In Cherokee, NC

In Cherokee, NC


Yes, the Blue Ridge Parkway ends in an area that is rich with history, but it also has many “tourist traps”. We avoided the souvenir shops, etc and found some interesting things to do—even on a rainy day. Here are a few suggestions:

Head into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and enjoy a day hike.

Visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian (fee)

Visit the Qualla Arts and Crafts Center. They are open daily and it is free. We found the center very interesting and there are also Indian crafts for sale at the center.

Go trout fishing. Go by the Visitors Center and pick up a brochure about trout fishing in Cherokee. We saw many families enjoying this fun activity.

During the Summer, you can attend the outdoor drama, “Unto These Hills”. This tells the story of the Cherokee Indians. The season for the outdoor drama runs mid June through the end of August. Reserve your tickets early at http://www.cherokee-nc.com/ Also in the Summer, you can visit the Oconaluftee Indian Village (fee) The village is open from early May through mid October.

Of course, there are many other activities, including the popular Harrah’s Casino and Hotel.

Milepost 440 to the Parkway End

Milepost 440 to the Parkway End

We woke up early and were back on the Parkway by 8AM. It is only a short drive to the end of the Parkway in Cherokee, NC. We stopped many times along the way to take photos at scenic overlooks. We enjoyed the Waterrock Knob area at milepost 451.

We arrived in Cherokee by mid morning and stopped to take a photo of the last mile marker. The end of the Parkway is in the Cherokee Indian Reservation and at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We stopped at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center and picked up information about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The best value at the Visitors Center was the $5 Introduction Kit. This kit has ample information about the National Park including hiking trails and auto tours. We will spend a few days exploring the park before heading home on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

When you stop at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center, just inside the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, be sure to take a walk on the River Trail. It is a 1.5 mile trail in each direction for a total of 3 miles to and from your car. This trail is next to the Oconaluftee River and wildflowers were abundant in late April. The trail actually goes under the last bridge of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bring your camera for many photo opportunities.

Later in the day, we drove into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and visited Clingmans Dome. There is a half mile hike to the observation deck. This is a paved walkway with benches along the way. Be warned that this trail is steep, but the views are worth the effort.

We also drove to Gatlinburg, TN on the other side of the National Park but found this area to be too touristy. We quickly returned to Cherokee.

We had a BBQ dinner at Brushy Mountain Smokehouse and Creamery. They had a nice buffet with their famous pulled pork BBQ. It was a nice dinner for $10 each.

Milepost 177 to Milepost 440

Milepost 177 to Milepost 440

We planned this long day on the Parkway due to weather and an incoming rain storm. I would divide this day into two days to provide more time to enjoy the Parkway and additional stops.

It is time to mention that if you are visiting the Parkway in early Spring, be prepared for a variety of temperatures. We experienced temperatures from the low 30’s to the mid 70’s on this trip. When we awoke in Meadows of Dan, it was in the low 30’s with frost on the ground.

We decided that we needed some hot coffee and visited Eatons Way for a hot breakfast and hot coffee. (Located in Meadows of Dan) We recommend this restaurant. The breakfast was good and the prices were low. They also make their own apple and cherry turn-overs with a honey glaze. Pick up a few for later in the day. (They open at 7AM, and we were their first customers)

At milepost 213, you will pass the Blue Ridge Music Center. It is open June-September and has a regular schedule of blue grass music.

At milepost 216, we crossed over into North Carolina. Both sides of the Parkway were still lined with Rhododendron. It was still early in the morning and we had a long day with many stops planned.

At milepost 238.5, we passed Doughton Park. This is a 7000 acre area with a campground (MP 239), 30 miles of hiking trails and restored mountain cabins to visit. We have placed this on our list to visit during camping season in the future. We noticed many well-marked hiking trails in the area.

At Milepost 294, we stopped at the Moses Code Memorial Park. This is an area for most RVs will not be able to enter. We had no problems with a 12 ft trailer but the park was not crowded. We think that the stop would have been difficult with our trailer if the park had been busy. We visited the Arts and Crafts center and saw many beautiful pieces. Enjoy the views. There are walking trails as well as horseback riding. We did not see any food or beverage for sale in April. Plan ahead and bring a picnic or snacks to enjoy in this park.

At milepost 304, pay attention as you drive over the Linn Cove Viaduct. This viaduct was built to preserve the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. We left the Parkway at milepost 305 to visit Grandfather Mountain.

