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