Why This Historic Appalachian Highway Exists 

Having driven millions of miles over more than 50 years, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are among the most memorable and enjoyable roads I've ever known. Maybe you're not up to hiking the Appalachian Trail, but everyone who loved roads and driving owes it to themselves to experience this national treasure. You don't need to drive its entire length - just a short trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway will be something you'll remember for the rest of your life!

I'm a former truck driver and avid road tripper. I love your content and I am one of the 20% of your viewers who are subscribed!

I've been to Little Switzerland several times. In the winter when the parkway is closed it really feels like Switzerland, but the town is abandoned.

I’ve driven the stretch of it between Roanoke and Waynesboro. It’s absolutely beautiful when the leaves start to turn, and you can get some incredible views of the Shenandoah Valley towards the northern end of the road

The Natchez Trace Parkway would be good too.

What a jewel of a highway. I live an easy 1 hour drive from the BRP. The southern terminus actually ends within a long mile from the Southern entrance to the GSMNP at Cherokee. Another college town near that Terminus is Sylva/Cullowhee and Western Carolina University where students have the Great Smokies and the BRP practically in their backyard. The Smokies are an incredible backdrop to the area and the learning experience there. So much to do and see.

One of the best routes to drive in this country, hands down. Once driven through it in the deepest of fog and it was still beautiful. Love that drive

Fun fact: the reason it took so long to compete the Granfather Mountain section was because of the terrain and ecology of the region. Basically bulldozing a level path on the rock face side of the mountain would have done untold habitat destruction, permanently altering the local ecosystem. But they couldn't just build a straight bridge either because the rock face curved. It wasn't until the 80s that a solution was available: a precast hollow beam bridge where segments could be manufactured on-site, curves and all, and hoisted to its final position along the bridge.

I stayed in Asheville for a couple of nights in 2019, so I drove south a few dozen miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway and looped back to Asheville. It was incredibly scenic, even for that short distance.

Please do the taconic state parkway in new york, i want to know what on earth the designers thought when they built that thing

Drove the entire length in October 2006. An absolutely beautiful ride. Took 3 days total to do the drive with all the stops. Sadly even then you could see suburban Roanoke encroaching on the Parkway and the vandalism at Grandfather Mountain. Some favorite stops were Graveyard Fields, Devil’s Courthouse Tunnel and Mabry Mill…

Beautiful! However… I’m biased towards the Merritt Parkway as a lifelong CT resident! It’s been beautifully preserved and you can feel the history as you drive. It was designed so that no two overpass bridges were alike, and each one is like artwork! Would love if you did a video on it.

How about a video on the Appalachian Trail, the ways it intersects with roadways and how it’s routed through towns and how they treat the trail?

I’ve been to Boone, NC. Great place to visit.

Great video, I'd like to see a deep dive into the lesser-known parkways of the southeast like the Foothills Parkway and the Natchez Trace.

I've bicycled the southbound section from the James River to Apple Orchard Mountain, a nice uphill leg ripper, as well as the Skyline Drive section northbound. Driven all of the NC portion a few times in different seasons. I always appreciate the un-mistakenly recognizable and time-tested CCC work throughout.

Blowing Rock is also a great place to visit, as long as you get there Early.

Nice video! I look forward to driving this road in a few years when I travel to the eastern USA.

Just a beautiful drive with so much scenery I have driven from brevard nc to it’s northern terminus in Charlottesville Virginia

“Rurality” - love this concept! Would love to see more content about beautiful scenic roads.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is absolutely beautiful. Traveled it many times.

I spent 5 of the best years of my life at "friend of the channel" Appalachian State. The BRP was our get away. Nothing screamed "spring is here" after the sometimes tough Boone winters like going out to the Parkway after class on a sunny midweek afternoon and seeing every overlook or parking area from Deep Gap to Linville Falls absolutely filled with App students picnicking, hiking, or playing games.