Grandfather Mountain is worth a visit, if you plan ahead. The entrance fee for adults is $15 each. So, plan to spend some time in the area enjoying everything there is to see. RV’s are not allowed in the park as the roads and steep with cut-backs. Since our Scotty Travel Trailer is very small, they let us leave the trailer in the small parking area at the entrance. This parking area is really not made for RVs. If your RV is large, do not expect to be allowed to leave it at the entrance to the park.

In the Grandfather Mountain Park we drove directly to the top and parked the Jeep. We walked over the mile-high swinging bridge to the peak. If you don’t like heights, I don’t suggest crossing the bridge. It was a beautiful day, and the views were awesome. We took many photos before finding a picnic table in the park for lunch. We did not visit the park’s museum or wildlife area. It was a long day of Parkway driving and we had to get back on the road. If you are traveling with kids, be sure to plan to spend several hours in this park.

At this point, I need to mention that there were several road detours in this area. On several occasions, we had to leave the Parkway. One detour was over 25 miles and took us through Asheville, NC. Unfortunately, we missed the highest peak on the Parkway just beyond milepost 430. This detour also caused us to miss several other stops and overlooks that we had on our list to visit.

We made it to Balsam, NC by late afternoon (near milepost 440) We stayed at the Moonshine Creek spot directly on the creek. This campground sits between two mountains and is quite pretty. They also let us leave the Scotty Trailer for a few days as we make our way to the end of the Parkway. We used our new Dutch Oven for the first time to make a Mexican casserole for dinner.

Milepost 0 to Milepost 177

Milepost 0 to Milepost 177 on the Blue Ridge Parkway

To plan this Blue Ridge Parkway vacation, we used the “Blue Ridge Parkway Directory and Travel Planner”. We used this free book to plan the vacation, reserve campsites and as a directory while driving on the Parkway. You can order this free publication at http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/.

We started at Milepost 0 in Afton, VA on a sunny morning at 9AM. Our goal for this day was to reach Milepost 177 at Meadows of Dan by late afternoon. We are driving our Jeep and pulling a 1980 twelve foot Scotty Travel Trailer. A small travel trailer has a few advantages—including being able to take the travel trailer to some areas where RVs are either not allowed or would be cumbersome.

After taking a photo of the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, we were on our way south. Since we live in Nelson County, we have visited many of the parkway overlooks, hiking trails and attractions within the first 60 miles.

Some of our favorite stops include the Humpback Rocks area from milepost 5 to milepost 9.3. There is a Visitors Center and a mountain farm exhibit at mile post 5.8. There is also the very popular Humpback Rocks hiking trail at milepost 5.8

We passed milepost 13.5, which is near our home in Beech Grove. If you like to hike the Appalachian Trail, Reeds Gap is the perfect place to park to hike on the trail.

Mile post 27 is at Tye River Gap. If you go East on Route 56, you will soon arrive in the small community of Montebello and on to Crabtree Falls. Crabtree Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi.

We passed one of our favorite camping areas at milepost 60.8, Otter Creek. Otter Creek is open from May to the end of October. There is also a craft and gift shop as well as a restaurant with a view of the creek.

Our first stop was at milepost 63.7 where there is a Visitors Center by the James River. Take your camera on the self-guided nature trail along the James River. We stopped and took several photos. Also ran into a Park Ranger that we met last Summer camping at Otter Creek. There is a nice picnic area with ample parking at this location.

For lunch, we stopped at milepost 86 and Peaks of Otter. We had a nice lunch in the lodge with a great view. They also have a nice gift shop in the lodge. You can walk to the top of the peak or ride a bus from the Visitors Center to the top of the Peaks of Otter. If you are looking for a mountain retreat, consider staying at the Peaks of Otter Lodge or in their campground that is open May through October. Take a walk around the lake for some great photos.

At milepost 120.4, be sure to take the Roanoke Mountain Loop Road. This is a 4 mile one way loop around the mountain. RVs are not allowed on this loop; so, we skipped this scenic loop for this trip. I have driven this loop before and it is worth the trip. Even if you are traveling with an RV, be sure to stop at milepost 129.6 for a great view of the Roanoke Valley.

We drove past Rocky Knob near milepost 170. The campground will be open in May. Rocky Knob is a 4,800 acre area with a campground, visitor center at milepost 169, and 15 miles of hiking trails including the Rock Castle George National Recreational Trail. Bill spent a lot of childhood time visiting Rocky Knob and highly suggests a stop and camping in the area. If you are visiting the Parkway from May to October, consider at stop here.

