Blue Ridge Parkway Journeys

The weather may be a bit brisk here in Virginia, but that doesn’t mean your hiking activities have to cease! Bundle up, grab a friend, and trek up and down the vast amount of hiking trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

You all probably know most of the benefits of hiking (physical, mental, and financial), so you can think of this as a refresher course:

-An increase in muscle strength and bone strength (and therefore a decrease in osteoporosis)

-A decrease in hypertension

-A healthy dose of Vitamin D from the sunlight (as always, though, make certain to wear sunscreen so that this “healthy dose” doesn’t decline into sunburn)

-A loss of excess weight (“When hiking a comfortable 2-MPH, a person weighing 150 pounds will burn 240 calories in one hour.” –ATFiles.org)

-A decrease in cholesterol levels

-A decrease in depression and an overall increase in mental health

-A decrease in the risk for colon cancer and breast cancer

-An increase in your sense of accomplishment

Overall, hiking is an inexpensive way to exercise, stay in shape, and relax the mind. For further information, ATFiles.org has a wonderfully detailed article that you can read that covers most of the points above. Find a trail near you and start blazing.

Also, did you know that you can leave a Trip Advisor Review of the Blue Ridge Parkway? Click here and do so!

© Zainubrazvi

Hikers taking the trek across Grandfather Mountain’s ridgeline can now enjoy five new ladders on the Grandfather Trail.  The new ladders on MacRae Cliff replace the old ones that had been up for decades on what many people consider to be one of the most exciting spots along the ridgeline hike.

The five ladders are all in a row and transport hikers along a steep rock cliff while providing unbeatable views of the surrounding landscape.  The section of trail, part of Grandfather Mountain State Park property, is under a trail easement that assigns responsibility for upkeep to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

Members of the Stewardship Foundation Interpretive Staff worked for months in the planning process.  Wood, cables and bolts had to be purchased, ladder posts and rungs had to be cut to size and corners and edges had to be smoothed before each piece of equipment was carried out to the Mountain’s backcountry.

Chief Interpretive Ranger Gabriel Taylor estimates that close to 200 hours of work were put in during the three days in early November when the ladders were actually installed on the trail.  Those helping out included Stewardship Foundation employees, State Park rangers and volunteers from Appalachian State University and the Boone Climbers Coalition.

“The old ladders weren’t dangerous but it was time for them to be replaced,” said Taylor.  “Hikers will notice subtle differences on the new ladders, one being that they are sturdier.”

Carriage bolts were used in place of nails on the new ladders.  The carriage bolts run through the rungs and posts and are much thicker and stronger than the nails that had a tendency to rust or bend. In addition, the cables that provide extra support for the ladder’s placement are now anchored in the rock more than an inch deeper than in the past.

The ladders along the Grandfather Trail allow many visitors the opportunity to traverse a rugged mountain top while offering up a great sense of accomplishment.  MacRae Cliff is located .7 miles up the trail when starting from the Grandfather Mountain nature park.

Nature is simply something indispensable, like air and light and water, that we accept as necessary to living, and the nearer we can get to it the happier we are.” — Louise Dickenson Rich

Fallingwater Cascades is a beautiful 1.6 mile hike near Bedford, Virginia. It is an overall moderate trek with a few steeper, more strenuous areas thrown in, but the difficulties of those areas are lessened by stone stairways and bridges. The average amount of time that it takes to traverse this lovely loop is 1.5 hours.

There are two different places at which you can begin your hike. The first is the Blue Ridge Parkway’s milepost 83.1 at the Fallingwater Cascades Parking Lot, and the second is at milepost 83.5, the Flat Top Parking Area. After beginning on the well-traveled path that is rimmed with rhododendrons and hemlock, it is approximately 0.6 miles to the cascades.

The purling cascades serve to enhance the brilliance of the natural scenery, making this a lovely hike for the intermediate traveler. (It is particularly beautiful with the red, brown and gold of autumn.) Grab a friend, a bottle of water, and a camera, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Fallingwater Cascades.

Photo by Tara Stoll

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The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVNHT) and the Blue Ridge Parkway are pleased to announce the certification of a new segment of the OVNHT and to invite the public to join in a ceremony officially recognizing the designation on Thursday, September 29, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. at the Hefner Gap Overlook, Parkway milepost 326.

The OVNHT preserves and commemorates the route used by patriot militia in their 1780 campaign that led to victory over loyalist forces led by Major Patrick Ferguson at the key battle of Kings Mountain.  Working with a variety of partners, the National Park Service (NPS), as administrating agency for the trail, continues to identify trail segments and open them up for public use.  The newly opened 1.3-mile section of pathway is actually an original part of the route and is a roadbed that is centuries old.

On September 29, 1780, this section of historic roadway saw the passage of hundreds of patriot militia on horseback heading east through Hefner Gap and towards North Cove.  Led by Colonels John Sevier and Issac Shelby, these Overmountain men had come from frontier settlements in present day east Tennessee some days previously.  They would play a key role in the victory at Kings Mountain on October 7, 1780.

In 2008, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina was able to purchase the 534 acre Rose Creek tract, preserving land which borders the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as containing the newly certified OVNHT segment.  In April of this year, the land was conveyed to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, which has worked with NPS officials to have the trail section certified.

The event is free and open to the public.  Members of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association in period colonial dress will participate.

In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held at the nearby covered pavilion at the Historic Orchard at Altapass, located at Parkway milepost 328.3.

For further information, please contact OVNHT Superintendent, Paul Carson, at (864) 936-3477, or Blue Ridge Parkway Ranger, Jonathan Bennett, at (828) 765-1228.

The newly revised and updated second edition of this best-selling guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s easier trails is a tool I use regularly when I hike the Parkway. The 154 page, pocket-sized book features 34 hikes and variations that are perfect for novice hikers, families, dog owners, or anyone interested in accessible adventures that include waterfalls, wildflowers, and spectacular views. The book covers the high road’s entire 469-mile length, features an accurate, easy to follow trail map for each hike, a Trail Finder by level of difficulty, and an introductory travel overview and map to each of the four portions of the Parkway. Best Easy Day Hikes Blue Ridge Ridge Parkway is drawn form the larger bestselling book also by Randy Johnson, Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Quick Facts About Best Easy Day Hikes – Blue Ridge Parkway

  » Author :: Randy Johnson
  » Maps:: 35
  » Pages :: 154
  » Size :: 8.96″ x 6.32″
  » Format :: Paperback

The author, Randy Johnson, is a widely published photojournalist who has helped design Parkway trails and lives near the Parkway. He’s the author of Hiking North Carolina, Best Easy Day Hikes Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and other books.

Purchase this book online at the Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore.