Blue Ridge Parkway

“10 Best National Parks”? National Geographic, You Have Got to be Kidding!

National Geographic might be considered a gold standard authority on national parks. Why, then, is a hilariously flawed “10 Best National Parks” list included in a recently published National Geographic book? Is NG testing us to see if we’re paying attention?

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By Bob Janiskee - July 5th, 2008 5:58am

23 comments

National Park Quiz 3: Bridges

Bridges are among the most favored of all human structures. They serve us well, make a bold visual statement, and open the door to a storehouse of memories. Who doesn’t admire the elegant lines of a suspension bridge? Who can look at a covered bridge without thinking of a time when life was simpler and slower and friendlier? This week's quiz will find out how much you know about the bridges and bridge-related things in our national parks. Answers are at the end. No peeking.

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By Bob Janiskee - October 29th, 2011 6:33am

3 comments

Blue Ridge Parkway Revising General Management Plan, Might Close Campground

It's been roughly six decades since the Blue Ridge Parkway's general management plan was tinkered with, so it shouldn't be too great a surprise that parkway officials are working on an update. However, what parkway officials are proposing might not sit well with everyone.

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By Kurt Repanshek - May 14th, 2008 1:15pm

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Flying Squirrels, Scenic Vistas, and the Blue Ridge Parkway

The National Park Service has a cumbersome conundrum on its hands at the Blue Ridge Parkway, where the agency is grappling with how to preserve scenic vistas along the 469-mile-long road while not making further inroads on habitat critical for the Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel.

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By Kurt Repanshek - April 22nd, 2008 2:57pm

1 comment

Are Blue Ridge Parkway's Historic Guardrails At Risk?

A hallmark of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway - and most national park roads - has always been the rustic stone or wood guard rails that line the roadway. But now, that could all change.

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By Chance Finegan - April 18th, 2008 11:58am

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Violent Deaths in the National Parks

During 2006, 11 homicides were investigated across the national park system. Two involved women who had been pushed off cliffs, one was a suicide, and one was the victim of a DUI accident.

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By Kurt Repanshek - March 4th, 2008 9:59am

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Trails I've Hiked: Awesome Hiking Along The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway's half-a-thousand mile ridge-top route between Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains offers countless great hikes. Randy Johnson, author of Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway and Best Easy Day Hikes Blue Ridge Parkway, leads the way to one of the East’s premier national park hiking experiences.

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By Randy Johnson - June 18th, 2012 10:03am

Park History: Exploring the National Parkways

Along with "parks," "seashores," "lakeshores" and "battlefields," the National Park System counts a number of "parkways" that fall under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Though most are incredibly scenic byways, there also are two major metropolitan arterials in this collection.

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By Bob Janiskee - June 7th, 2010 7:33pm

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Blue Ridge Park Foundation Gives Back to the Parkway

Another $100,000 has been given by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to the Blue Ridge Parkway for use in educating students who live along the 469-mile-long scenic byway about the wonders of the national park system.

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By Kurt Repanshek - November 7th, 2007 10:23am

Fall's Brightest Colors Descending on National Parks

With Fall officially under way, it won't be too long before the season's most spectacular colors are daubed, stroked, and splashed across the national park system. The good news is that you haven't missed the peak yet. The bad news is that if you don't already have a room reservation, you probably won't find a vacancy in any of the well-known fall foliage parks.

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By Kurt Repanshek - September 27th, 2007 9:23pm

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INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.