The Chateau Morrisette Wintery is at milepost 171.5. They provide year-round tours and a gift shop. There is a restaurant open for lunch and dinner. Visit their web site at http://www.thedogs.com/ One of our favorites is the Blue Dog.

We stopped by the very popular Mabry Mill at milepost 176. This is one of the most popular places on the Blue Ridge Parkway. May through the end of October, the restaurant is open and serves some great buckwheat pancakes. (arrive early or be prepared to wait for a pancake breakfast) Cultural demonstrations are also offered from May through early Fall. Be sure to take a picture of the mill as it is one of the most photographed spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We noticed that both sides of the Parkway are lined with Rhododendron. Those will provide a sea of pink blooms in late Spring.

We pulled into the Meadows of Dan Campground around 4PM and began setting up our Scotty Travel Trailer and making dinner. This campground has roughly 35 campsites. It was very quiet with only 4 campers in the campground. This campground is convenient to the Blue Ridge Parkway and has a very clean bath house. (one of the best that we have seen) This site is very quiet—not for those looking for game rooms and play grounds.

The community of Meadows of Dan has several shops including a market where you can pick up any supplies, including ice.

Crabtree Falls Hike

4/13: Cloudy, Cool and Rain Today in Nelson County. We are waking up to clouds and cooler temps this morning. Expect rain in the PM. Today’s highs will be in the lower 50’s in the valley and only in the mid-40’s in the mountains. For the full, local weather report, visit www.NelsonCountyLife.com

Spring Watch:
Devil’s Knob Golf: Opens April 17th
Stoney Creek Golf: Open year-round
Earth Day: April 22
Trillium Flowers: Bloom in early-May (pink flower at top of blog page)
Wildflower Symposium in Wintergreen: May 15-17
Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center: Open at the end of May

The Blue Ridge Parkway: Visit my Blue Ridge Parkway Blog at www.ExperienceBlueRidgeParkway.blogspot.com Follow us on a 10 day End-2-End Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway later this month.

Questions, Answers, Updates & Requests

Send your questions, updates and requests to kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com I love receiving your emails and posting information to the daily blog!

Real Estate Today: Pick Up Real Estate Flyers in the Mountain Inn. Visit the entry kiosk in the Mountain Inn Lodge to pick up real estate listing flyers or visit the Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties office just inside the Mountain Inn. We are the official real estate office of Wintergreen Resort and are open seven days a week.

Q: How far is Crabtree Falls from Wintergreen Resort?
A: Crabtree Falls is approximately a 30 minute drive on mountain roads---but well worth the drive. It is a great hike and picnic area.
Crabtree Falls Hike

Special Note about Crabtree Falls: You should not visit Crabtree Falls unless you are committed to Staying on the trail. Over the years, we have had 24 hikers slip and fall to their deaths, including a hiker last year. All of these hikers had left the trail and were trying to climb on the moss-covered rocks and waterfall. The rocks are covered with a black moss/algae that is extremely slick. This is also not the place to consume alcoholic beverages. The trails are well maintained and provide some wonderful views and photo opportunities of the falls. There is no need to leave these trails to risk life.

That said, Crabtree Falls is one of my favorite areas around Nelson County. It is also one of the most photographed places in the county. It is beautiful any season. If you are visiting Central-Virginia, Crabtree Falls is a must-see.
Crabtree Falls is on Rt. 56 in Nelson County. You can reach Rt. 56W from either Rt. 151 or the Blue Ridge Parkway. On the average, twenty-two thousand visitors walk the Crabtree Falls trail each year. There is paved parking available ($3 fee) There are no vendors for snacks, water or any beverages. I always suggest that you bring a day pack with snacks and water.

Some consider Crabtree Falls to be the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. It is the highest waterfall in Virginia. The falls consist of five waterfalls (and many smaller ones) on Crabtree Creek. Within a half mile the creek drops over 1200 feet. The land is part of the George Washington National Forest. The trail is well developed with wooden stairs, gravel paths, and railed overlooks. A few years ago, I was walking this trail a few times a week, and I am only a moderate hiker.

The trail is 1.5 miles to the highest waterfall overlook (3 miles round trip) or you can go 3 miles to Crabtree Meadows (6 miles round trip). The first observation deck is only 700 ft past the parking lot and is the perfect place for photographs if you do not want to climb the trial.

There are benches a long the way if you need to take a break. Take your time and you will be rewarded with some great views and mountain scenes.

Past the first overlook, the trail becomes gravel. There are nine switch-backs on the way up to the highest fall. At the top of the highest fall, there is an observation deck with an amazing view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Along the trail, you will see only hemlock, yellow birch, striped maple and American elm.

