Blue Ridge Parkway

Update July 22, 2020 - The U.S. House just passed the Great American Outdoors Act with a vote of 310-107. The bill will provide desperately needed funding for national parks and public lands. It now goes to the President for final approval. With potential passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, our country is on the verge of one of the most important legacy events to support our national parks and public lands in my lifetime. Recently passed by the US Senate on a bipartisan 73-25 vote, the legislation now heads to the House for consideration. 

The Parkway rangers are striving to keep the Blue Ridge Parkway safe while seeing an enormous influx of visitors. If you plan to enjoy the Parkway during this time, please make their job a lot less stressful by following these tips. Avoid the Crowds

For law enforcement rangers, ensuring the safety of millions of visitors along 469 miles of road in two states is no small feat on an ordinary day. Now, they are seeing a large influx of people looking to find comfort in the outdoors during this difficult time.

Dear Friends, As the news about COVID-19 develops, many people are turning to the outdoors to ease their stress and regain a sense of calm. We know that the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the natural places that can provide peace and perspective during these uncertain times.

Ray and Laura Pease shared a love story, and not just with each other. The Blue Ridge Parkway wove its way into their hearts, and became a touchstone in their life together. After discovering the Pisgah Inn during a visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1979, the couple returned each October to explore the Parkway. “Every year we would come and discover new trails and take some of the old trails,” Laura says. They weren’t shy about asking for recommendations for their next hiking or picnic spot. “Being Southerners, we talked to everybody.”

As the sun set on Zealandia on Friday, October 11, guests arrived for an evening of art, jazz, food and drinks, and for an exclusive first chance to view and purchase Blue Ridge Parkway-inspired plein air pieces. The historic mansion on Beaucatcher was the venue for this year’s Of Valley & Ridge: A Scenic Journey Through the Blue Ridge Parkway, an art show benefiting the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and presented by First Citizens Bank. 

Dozens of community members, project donors, and representatives from National Park Foundation and National Park Service joined our staff on October 3 to celebrate the replacement of the old flume at Mabry Mill and installation of new shake roofs on additional historic buildings at the site. 

Do you want to reopen a beloved restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway? Here is your chance! The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, in cooperation with the National Park Service, is looking for a visionary partner to operate The Bluffs Restaurant. Renovations to the restaurant will begin this fall, and the reopening is slated for 2020. The restaurant at milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Sparta, N.C., was a favorite among travelers and locals alike.

By Clay Fleming

With Flat Top Manor as the backdrop, the fourth annual Denim Ball welcomed more than 200 guests on Thursday, August 22. It was the first time the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation hosted the event at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Thanks to our guests, the sold-out event raised more than $200,000 to fund continued restoration efforts at the historic manor! The evening was more than a fundraiser; it was truly a celebration of the community’s deep commitment to this estate listed on the National Register of Historic places.