Blue Ridge Parkway: Washington to the Smokies in 10 days
USA · 10 Days
The finest road in the East from end to end: from Washington via Luray Caverns onto Skyline Drive, then 750 kilometres of Blue Ridge Parkway past the Peaks of Otter, Mabry Mill and the Linn Cove Viaduct, up Mount Mitchell – the highest peak east of the Mississippi – on to Asheville with the Biltmore Estate, and finally into the Great Smoky Mountains. Built for early October, when the leaves turn. 1,563 kilometres over ten days, one of them entirely for Asheville.
A sample route to look at. If you copy it, your own copy lands in your plans – there you can change days, stops and order.
Numbered stops in order · golden-hour tip shown separately.
1 Day 1
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08:15Sunrise
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09:00Washington, D.C.
A modest stone marker near the White House has served since 1923 as the historic starting point for road distances across the United States. Written by Claude from Wikidata facts
DaylightTime at stop 1 h 30 min -
10:30Motorhome · 151 km · 2 h 3 min
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12:33Luray CavernsDaylightTime at stop 1 h 30 min
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19:43Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Luray RV Resort on Shenandoah River 5 km
- Camp Roosevelt 8 km · USDA Forest Service · 4 sites Recreation.gov
- Riverside camping 14 km
2 Day 2
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08:18Sunrise
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08:20Motorhome · 42 km · 40 min
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09:00Front RoyalDaylightTime at stop 30 min
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09:30Motorhome · 101 km · 1 h 58 min
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11:28Skyline DriveDaylightTime at stop 4 h
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19:44Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Big Meadows Campground - Shenandoah (VA) 3 km · National Park Service · 224 sites · RVs up to 70 ft (21,3 m) Recreation.gov
- Riverside camping 12 km
- Luray RV Resort on Shenandoah River 12 km
3 Day 3
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05:41Motorhome · 151 km · 3 h 19 min
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08:21Sunrise
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09:00Rockfish GapDaylightTime at stop 30 min
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09:30Motorhome · 35 km · 30 min
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10:00Humpback Rocks Visitor CenterDaylightTime at stop 1 h
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19:45Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Sherando Lake Group Camp 9 km · USDA Forest Service · 5 sites Recreation.gov
- Sherando Lake Group Picnic Shelter 9 km · USDA Forest Service · 1 sites Recreation.gov
- Devils Backbone Camp 11 km
4 Day 4
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06:52Motorhome · 158 km · 2 h 8 min
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08:24Sunrise
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09:00Peaks of OtterDaylightTime at stop 2 h 30 min
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19:47Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Peaks Of Otter Campground 2 km · National Park Service · 143 sites · RVs up to 77 ft (23,5 m) Recreation.gov
- North Creek 11 km · USDA Forest Service · 4 sites Recreation.gov
- Natural Bridge / Lexington KOA Holiday 27 km OpenStreetMap
5 Day 5
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06:23Motorhome · 148 km · 2 h 37 min
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08:28Sunrise
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09:00Mabry MillDaylightTime at stop 1 h 30 min
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10:30Motorhome · 55 km · 1 h 2 min
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11:32Blue Ridge Music CenterDaylightTime at stop 2 h
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19:51Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Cool Breeze Campground 8 km
- Deer Creek Motorcoach Resort 8 km
- Sunrise Cabin 29 km · USDA Forest Service · 1 sites Recreation.gov
6 Day 6
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06:38Motorhome · 143 km · 2 h 22 min
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08:34Sunrise
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09:00Grandfather Mountain
A 1,818-meter peak in the Appalachians offering wide views over the forested ridgelines of North Carolina. Written by Claude from Wikidata facts
DaylightTime at stop 3 h -
12:00Motorhome · 1 km · 1 min
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12:01Linn Cove ViaductDaylightTime at stop 45 min
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12:46Motorhome · 22 km · 27 min
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13:13Linville Falls
A waterfall that plunges through a narrow gorge in the Blue Ridge Mountains into a deep pool. Written by Claude from Wikidata facts
DaylightTime at stop 2 h -
19:55Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Linville Falls Campground 2 km · National Park Service · 66 sites · RVs up to 50 ft (15,2 m) Recreation.gov
- Linville Falls Campground RV Park & Cabins 2 km
- Big Mike's Creekside RV Resort 15 km OpenStreetMap
7 Day 7
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06:02Motorhome · 174 km · 2 h 58 min
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08:36Sunrise
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09:00Mount MitchellDaylightTime at stop 3 h
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12:00Motorhome · 24 km · 34 min
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12:34Craggy GardensDaylightTime at stop 1 h 30 min
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19:55Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Asheville East KOA Holiday 10 km
- Briar Bottom Group Campground 16 km · USDA Forest Service · 6 sites Recreation.gov
- Black Mountain Campground 16 km · USDA Forest Service · 41 sites Recreation.gov
8 Day 8
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07:38Sunrise
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08:27Motorhome · 31 km · 33 min
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09:00AshevilleDaylightTime at stop 1 h 30 min
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10:30Motorhome · 9 km · 19 min
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10:49Biltmore EstateDaylightTime at stop 4 h
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18:55Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Wilson's Riverfront RV Park 4 km OpenStreetMap
- Asheville Bear Creek RV Park and Campground 5 km
- Lake Powhatan Glamping 10 km · USDA Forest Service · 12 sites Recreation.gov
9 Day 9
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06:06Motorhome · 147 km · 2 h 54 min
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07:42Sunrise
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09:00Oconaluftee Visitor CenterDaylightTime at stop 1 h
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10:00Motorhome · 35 km · 54 min
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10:54Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome)
Rising to 2,025 meters, this is the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains. Written by Claude from Wikidata facts
DaylightTime at stop 3 h -
18:57Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Spence Cabin 12 km · National Park Service · 1 sites Recreation.gov
- Deep Creek Group Camp 13 km · National Park Service · 3 sites Recreation.gov
- Monteith's Campground 13 km
10 Day 10
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06:47Motorhome · 81 km · 2 h 13 min
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07:44Sunrise
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09:00Cades CoveDaylightTime at stop 3 h
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12:00Motorhome · 55 km · 1 h 27 min
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13:27GatlinburgDaylightTime at stop 1 h 30 min
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18:57Sunset
3 campgrounds near the day’s end
- Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion 4 km · National Park Service · 1 sites Recreation.gov
- Rivers Edge Campground 7 km
- Camp Margaritaville RV Resort and Lodge - Pigeon Forge 7 km
Campgrounds: recreation.gov (RIDB) · Parks Canada, contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)