[dradernh]

I went down to Virginia International Raceway last week to hang out with a track buddy who brought his Boxster S down from New Jersey. My route back was via the Blue Ridge Parkway and the road across Great Smoky Mountains National Park between Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN.

The drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway was pretty spectacular. It reminded me of the grandeur of Highway 1 south of Carmel, CA and through Big Sur and of the views from the top of Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.

I think the Parkway is well worth a detour if you're ever in that part of the country and have the time for a side trip. I drove part of the northern section a couple of decades ago and enjoyed it just as much as I did the southern part on this trip.

The first day, traffic was light between getting onto the Parkway off US-58 in Meadows of Dan, VA and exiting 100 miles later outside Boone, NC. The speed limit is 45 and while there are places you can go a fair amount faster, it's not a route on which to try to make time. Without having thought about it, I'd assumed there wouldn't be any homes up there; instead, there were a fair number of full-time and vacation homes along that stretch of the Parkway and not too far off of it.

I took the Parkway from Boone to Asheville the next day, and traffic was much heavier, especially closer to Asheville. Peak fall colors looked to still be two or three weeks away. I imagine by then it will really be crowded up there with leaf-peepers enjoying outstanding views of fall colors.

I drove home the next day through the Great Smoky Mountains via US-441 / Newfound Gap Rd out of Cherokee, NC, stopping at the road's highest point to take a spur up to Clingmans Dome. This is a lookout point at an elevation of 6,650' that's on the NC/TN border. It offers a 360° view of GSM National Park; you can also see quite a ways into TN and NC from up there.

Here are a few snapshots showing the views offered on these routes:

Lovers Leap Lookout on US-58 a Few Miles Before the Parkway


Clingmans Dome Trail – Facing South by Southeast Towards Highlands, NC and Northern Georgia & South Carolina


Clingmans Dome Lookout – Looking Northwest Along the Higher Elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains

[60_Driver]

Sounds like an outstanding trip. Great shots!

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by 60_Driver

Sounds like an outstanding trip. Great shots!

Thanks!

Having lived so close to where you are now as I did from the late-1990s to the late-2010s, my impression is that the Southern Appalachians will be as enjoyable during its leaf-peeping season as the same season is in Southern New Hampshire and parts north earlier in the year.

I've never considered it before, but there must be hardcore leaf-peepers who follow the colors from Quebec down to Georgia every year. That sounds like a very attractive way to enjoy an extended fall, perhaps before heading home, or to Florida or Arizona for the winter.

[E46ZHP2]

Thanks for the write up. I have been exactly there. Stayed at a beautiful resort (Primland) in Meadows of Dan. Had my Cayman at the time, great roads and scenery. Go there if you can.

[WolfGTI]

I do this every spring except (2020), so worth it. Looking forward to it again next Apr.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by E46ZHP2

Thanks for the write up. I have been exactly there. Stayed at a beautiful resort (Primland) in Meadows of Dan. Had my Cayman at the time, great roads and scenery. Go there if you can.

Thanks for the pointer to Primland. It reminds me quite a bit of Ventana Inn in Big Sur, a wonderful place that we enjoyed frequently during our years in the Bay Area. I'll add Primland to the list of places to consider for my next visit to the region.

Originally Posted by WolfGTI

I do this every spring except (2020), so worth it. Looking forward to it again next Apr.

I hear you – I'm already planning on a return trip.

There were quite a few shaded stretches in the section of the Parkway north of Boone that had tall walls of rhododendron on both sides of the road. I'd like to drive that route when they're blooming.

[Neverlost99]

It's a great place to live but a few years ago we had 151" of rain. Don't come if you want to stay dry. We are a rainforest basically. Xdrive is a great option here.

[K8_M235i]

This past spring my girlfriend and I did Blue Ridge, Tail of the Dragon, and a bunch of other nice roads around there. We enjoyed Blue Ridge more, but the pictures on the Tail were cool!

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by K8_M235i

This past spring my girlfriend and I did Blue Ridge, Tail of the Dragon, and a bunch of other nice roads around there. We enjoyed Blue Ridge more, but the pictures on the Tail were cool!

Nice - thanks for the photo!

[WolfGTI]

Here's me on 129.

[jzeiler4]

Did any of you see the recent video of the Ferrari's at the dragon? Most notably was the 488 Pista that flipped it in Gravity Cavity. There was a waste of $350K.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by WolfGTI

Here's me on 129.

Nice drop, and nice wheels, too!

Originally Posted by jzeiler4

Did any of you see the recent video of the Ferrari's at the dragon? Most notably was the 488 Pista that flipped it in Gravity Cavity. There was a waste of $350K.

Nope, I missed that one. I'm going to look for it now.

Just saw the photos - it looks like the driver was lucky to walk away.