Blue Ridge Parkway
Scenic roadway through the Appalachian Mountains
Latest stories
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NPS says animal rescue groups can work with them to catch stray dogs on Blue Ridge Parkway
The dogs -- one brown and one white -- have been spotted along the parkway in western North Carolina since at least March.
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A year after Hurricane Helene, tourists returned to Blue Ridge Parkway for fall leaf-peeping season
The Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina experienced a significant increase in tourism in October 2025 compared to the year before.
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Blue Ridge Parkway: How to visit and what you can do
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic route that runs 469 miles through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties.
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Government shutdown could impact Blue Ridge tourism
Amid the government shutdown, the National Park Service said that they will continue to keep parks as accessible as possible during the lapse in appropriations. Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park took to Facebook sharing which areas of the park are closed.
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'Improvised incendiary device' removed from Blue Ridge Parkway, park rangers say
According to the National Parks Service, rangers and agents from the Asheville Police Department’s bomb squad, FBI and SBI responded to reports of a suspicious item found in a dirt pull-off around 11:45 p.m. Sunday on the Blue Ridge Parkway near the intersection to the Folk Art Center.
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Blue Ridge Parkway hiker’s death raises concerns over ranger staffing
A hiker’s death on the Blue Ridge Parkway is renewing concerns about trail safety and staffing as visitation climbs and the National Park Service faces budget and personnel cuts.
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Firefighters make progress on containing some Carolina wildfires, but others grow
Firefighters announced progress Wednesday night on containing two of the largest wildfires burning in the North Carolina mountains, but they warned that fire danger remained from dry and windy conditions.
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Helene healing: 310 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway restored, Asheville parks reopen
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has announced that one lane of traffic will be open in each direction on I-40 near Pigeon River Gorge by New Year's Day.
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Parts of Blue Ridge Parkway, Grandfather Mountain reopen
WRAL reporter Monica Casey shows you what you need to know if you're heading to the high country.
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Have you seen these Hollywood movies filmed in North Carolina?
From "Bull Durham" to Academy Award-winning dramas, the state has played host to multiple films based on fact and fiction.
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8 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway closed after guests try to hold bears
National Park Service officials are closing an 8-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville.
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Fall color 2023: Here's when and where to see leaves change in NC
Fall has officially begun, which means signs of fall will start to appear soon. Depending on where you are in the state, you might see these signs sooner than others.
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Hiker dies after falling from Blue Ridge Parkway overlook in NC
A woman died after falling off a cliff on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina this weekend.
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New federal plan could open parts of western NC forests to logging
North Carolina's Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are among the most visited in the country. The future of roughly half of the combined forests is now in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service after eight years of arguments about its highest and best use.
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Facing opposition, feds shape future for popular NC forestland
North Carolina's Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are among the most visited in the country. The future of roughly half of the combined forests is now in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service after eight years of arguments about its highest and best use.
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The Orchard at Altapass: 'The closest you will get to heaven before you get to heaven'
When sibling duo Kit Trubey and Bill Carson heard their childhood happy place was being sold for development, they acted fast to preserve the land and keep its many traditions alive. Since buying The Orchard at Altapass in 1994, Kit has considered it her personal slice of heaven, tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Bryan Mims shares the fall splendor on the Blue Ridge Parkway
It happens every year, right about now. A great blaze of color sweeps across North Carolina, firing up in the mountains and flowing toward the sea -- and it's the most spectacular along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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Good news: Fall colors will be brighter than normal this year
AccuWeather released it's Fall 2021 foliage report, and there's good news. The best fall colors will be in areas that have short days, bright skies and cool nights. Areas that are more cloudy and wet could have foliage that is not as bright.
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Slinging in the Smokies
Rev up your engines to enjoy fresh mountain air and peaceful vistas. Find out how you can explore the mountains in a Polaris Slingshot.
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Blue Ridge Parkway most visited park in the US in 2020
The Blue Ridge Parkway was the most popular park in 2020, with more than 14 million visits thoughout the year, accoding to the National Park Serivce.
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Pay a virtual visit to the Blue Ridge Parkway, where fall colors are bright
It is peak leaf peeping time along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Even if you can't make the trip in person, this look at fall color will soothe the soul.
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One person shot in attempted burglary on Blue Ridge Parkway
Someone was shot Friday morning on the Blue Ridge Parkway, WYFF reports.
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Mountain road trip ideas: Waterfalls and mountain picnics
The coronavirus has changed a lot of summer vacation plans. But you can still enjoy a trip to the mountains and maintain social distance.
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TOM EARNHARDT: Our intertwined, interdependent communities
Sunday, June 7, 2020 -- We are one community, on one small patch of earth, and we depend on each other. I do not know the farmer who provides my milk and cheese and do not know if he looks like me, but I depend on him. When I arrive at RDU Airport to begin a journey, I do not know if the pilot of the airplane will be of Asian, African, or European descent, but I depend on her. The doctors, nurses, and technicians who care for me when I am ill, represent the spectrum of ethnicities and religions. I depend on them.
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TOM EARNHARDT: Remembering N.C. nature stewards; the unspoiled legacy they left us
Sunday, May 10, 2020 -- The work of untold numbers of people over the past weeks has reminded me of the "stewards of the land" that I have most admired. Stewards come in every age, ethnicity and are found in every profession. There are professional stewards and volunteers. Farmers are generally good stewards of the land, but you do not have to be a farmer or landowner to be a good steward. I think of the countless park rangers, teachers, employees of natural science museums and individuals who work for conservation organizations.
