Schedule for Blue Ridge Parkway Trip (Northbound)

May 14-22, 2005

Click here for an Excel version of this table
Day
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8 (Note 1)
Date
 Sat, May 14
 Sun, May 15
 Mon, May 16
 Tue, May 17
 Wed, May 18
 Thur, May 19
 Fri, May 20
 Sat, May 21
Miles/Day
 61
 69 (Note 2)
 43 (Note 3)
 57
 62
 57
 60
 60
Climb/Day
 9305 (Note 4)
 6574
 4741
 6485
 5248
 4834
 5545
 5990
Start
Milepost
 469
 408
 339
 296
 239
 177
 120
 60
Start
Location
 Cherokee
NC
 Mt. Pisgah
Camgr		 Crabtree
Mead Campgr		 Julian Price
Campgr		 Doughton
Pk Campgr		 Meadows of
Dan Campgr		 Roanoke
Mtn Campgr		 Otter Creek
Campgr
End
Milepost
 408
 339
 296
 239
 177
 120
 60
 0
End
Location
 Mt. Pisgah
Camgr		 Crabtree
Mead Campgr		 Julian Price
Campgr		 Doughton
Pk Campgr		 Meadows of
Dan Campgr		 Roanoke
Mtn Campgr		 Otter Creek
Campgr		 Rockfish
Gap Vis Cen
# Campsites
 142
 70
 71
 129
 110
 ???
 74
 42
Ending
Campground
Facilities
(Note 5)
 Camp store,
laundromat,
restaurant
 Visitor Center
 Lakeside
camping
 Bluff's Lodge &
Coffee Shop
at MP 241.1
(Great breakfast)
336-372-4744
 Mabry Mill
(MP176) has
restaurant &
small store.

 Motels, Walmart,
restaurants 2 miles
(1 mile to MP 221
then 1 mile on 222
(busy highway)
 Restaurant
open 8-8pm.
Grocery 4 mi
S on 501.
 Restaurants,
motels, etc.
in nearby
Waynesboro
Camp. Phone
 828-648-2644
 828-765-6083
 828-295-7591
 336-372-8568
 276-952-2292
 540-767-2492
 434-299-5125
Miscellaneous
 Mt. Pisgah Inn
828-235-8228
Very nice, but
reservations
are probably
necessary
 MP 334 take
226A to Little
Switzerland
(motels, etc)
MP331 - 6 mi
on 226 to
Spruce Pine, NC
 Food 1 mile S
on US 221
access road
Left on Holloway
Mtn Rd at
MP 298.6.
 Sparta, NC 7 mi
from MP 229
(banks, laundry,
hardware store,
and lots more).
 Mayberry
Trading Post,
Mountain House
Restaurant MP180.
Blue Ridge Motel
across from campgr.


Notes:
1)  The trip might end on either Saturday, May 21, or Sunday, May 22.  The extra day is allowed for possible bad weather, mechanical problems, etc.
2)  A section of the BRP near Mt. Mitchell is scheduled to be closed due to rockslides during the trip.  Go to the main web page for
      the trip and select the link "Detours".  Note that the detour for Day 2 will add 9 miles to the trip, raising the Day 2 total to 78 miles.
3)  A section of the BRP south of Linville Falls is scheduled to be closed due to rockslides during the trip.  Go to the main web page for
      the trip and select the link "Detours".  Note that the detour for Day 3 will add 10 miles to the trip, raising the Day 3 total to 53 miles.
      Also note that this is the shortest day - only 53 miles (including the 10 mile detour).  This works out well because campgrounds aren't available
      everywhere.   This is also one of the best days to explore.  It is well worth the trip to spend 2-3 hours on Grandfather Mountain.  It is
      privately owned and features restaurants, a visitor center, a zoo with lots of bears, and their famous "mile-high suspension bridge" where
      you get an incredible 360 degree view.  You have to pay $12.00 to go up the mountain and no biking or hiking is allowed (the drive up is
      incredibly steep with no shoulders and constant switchbacks).  I locked my bike next to the entry gate (it seemed pretty safe as it is in open
      view with security people stationed there) and asked someone for a ride.  Stopping at the Linn Cove Visitor Center is also recommended. 
      It is an engineering marvel.
4)  The Blue Ridge Parkway requires just over 48,000 feet of vertical climb in either direction.  For an 8-day trip, this means about 6000 ft of climbing
     a day.  The first day is definitely the toughest with 9305 ft to climb (there are really no other spots to camp between Cherokee and Mt. Pisgah).
     The number of vertical feet climbed each day is probably a more accurate way to judge each day's difficulty than the miles covered.
5)  The campgrounds on the parkway are run by the National Park Service.  They are nice to look at, but have very little in the way of facilities.  They
     do not have showers or electricity.  They generally just have a nice bathroom and clean water.  Your main option for getting clean is to take a sponge
     bath at the sink with cold water!  Note that the campgrounds also have pay phones.  This is nice since cell phones rarely can get a signal on the BRP.
     I would recommend bringing a calling card if you want to call home each night.  Also note that the Meadows of Dan Campground is privately owned 
    so a hot shower is available!
       
Author:  Paul Gordy
Email:  blueridgecyclist@cox.net