As a side note, the Appalachian Trail can be reached from a .5 mile side trail out of Crabtree Meadows. Crabtree Meadows is an open area with apple trees. It is a National Forest primitive campsite with water.

When visiting Crabtree Falls, remember you camera.

I hope to see you in beautiful Nelson County soon…

Kim Chappell is a graduate from the Realtor Institute and is an agent with Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties, the official real estate office of Wintergreen Resort. Kim also lists and sells property in beautiful Nelson County. Contact Kim Chappell at kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com or 434-238-2430. The Free Daily Blog is posted on both www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com and www.ExperienceWintergreen.com

Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County

Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through Nelson County. The Parkway has milepost markers at each mile along the drive. Many of the activities are described by the milepost markers. Today, we are going to explore the Parkway from milepost 5.8 to milepost 8.8.

Humpback Rocks at milepost 5.8 includes a replica of an Appalachian mountain farm. European settlers came to the Blue Ridge Mountains and settled near Humpback Rocks. Many self-sufficient farms sprang up in this area. Today, visitors can see a collection of 19th Century farm buildings that were moved to this park. The park is open year-round with the buildings open in the Summer months. The area also has a visitor’s center.

The visitor’s center has a small museum that shows life in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the mountains of Nelson County. This is a location that the whole family will find interesting. During the Summer months, park rangers dress in period clothing and demonstrate period crafts and skills.

There is a picnic area with 91 sites at milepost 8.5. Tables are scattered around nearby overlooks.

Hiking Trails: At milepost 6.0, you have the choice of an easy trail or a strenuous trail hike up Humpback Mountain. There is also access to the Appalachian Trail at this milepost. At milepost 8.8, there is a self-guided nature trail at the Greenstone Parking Overlook.

Make sure that you visit the Blue Ridge Parkway when in Nelson County. I hope to see you there…

Camping in Nelson County near BRP

Camping in Nelson County & Along Blue Ridge Parkway

Crabtree Falls Campground: This campground is just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway and is near Crabtree Falls. (Check out my other blogs for more information about the Blue Ridge Parkway) The campground is also on the Tye River, which adds to the ambiance. There are options for tent, RV or cabin camping. There is also a camp store, a heated bath house, washer and dryers and a rec room. This campground is open year-round. We suggest reservations by calling 540-377-2066.

Montebello Camping and Fishing Resort: This resort is very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and offers many amenities for the entire family. (on RT. 56, just 3.5 miles from the Parkway) They have everything from tent camping to full hook-up. Cabins are also available for rental year-round. They have fishing, swimming in a 4 acre lake, paddle boating and hiking on the nearby Appalachian Trail. Call 540-377-2650 for information and reservations.

Otter Creek Campground: Not in Nelson County but a quick drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is directly on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile post 60.8. I want to mention this campground as I spent many long weekends in this campground as a kid, and it is still one of my favorite. It has tent camping as well as RV hookups. (45 tent and 24 RV sites) There is hiking, lakes, scenic drives and many other family activities. The entire campground is shaded and along Otter Creek. There is a nice restaurant at this location that serves some amazing buttermilk pancakes with blueberries. (when in season) Dogs are allowed, with no additional pet fee. This campground is open from early May through the Fall. Call for additional information: 434-299 5941

Tomorrow’s blog will be about some great deals in Wintergreen Resort for Spring visits. For additional information about Nelson County or Wintergreen Resort, visit www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com

Biking on BRP in Nelson County

Bike Riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway

After last week’s post on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I received several questions about riding bicycles on the Parkway. Yes, you can ride bicycles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Below are two Parkway day rides:

Blue Ridge Parkway LoopsEnjoy views from any of several scenic overlooks along the parkway. The 22-mile ride begins at Royal Oaks Cabins in Love (Milepost 16) and goes south to Tye River Gap and back. For the 40-mile ride described in the cue sheet below, begin at the same point, but head north to Milepost 0 at Afton Mountain. At this point, take the optional loop through the small hamlet of Afton, home of the legendary Cookie Lady, a weary cyclist's best friend.

