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was elected chair of the board of trustees, taking over for Jack Betts. Betts will continue to serve on the board as past chair. Alfred G. Adams, also of Winston-Salem, was appointed vice chair, while Rebecca Reeve (Asheville, N.C.) and Craig Lancaster (Fletcher, N.C.) were appointed as secretary and treasurer, respectively.
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Remembering the People and History of Rock Castle Gorge
April 2, 2018
Not long after public historian Mike Ryan became an interpretative ranger for the Blue Ridge Parkway in its Plateau District headquartered near Rocky Knob, he was asked if he might develop a program about Rock Castle Gorge a few miles south of the knob. Ryan had hiked the gorge a number of times, had seen the ruins of long-collapsed cabins there and knew that once upon a time, the gorge must have been a growing community of families who somehow coaxed a living from the steep hillside and rocky soil.  
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Blue Ridge Parkway announces 2018 opening dates
March 23, 2018
Cold but dreamy snowfalls punctuated by balmy, hurry-up-and-hike days made for an unpredictable winter on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but according to the calendar (we had to check twice), it’s officially spring. Soon campgrounds, visitor centers, picnic areas, and historical sites will be ready for the influx of travelers. In 2017, more than 16 million came to experience the mountains and the communities along the way.  
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People of the Parkway: Bertha Cone
March 22, 2018
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are highlighting the life and work of Bertha Cone. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, may bear the name of its philanthropist and conservationist founder, but after his untimely death a mere 10 years after the estate’s completion, his widow, Bertha, took up managing its 3,500 acres for nearly 40 years afterward.
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Sprucing Up for Spring at Cone Manor
March 2, 2018
Each spring, Flat Top Manor at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is one of the first sites on the Blue Ridge Parkway to open, thanks to the fine folks who run the Parkway Craft Center. Right now, there is plenty of behind-the-scenes activity at the home in preparation for opening day on March 30.
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Linn Cove Viaduct to close for repaving
February 8, 2018
The National Park Service has announced it will close the Linn Cove Viaduct for repairs this spring. Here is the official release from the Blue Ridge Parkway: Iconic Linn Cove Viaduct to Receive Facelift during Upcoming Closure
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Blue Ridge Parkway announces temporary road closures
December 4, 2017
National Park Service maintenance personnel are conducting boom axe operations in multiple locations along the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors should anticipate intermittent and temporary closures in active work zones. Both lanes of the Parkway will be closed to all activity (cars, bicycles, and hikers) in active work zones to ensure the safety of the maintenance workers as well as Parkway visitors. Closure areas are as follows:
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Double your impact with these Centennial Challenge projects
September 12, 2017
We have big news! Through the Centennial Challenge grant program, Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service are teaming up to meet the rehab needs at key historical sites on the scenic route: Humpback Rocks Farm, Sharp Top Shelter, and Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.
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I Love Craggy Matching Challenge exceeds goal!
September 8, 2017
You did it! Thanks to you, we exceeded the “I Love Craggy” Matching Challenge! You donated $6,195 to match $5,497 from RomanticAsheville.com. That’s a total of $11,692 to repair the Craggy Bald Trail and create new exhibits at the Visitor Center.
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The second annual Denim Ball raises more than $120,000
August 10, 2017
The second annual Denim Ball was a huge success, raising more than $120,000 for the Foundation's rehabilitation efforts at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We had a blast at Chetola Resort with dancing to the music of The Lucky Strikes Orchestra, a silent and live auction, and a denim attire contest. 
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New Beer Buddies: Find Your Pint grows to 30 breweries and one cidery
July 20, 2017
Find Your Pint is back and even bigger! This year, 30 breweries and one cidery are teaming up to raise funds for the Blue Ridge Parkway with special beer releases and events in August and September. For its second year, the series is sweeping up the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville to breweries in the High Country of North Carolina, Virginia, and even Winston-Salem.
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Spend your summer with the kids exploring TRACK Trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway
May 22, 2017
Spring weekends and summer vacation are the perfect time to introduce kids to the outdoors, and we have a great way to do it: TRACK Trails. Our Kids in Parks program is nationwide, but there are nine trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway waiting to be explored. The adventures are easy and fun. Just pick up an activity guide at the trailhead kiosk, and start a trek. After the outing, be sure to register your visit at kidsinparks.com and start collecting free prizes! TRACK Trails along the Parkway
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Showers coming soon to Price Park Campground!
May 18, 2017
The camping experience at Julian Price Park Campground is going to get even better this year with the addition of a new shower facility. Thanks to your support for the project, the new building will open later this summer at the popular campground at milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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