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Parkway Guide
Prepared by Ken Johnson, Canton and Blue Ridge Paper Fire Department
Major Highway intersections mileposts is underlined.
Mile Post
393.5 - French Broad River, elevation 2,000 feet.
393.6 - NC. 191 and 280, right 9 miles to Asheville. Nearby; North Carolina Arboretum. Gardens and Trails. 828-665-2492. Go North on 191 about 1/4 mile. Follow signs.
393.8 - French Broad parking overlook, elevation 2,100. S
395.1 - Glenn Gap, elevation 2,495
396.4 - Walnut Cove parking overlook, elevation 2,915
396.8 - Reynolds Gap, elevation 2865
397.1 - Grassy Knob Tunnel, 600 feet long
397.3 - Sleepy Gap parking overlook, elevation 3,920
398.3 - Chestnut Grove parking overlook, elevation 3,035. E
399.3 - Pine Mountain Tunnel,1320 feet long
399.7 - Bad Fork Valley parking overlook, elevation 3,350
400.3 - Bent Creek Gap, elevation 3,270. USF.S. road (gated)
400.9 - Ferrin Knob Tunnel Number 1, Trace Ridge, 360 feet long
401.1 - Wash Creek Valley parking overlook
401.3 - Ferrin Knob Tunnel Number 2, 310 feet long
401.5 - Ferrin Knob Tunnel Number 3, 230 feet long
401.7 - Beaver Dam Gap parking overlook, elevation 3,570
402.6 Stony Bald parking overlook, elevation 3,750
403.0 - Young Pisgah Ridge Tunnel, 400 feet long
403.6 - Big Ridge parking overlook, elevation 3,815
403.9 - Fort Mountain Tunnel, 350 feet long
404.2 - Standhill Mountain parking overlook, elevation 3,975
404.5 - Mills Valley parking overlook, elevation 4,085
405.5 - Elk Pasture Gap (formerly Cutthroat Gap), elevation 4,235
405.5 - North Carolina 151 From Candler
406.9 - Little Pisgah Tunnel, 500 feet long
407.4 - Buck Springs Tunnel, 380 feet long
407.6 - hiking
Mount Pisgah parking area. Mount Pisgah Trail and Buck Springs Trail. Mount Pisgah was part of the Biltmore Estate. The estate became home of the first U.S. forestry school and the nucleus of the Pisgah National Forest. For much more in-depth information on things to see and do in this area of the Pisgah National Forest, also visit our Pisgah Forest section.
407.7 - Buck Springs Gap parking overlook, elevation 4,980
407.8 - picnic
Mount Pisgah Picnic Area, 50 sites
408.4 - Flat Laurel Gap, elevation 4925 feet.
408.6 - lodging food gas
Mount Pisgah Inn, 29 units, restaurant, service station. Good food and views. PO Drawer 749, Waynesville, NC 28786. 828-235-8228.
408.8 - camping RV's dump station hiking
Mount Pisgah Campground,73 tent sites, 75 trailer sites. Frying Pan Mountain Trail.
409.3 - Tunnel Top parking overlook, elevation 4,925
409.6 - Frying Pan Gap, elevation 4,931.
Map - Mile 410 to End/Great Smoky Mountain National Park
410.1 - Frying Pan Tunnel, 275 feet long
410.3 - The Pink Beds parking overlook, elevation 4,825
411.0 - Rich Mountain parking overlook, elevation 4,710
411.85 - Cold Mountain parking overlook, elevation 4,542
411.9 - U.S. 276, right 22 miles to Waynesville; left 17 miles to Brevard. Nearby: towards Brevard to Cradle of Forestry, Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Rock, Looking Glass Falls and Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education.
412.2 - Wagon Road Gap parking overlook, elevation 4,550
412.5 Pigeon Gap, elevation 4,520
413.2 - Pounding Mill parking overlook, elevation 4,700
414.2 - Bennett Gap, elevation 4,402
414.9 - Bennett Cove, elevation 4,525
415.6 - Tunnel Gap, elevation 4,325
415.7 - Cherry Cove parking overlook, elevation 4,330. E
416.3 - Log Hollow parking overlook, elevation 4,445
416.8 - Bridges Camp Gap, elevation 4,450
417.05 - hiking
Looking Glass Rock parking overlook, elevation 4,493. S East Fork Trail.
