Blog

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

Photo by Vicki Dameron

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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7 Ways to Show Your Love for the Blue Ridge Parkway
February 10, 2017
There are places you visit just once, and then there is the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s a destination that keeps you coming back time and time again to relive remarkable experiences and discover new adventures. You can help ensure the Parkway remains the place we all love with these easy and meaningful ways to give back.
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Thank you for 20 years of protecting the Blue Ridge Parkway!
January 25, 2017
Happy 20th anniversary! We got here because of you. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation started as a simple idea: Give the people who care deeply for this awe-inspiring park the power to protect and guide its future. Whether you cherished the trails, scenery, ties to mountain history and culture, wildlife, or just the drive itself, we invited you to join our Community of Stewards. The response was overwhelming. Because of your commitment, we have raised more than $12 million for the Blue Ridge Parkway in the last 20 years!
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Kids set a new record on TRACK Trails
January 17, 2017
Kids in Parks had a great 2016, because so many kids ventured out on TRACK Trails for adventures, setting a new record of 2,800 hikes! That equals roughly 230 adventures per month, or more than seven registrations per day!
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Blue Ridge Parkway seeks public input on firewood policy
December 12, 2016
The Blue Ridge Parkway is asking for input on a new firewood policy in line with other neighboring National and State Parks. Here is the park unit's official release: Blue Ridge Parkway officials are seeking public comment regarding a proposed policy to allow only heat-treated firewood that is bundled and bearing a seal from USDA, or a state agency, for use in Parkway camping and picnic areas. Once finalized, this proposed policy change is planned to take effect as the Parkway reopens its facilities for the 2017 visitor season.
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Your Blue Ridge Parkway Holiday Giving List
November 28, 2016
Giving is a great feeling, and when that gift helps protect the Blue Ridge Parkway, it's even better. As the holidays approach, we've got a giving list that will make an impression and an impact.
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A Holiday Recipe from the Blue Ridge Parkway: Pumpkin Cobbler
November 21, 2016
We all have our favorite holiday dishes, whether it's the green bean casserole, a perfect gravy for the mashed potatoes, or a savory stuffing. We might just have another favorite to add to your list: pumpkin cobbler as it once was served at Crabtree Meadows Coffee Shop on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Little Switzerland. The recipe appeared in The Raleigh News & Observer in 1998. Enjoy!
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Designed to Unite Us
November 15, 2016
National Parks are designed to unite us as Americans. And when we at the Foundation talk of the Blue Ridge Parkway, we speak of legacy, protection, and rising generations of caretakers.
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Thanks to all the Find Your Pint breweries!
November 8, 2016
We made a lot of friends at the pub this year—or should we say pubs. To raise a toast to the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation collaborated with 17 breweries in the Asheville area to create the Find Your Pint series. With the Blue Ridge Parkway as their muse, brewers created unique beers named for overlooks, mountains, and other favorite spots on the route.
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