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| Rhododendrons bloom at Craggy Gardens off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. Photo: Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau |
The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina are among the oldest mountains on Earth. Here you will find the highest mountain (Mount Mitchell), deepest gorge (Linville Gorge), and highest waterfall (Whitewater Falls) in the eastern United States; the oldest river in North America (ironically named New River); and the two most-visited National Park lands in the country (the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park).
A visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains will include dozens of sights and attractions—as many as your schedule will allow. The following are some recommended “must-sees.”
Known as “America’s favorite drive,” the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 469 miles connect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Along the way, the parkway offers stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, forests, and pastoral landscapes, with abundant hiking trails, picnic areas and campsites.
The lead designer of the famous roadway, Stanley Abbott, was influenced by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of the grounds of Biltmore Estate and New York’s Central Park. Abbott dreamed of creating a park-like environment as well as a road, and today, the completed Blue Ridge Parkway is a remarkable testament to his vision and is enjoyed by millions of visitors each year.
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| Visitors will enjoy the beautiful vista of The Biltmore Estate, America’s largest home. Photo: The Biltmore Company |
The historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, is often called “America’s Castle” and remains America’s largest privately owned home. The estate boasts a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, 8,000 acres of gardens, a winery and a working farm.
The estate’s grounds consist of 8,000 acres and are a living tribute to Olmsted, their creator. The Rose Garden, Walled Garden, Shrub Garden, Spring Garden and Azalea Garden all bloom along trails and walking paths. Palms, ferns, orchids and other plants fill the glass-roofed Conservatory year-round.
The North Carolina Arboretum is one of the finest public gardens in the Southern Appalachians. The vision for this public garden for Asheville first came to Olmsted while he was designing the grounds at Biltmore Estate. Today, the 434-acre Arboretum fulfills that dream.
Of special interest is the Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden, where more than 100 quality specimens are on display. The North Carolina Arboretum collection includes not only traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, but also plants native to the North Carolina mountains, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine.
Nine trails wind through the Arboretum, and guided Segway tours are available.