417.8 - Seniard Gap, elevation 4,775
417.9 - Yellowstone Falls
418.3 - East Fork parking overlook, elevation 4,955
418.8 - hiking
Graveyard Fields parking overlook, elevation 5,115. S Graveyard Fields Loop Trail.
419.4 - John Rock parking overlook, elevation 5,330
420.2 - Balsam Spring Gap, elevation 5,550. USF.S. road (gated) right. Access to Black Balsam area of Pisgah NF and Shining Rock Wilderness.
421.1 - Old Silver Mine
421.7 - Andromeda parking overlook
422.1 - Devils Courthouse Tunnel, 650 feet long
422.4 - hiking
Devil's Courthouse parking overlook, elevation 5,462. Trail. S Devil's Courthouse is a rugged exposed mountain top rich in Cherokee legends. A walk to the bare rock summit yields a spectacular view of Pisgah National Forest.
422.8 - Mount Hardy parking overlook, elevation 5415
423.2 - Beech Gap, elevation 5,340. Right 23 miles to Waynesville; left 17 miles to Rosman. NC Highway 215.
423.5 - Courthouse Valley parking overlook, elevation 5,362
423.7 - Tanassee Bald
424.0 - Herrin Knob parking widening, elevation 5,510
424.2 - Black Mountain Gap, elevation 5,490
424.4 - Herrin Knob parking widening, elevation 5,510
424.8 - Wolf Mountain parking overlook, elevation 5,500
425.3 - Wolf Bald
425.4 - Rough Butt Bald parking overlook, elevation 5,300
425.5 - Buckeye Gap, elevation 5,377
426.5 - Haywood Gap
427.1 - Rough Butt Bald
427.6 - hiking Bear Pen Gap parking area, elevation 5,560. Bear Pen Gap Trail gives access to Mountains To The Sea Trail.
427.8 - Spot Gap parking overlook, elevation 5,610
428.0 - Caney Fork parking overlook, elevation 5,650
428.3 - Little Bear Pen Gap, elevation 5,600
428.5 - Beartrap Gap parking overlook, elevation 5,580. E
429.1 - Reinhart Gap, elevation 5,455
430.0 - Reinhart Knob
430.4 - Beartrail Ridge parking area, elevation 5,865
430.7 - Cowee Mountain parking overlook, elevation 5,960
431.0 - hiking
Haywood-Jackson parking overlook, elevation 6,020. Self-guiding trail. Richland Balsam's self-guiding trail takes you through a remnant spruce-fir forest.
431.4 - Richland Balsam parking overlook, highest point on Parkway, elevation 6,050
432.7 - Lone Bald parking overlook, elevation 5,635. Enter Waynesville watershed
433.0 - Lone Bald
433.3 - Locust Gap parking overlook, elevation 5,580
433.4 - Locust Gap, elevation 5,575
434.2 - Old Bald
434.8 - Racking Horse Gap, elevation 5,400
435.3 - Doubletop Mountain parking overlook, elevation 5,365
435.7 - Licklog Gap parking overlook, elevation 5,135
436.7 - Deep Gap, elevation 5,260
438.8 - Brassy Ridge Mine parking overlook, elevation 5,250
439.0 - Steestachee Bald parking overlook, elevation 4,780
439.1 - Cove Ridge
439.2 - Leave Waynesville watershed
439.4 - Cove Field Ridge parking overlook, elevation 4,620
439.7 - Pinnacle Ridge Tunnel, 750 feet long
440.1 - Saunook parking overlook, elevation 4,375
440.9 - Waynesville parking overlook, elevation 4,110
441.4 - Standing Rock parking overlook, elevation 3,915
441.9 - Rabb Knob parking overlook, elevation 3,725. S
442.2 - Balsam Gap parking overlook, elevation 3,630
443.1 - Balsam Gap, elevation 3,370. U.S. 23 and 74, left 8 miles to Waynesville; right 12 miles to Sylva
444.6 - The Orchards parking overlook, elevation 3,810
445.2 - Jones Knob parking overlook, elevation 4,000
446.0 - Woodfin Valley parking overlook, elevation 4,325
446.7 - Woodfin Cascades parking overlook, elevation 4,535
448.1 - Wesner Bald parking overlook, elevation 4,912
448.5 - Scott Creek parking overlook, elevation 5,050
449.0 - Fork Ridge parking overlook, elevation 5,280
450.0 - Yellow Face parking overlook, elevation 5,610
451.2 - Visitor center restrooms hiking
Waterrock Knob parking overlook, elevation 5,718. E Waterrock Knob provides a panorama of the Great Smokies and 4 states. A trail, exhibits, and a comfort station are available.
