BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

noncommercial motor route established in 1936 and administered by the U.S. National Park Service, extending for 469 mi (755 km) through the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina. Following along mountain crests (elevations varying from 600 to 6,000 ft [1801,800 m]), it links the Shenandoah National Park (north) with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (south) and probes the George Washington, Jefferson, and Pisgah national forests. It traverses colourful mountain scenery with facilities for outdoor recreation (camping, hiking, picnicking) along its route.