Experience America's Favorite Drive!

The Blue Ridge Parkway, nicknamed "America's Favorite Drive," is a 469-mile scenic route connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads and historic structures complement spectacular views of distant mountains and neighboring valleys. Meandering through two national forests the surrounding area offers campgrounds, picnic areas, lodges, restaurants and countless scenic overlooks.

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/

Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America’s most visited national park.

Working closely with partners Great Smoky Mountains Association and the Friends of the Smokies, and with neighboring communities, www.GreatSmokies75th.org has been developed as the "Virtual Visitor Center" for all the exciting opportunities surrounding the 75th Anniversary.

On this site you will find a rich and evolving variety of information on the park’s history, current issues, and future visions. Throughout 2008 and 2009 you’ll find information about a wide array of activities and events in the park as well as officially recognized events in all our many neighboring communities.

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain, one of the best-known landmarks of the Blue Ridge, is more than just a mountain. Towering 5,946 feet above northwest North Carolina, Grandfather Mountain is operated as a scenic travel attraction and is the only private park in the world designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. A Mile High Swinging Bridge was built to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking views from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak.



Marvel at 360-degree views of mountain ridge after mountain ridge retreating to the horizon and let our knowledgeable staff help you find your own perfect mountain adventure.

http://www.grandfather.com/

Springtime in the Mountains

Get acquainted with Western North Carolina's gardens this spring:

Asheville
Biltmore Estate – 800-624-1575
The Botanical Gardens of Asheville – 828-252-5190
The North Carolina Arboretum – 828-665-2492
Richmond Hill Inn – 888-742-4536

Boone
The Daniel Boone Native Gardens – 828-264-6390

Cherokee
Cherokee Botanical Garden and Nature Trail – 828-497-2315

Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock Park – 800-277-9611

Clyde
The Campus Arboretum of Haywood Community College – 828-627-2821

Wilkesboro
Wilkes Community College Gardens – 336-838-6294

Find Fabulous Fall Colors in National Parks

(ARA) - Every year, millions of Americans look forward to autumn and the opportunity to take in the beautiful fall foliage. As deciduous trees across the country begin to shed their leaves, “leaf peeping,” as it is known, becomes a pastime of many travelers.

The national parks offer a serene setting and unmatched views to enjoy this majestic transformation. Our parks preserve hundreds of tree species, which, into November, vibrantly paint the mountains and hillsides and fields with fresh shades of red, orange, yellow and purple.

“Visitors come from miles away each year to experience fall foliage in our national parks. It is truly a spectacular time of year,” says Mark Wenzler, director of Clean Air and Climate Programs for the National Parks Conservation Association.

Here are a few national park sites beloved for their brilliant fall foliage:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee, North Carolina) usually experiences a fall foliage season that lasts several weeks. Park trees change colors at various times, depending mostly on elevation. At mid and lower-level elevations, the color display typically reaches peak between mid-October and early November. The park attracts leaf peepers, who want a glimpse of the nearly 100 native tree species, most of which are deciduous. Some of the more vibrant trees include hickories, sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum and red maple.

The fall foliage display at Great Smoky Mountains remains one of the best in the country. For more information about fall foliage at Great Smoky Mountains, please visit www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit.

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is known for its extensive cave system -- the longest in the world. However, visitors have ample opportunity to explore other features of this national park, as well. Mammoth Cave preserves the forested Kentucky hills, which offer numerous trails for hikers to explore and observe the vibrant fall foliage. Oak, tulip poplar and sassafras are among the trees that scatter park forests and attract leaf peepers annually.

For an updated webcam shot of fall foliage at the park, please visit http://nature.nps.gov/air.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Blog Cabin

DIY Network's crew of home improvement experts build the cabin you helped design. When it's done, one lucky winner is going to call it home. Visit http://www.diynetwork.com/blogcabin

Try the Blue Ridge Parkway For Fall Color Viewing

Soon the leaves will turn gold and red, and the hillsides in Western North Carolina will burst into color. Autumn brings scenic spendor, but in mountain country, it's nothing less than spectaular. The color change starts in the higher elevations, spreading to mid-mountain, and finally to the valleys, and that makes viewing time a lasting one.

Some of the best panoramas are seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs for 251 miles through the heart of Western North Carolina's mountains at elevations up to 6,000 feet or more. According to the U.S. National Park Service, this roadway is the most visited unit of America's National Park System and offers numerous pull-over spots for motorists to admire the majestic scenery. The best viewing is mid-October.

Grandfather Mountain offers views with easy access that are unmatched in peak season. The sweeping curves of the Blue Ridge Parkway's Linn Cove Viaduct set against the reds, yellows and oranges of the hillside are particularly photogenic.

In the town of Sylva, on Fisher Creek Road, Pinnacle Park provides visitors a brilliant fall kaleidoscope. Or park near the top of Whiteside Mountain, close to the town of Cahsiers, to admire the autumn views and sheer cliffs, or walk the two-mile hiking trail there. And in the waterfall country west of Hendersonville, lovely views of cascading waters alongside vivid foliage are abundant. Along Lake Lure's 21 miles of tree-line shores, the fall panorama can be seen from miles arond.