Love this video, I've been a resident of Western North Carolina for all my life and I've been to almost every picture you used in this video. Most of these images are from places North of Asheville and South of Boone (where the Linn Cove Viaduct is).

Keep up the killer content bro!

You should do a video on The Road to Nowhere in Bryson City, NC. A very interesting road with a very interesting story

Nice Video.... I live in Boone NC, and I never get tired of taking an aftternoon ride on the Parkway. And yes, Little Switzerland does have a 1950s-60s touristy feel to it. But it is kind of historic in its own way. Appreciate it for what it is.

Two other scenic highways to consider are the Cherohala Skyway from NC to Tenn and the Talimena Scenic Byway from Ok to Ark.

Another road that I think gets overlooked is scenic highway 12 in North Carolina on the Outer Banks. One of the most beautiful drives I've ever done

Remember this Beaver: "If you call it 'ap-uh-lay-shuh' I'm gonna throw an 'apple atcha'

The portion around mount Mitchell is probably the best drive I've ever been on

Can you also do the Natchez Trace Parkway? It's a historical Road that starts in Mississippi and ends in Tennessee.

We live in NC, but the area we have traveled the most on the Parkway is between Fancy Gap, Virginia and Meadows of Dan Virginia. On the way is a section called Mabry Mill. If you make it to Meadows of Dan there is an exit. About 1 mile East is a place called Nancy’s Candy Store that makes homemade fudge among other things.

That section in Tennessee was also approved to be built though (in 1944), it is its own parkway called the "Foothills Parkway" from Chilhowee (@ US 129) to Hartford (@ I-40). Still under construction, it has one large gap where a spur route of the parkway exists to Gatlinburg.

Been to Little Switzerland. It's a hotel, a post office, and a strip mall that is decorated like a chalet. The bookstore was great and the little cafe was great for lunch. We enjoyed it then continued on to Mt. Mitchell. Fine for a day trip from NE Tennessee.

I lived right off the parkway for Summer 2021, near Boone. It was quite a treat.

Roanoke, locals will use this as a shortcut to get from the eastern suburbs to the southern As a former resident of the area, I know that I’ve done that a few times to avoid the city itself

I just realized how much you have grown since I subscribed on the us suburbs video. Deserved.

I havent been on the blue ridge parkway but i have on a few grwat drives. US 2 from east goacier to west glacier, US 101 down the coast, I 90 through Idaho were all great

Have you done a video on route 66 and if not, you should totally do one

Michigander here. Last summer I took a road trip to the DMV to visit family. I drove down Skyline Drive. Loved the area so much I'm trying to move there soon. I'll be taking trips on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

damn blue ridge parkway looks absolutely gorgeous

On a clear day you can see downtown Winston-Salem from the parkway in fancy gap VA. The view is about 45 miles.

I like that the road is still the same width as it was when it was paved. I have to drive this one day!

Speaking of being surrounded by trees and forest, I didn't put it in your previous video about the city in England that was manufactured to look sort of like an American city and have a lot of roundabouts, but you should talk about Lexington, KY, and how there has to be a lot of green space between the freeways and the city itself. As for manufactured cities of recent, you should also talk about Brasilia, the national capital of Brazil, as well.

Little Switzerland is more a gimmick than a theme, it’s nice and has nice views, but most things are a little more expensive and there’s not much to do but hiking and the parkway. Boone does feel “Appalachian” in that it is nothing but stroads, a bad university, and poverty - which is absolutely typical of this region I grew up in, but I’ve never thought Boone was a very good town

And if one has a couple of extra hours, stopping off at MP 420 and hiking around Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain is awesome. Also Linville George in NW North Carolina. A couple of the very best spots in the Eastern US outside of NH and ME.

I’m not sure if you take suggestions, but I’d like to see you do a video on the Natchez Trace!

5:00 I just walked along this portion of the parkway! Some friends and I hiked the Rough Ridge Trail, then hiked along the parkway back over this bride shown in the picture!