0.0 - R Route 8140.2 -
L Blue Ridge Parkway (scenic overlooks into Shenandoah and Rockfish Valleys)16.2 -
L on exit to reach Route 250 East16.3 -
R Route 250 East (Rockfish Gap Tourist Information, long downhill, country store)19.1 -
R Route 750 (Bike Centennial's Route 76)20.9 -
R Route 6 in Afton (home of the legendary Cookie Lady on your right, just across railroad bridge) Head back up Route 6 22.3 -
L Route 250 (watch traffic)23.5 -
R on ramp to Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park23.6 -
L on Blue Ridge Parkway39.6 -
R Route 81439.8 - Return to Royal Oaks

For Mountain Bikes:
0.0 - From milepost 16 Blue Ridge Parkway - cross the Parkway onto Route 814
Right onto Route 56 to North Fork - follow it back to the Parkway Right onto the Parkway back to milepost 16

Both of these routes are from the Nelson County Visitor’s Center, and I will be posting additional routes in coming months.

Spring on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway in the Spring

Many of my posts come from questions from my clients. I have been receiving a lot of questions about the Blue Ridge Parkway. Below is some general information about the Parkway in the Spring. I will be posting again about the Parkway in late Spring in a series of posts about Day Trips from Nelson County. For complete information about the Parkway, check out www.BlueRidgeParkway.org. This is a great website with much information. If you are planning a summer vacation to the Blue Ridge Mountains, this web site can help you plan many days of adventure.

The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the Appalachian Mountains and follows through Nelson County. One personal comment is that I never advise visitors to drive on the Parkway at night. Since there are no street lights, it is very dark and some areas do not have cell phone coverage. Population is very sparse. It is very easy to miss a turn if needing to exit, etc. Along the Parkway, each mile is marked with a “mile-marker”. The first marker at the zero milepost is at Rockfish Gap, immediately south of the Shenandoah National Park. So, if you are joining the Parkway from Nelson County, you are starting near the beginning of the Parkway in the low mile marker numbers.

The Parkway makes for an interesting drive in Spring as you can watch the trees, wildflowers and wildlife awake for another season. More than 100 types of birds can be seen during the Spring migration season. Many trees will have showy blooms in Virginia, starting in April. One of my favorite areas of the Parkway in Virginia is the Otter Creek area. (more in my blog in April about this area) In mid-May in the Otter Creek area, you can see another one of my favorites, the Mountain Laurel blooms.

Here is a brief guide to seeing Spring wildflowers on the Parkway near Nelson County:

Buttercups are common along the side of the road and Tulip Poplar are common in low woods

Golden Groundsel can be found at mile marker 29.1 in April and May

Rhododendron can be found at mile marker 4 in April and May and Phlox in May

Redbud can be found between markers 54-68

False Soloman’s Seal can be found along the roadside

The Virginia Dogwood can be found at marker 6 in May

Check out the web site for a complete guide to Spring wildflowers along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge Parkway History

Blue Ridge Parkway History

I have an old home movie from the mid 1960’s of my parents and grandparents visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since they grew up in the region, they were very proud of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The old movie shows a few stops at scenic overlooks and can make you dizzy to watch as my Dad was holding the camera as they drove along.

Yesterday, I picked up the book, Building The Blue Ridge Parkway by Karen Hall and Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Inc. It is a great collection of over 200 photos of the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The next time you are driving along the Parkway, take some time to marvel at the construction of the actual road, bridges and tunnels.

Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway started in September of 1935 and was not complete until 1987. The Parkway is the longest scenic highway in the United States and driven by more than 20 million visitors a year. Nationally, it is the most visited park. The Parkway is 469 miles starting in the Shenandoah National Park and going to the Great Smokey Mountains. Each mile of the Blue Ridge Parkway is marked with a milepost.

As part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway provided jobs throughout the region and in Nelson County.

Plans for the Blue Ridge Parkway began in 1909 and the first section was to be called the Appalachian Scenic Highway. Contractors did most of the work on the actual road, and the Civilian Conservation Corps created the overlooks, landscaping and guard walls. The CCC planted thousands of trees, grass and shrubs. There was a CCC camp in Nelson County called the Black Rock Camp. It was located at milepost 3.3 in the Summer of 1935.

Close to the Black Rock Camp was the Humpback Rocks Visitor’s Center at milepost 5.8. This site was preserved and created to show Virginia mountain life prior to the construction of the Parkway. It is a great example of Nelson County history.

There are 250 scenic overlooks on the Parkway. There are also many mountain living demonstrations as well as mountain crafts. The Blue Ridge Parkway keeps the history of our mountains alive. If you are planning on visiting Nelson County (or even live in Nelson County) be sure to take some time to travel on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Keep in mind that the speed limit on the Blue Ridge Parway is 45 miles per hour. Also, note that the Parkway is not maintained in the Winter and is often closed during the snow season.