452.1 - Cranberry Ridge parking overlook, elevation 5,475
452.3 - Wollyback parking overlook, elevation 5,420
453.4 - Hombuckle Valley parking overlook, elevation 5,105
454.4 - Thunderstruck Ridge parking overlook, elevation 4,780
455.1 - Soco Gap parking overlook, elevation 4,570
455.4 - Overlook
455.7 - Soco Gap, elevation 4,340. U.S. 19, right 8 miles to Dellwood; left 12 miles to Cherokee
456.2 - Jonathan Creek parking overlook, elevation 4460 feet.
457.6 - Docks Gap, elevation 4930 feet.
457.8 - Plott Balsam overlook, elevation 5020 feet. S Named for the German immigrant who settled here in the early 19th century.
457.9 - Cherokee Reservation Road; no access
458.2 - Wolf Laurel Gap, elevation 5,100. S Heintooga Ridge spur road goes to a mile-high overlook 1.3 miles from the parkway.
458.8 - Lickstone Ridge Tunnel, 402 feet long
458.9 - Lickstone parking overlook, elevation 5,150
459.3 - Bunches Bald Tunnel. 268 feet long
459.5 - Bunches Bald parking overlook, elevation 4,925. S
459.7 - Bunches Gap, elevation 4,850
460.8 - Jenkins Ridge parking overlook, elevation 4,445
461.2 - Big Witch Tunnel, 348 feet long
461.6 - Big Witch Gap, elevation 4,160 feet. Bunches Creek Road to right, Cherokee Road (Wrights Creek) left
461.9 - Big Witch parking overlook, elevation 4,150 feet. E The overlook views the home of the last important Cherokee medicine man, Big Witch, who was an 'eagle killer'. The eagle killers were responsible for gathering eagle feathers for use in ceremonies.
462.35 - Barnett fire tower road
463.9 - Thomas Divide parking overlook, elevation 3,735
465.6 - Rattlesnake Mountain Number 4 Tunnel, 410 feet long
466.25 - Sherill Cove Number 6 Tunnel, 572 feet long
466.7 - Sherill Cove parking overlook, elevation 2,970
467.4 - Balihoot Scar parking overlook, elevation 2,550
467.9 - Raven Fork parking overlook, elevation 2,400
468.4 - Oconaluftee parking overlook, elevation 2,200
469.1 - End of Blue Ridge Parkway. U.S. 441, right 29 mi. to Gatlinburg, Tenn.; left 2 mi.to Cherokee, NC. Southern End of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with U.S. 441 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Reservation.
Heintoga Spur
Mile Post
0.0 - Begin at Mile 4582, Blue Ridge Parkway, Wolf Laurel Gap, elevation 5,110
0.1 - Cherokee Reservation service road
0.5 - Plott Ridge
0.9 - Mollie Gap, elevation 5,352. Cherokee Road (left) to Soco Bald
1.3 - Mile High parking overlook, elevation 5,250. S
1.4 - Maggie Valley parking overlook, elevation 5,220
2.3 - Lake Junaluska parking overlook, elevation 4,905
3.3 - Horsetrough Ridge parking widening
3.4 - Horsetrough Ridge parking widening
3.6 - Black Camp Gap parking area
3.65 - Boundary, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
3.9 - Parking overlook
6.2 - Parking overlook
8.4 - Balsam Mountain campground, elevation 5,340. 47 sites, campfire circle
8.9 - Heintooga Ridge picnic area, 37 sites
9.0 - Parking area; end of paved road.
Fire road (one-way traffic in summer) continues to Round Bottom, Great Smoky Mountains National Park