Awesome! I'm going!

In the 909's when I lived in Virginia, My family and I drove large portions of both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Sky Line Drive...especially in the falll...it was beautiful..

Drove the Lynchburg to Buena Vista, it's pretty nice.

I Don't Watch your channel alot but you are a great youtube channel

Never though in a alternate universe it could have ended near a graveyard close to lake altoona.

I've been on the stretch between Cherokee and Asheville many times. The last time I drove it was in 1990 and there was a lot of graffiti spray painted on some of the large boulders that appear on the side of the road. It was really sad to see that.

I'm from the best Swiss-style town in America - Sugarcreek, Ohio. Each fall we celebrate the Ohio Swiss Festival. A delightful town and I really miss living there, but haven't been back since the early 2000s. Hope to get back soon.

Live right off the parkway near the NC VA border. Out of all the routes to go into Nc this is by far the best

Thanks!

I live 3 minutes from the end of the BRP and cross the boundary between it and Skyline Drive every day on my way to work and back. It is a miracle I have not run off the road at some point just staring at the scenery. So thankful to live among such beauty. Fun tidbit, right at the end there’s a private castle in the mountains hidden away off of Skyline called Royal Orchard. It’s worth a google for sure.

I love this route

Driving from Biloxi MS to Milltown NJ this spring to see family. Thinking of taking a detour to drive this route.

Ouray Colorado is the true "Little Switzerland in America"

The blue ridge parkway is great, unless you are behind a rookie camper trailer/RV driver. It should only be for cars and pickups.

Fun fact: FDR wanted another motor parkway in the Green Mountains but the outcry from the people of Vermont and lobbying by their governor, senators and representatives convinced the government to cancel it.

I think it exists so I can ride my bike speeds that make use of turns and fun.

I live at the base of skyline drive big meadows. I love living in the mountains 🇺🇸❤️

we have driven the BRP end to end several times over the years. it is an amazing piece of tarmac

I’ve always wondered if there is a comparable road for the Rocky Mountains.

Did you cover the river road?

Yall should indeed be subscribed to this dude. He is a straight up G.

Fun fact! there is a secret tunnel built within the Linn Cove Viaduct!

Mount Mitchel been twice with my wife. It’s beautiful on a sunset or even mid day

"No food for the next X miles!"

Lol my dad always makes us take this road going up and down the east coast

I love these types of roads, not sure why we don’t build more

I would not call Little Switzerland "gimmicky" but more quaint.

Yo beve Ur discord was kinda wierd last night...🤣🤣

I'm still trying to figure out why it's Apple atcha State, but Apa Laychan Mountains.

Can you cover the Natchez Trace Parkway? I drive the Natchez Trace almost everyday for work. Also, a unique fact about the Trace is that there are only a few bridges that cross the Trace. 99.9% of the route the Trace bridges over other roads.

I see my house

Hey! I live in Boone! :D

*In the 90's*

Name 5 other Little Switzerlands you've seen.

Not sure you mentioned that the speed limit is 45 mph, and there are no trucks. You said it has high visitation, yet one is hardly aware of that because when a million cars are on a 500-mile stretch, it seems unused. You begin to feel separated from the rest of the world, and above it. What a let-down when you get off at Front Royal.

The BRP is not a commercial highway. Parkways are not highways - they are not meant to directly connect cities. Perhaps you should actually take a drive on the BRP.

I'm.from Roanoke 😂😅😅

You said Appalachian correctly, but mispronounced Roanoke. Two syllables: ROH-nohk.

So the average mph on the route is 32 mph

It’s irresponsible to throw out some unattributed rumor about bribes to FDR. Come back with the receipts if you have them.

apple atcha not apple ate cha

“Rurality”?

Go west please

Not trucks allowed so screw it ill never drive!

Too many interaction reminders and unpaid self promotions in this channel.

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