Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023 - BRPG42

north
carolina
blue ridge parkway
Craft Corridor. This 13-mile
area showcases galleries,
working and teaching
studios, shops and locally
grown foods. A worthy
side trip is nine miles away
in Rosman. That's where
you'll find PARI (Pisgah
Astronomical Research
Institute) which has space
flight artifacts, meteorites,
minerals and hiking trails,
and it is a " dark sky "
designated location.
443.1-469 AT
CHEROKEE
particularly when blueberries
are prolific for picking.
And MP 431.4 boasts
Richland Balsam, which
is the highest point along
the Blue Ridge Parkway at
6,053 feet.
Parkway Highlight:
A popular parkway hike
traverses the trail to the
summit of Mount Pisgah
(MP 408), which is also
home to the transmitter
tower for Asheville
television station WLOS.
Mount Pisgah rises to
5,721 feet above sea
level and is located about
15 miles southwest of
Asheville. It's a familiar
sight from various points
around the Asheville area,
and natives and locals
know it as Mount Pisgah
and the Rat, referring to
two smaller peaks beside
Pisgah that resemble the
shape of a rat climbing up
the side of the mountain.
A Great Small Town
off the Parkway: Located
less than 20 miles from MP
411, Brevard offers small
town charm, the worldrenowned
Brevard Music
Center, and serves as a
springboard to explore
42 BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
the myriad of waterfalls in
Transylvania County (an
estimated 250) and is a
starting point of the Scenic
276 South Fine Art and
This final stretch leads
visitors to Cherokee and to
the doorstep of the Great
Smoky Mountains National
Park. Explore Cherokee
heritage by visiting the
Oconaluftee Indian Village
for a first-hand look at life
in an Indian Village, attend
the long-running " Unto
These Hills " outdoor play,
visit the Cherokee Museum
and enjoy entertainment
and dining at the Harrah's
Cherokee Casino. There's
also an abundance of outdoor
activities and chances
to spot an elk.
Parkway Highlight:
There are 26 tunnels along
the Blue Ridge Parkway
and 25 of them are located
in North Carolina. This final
section has five tunnels:
Lickstone Ridge Tunnel
(MP 458.8), Bunches Bald
Tunnel (MP 459.3), Big
Gem
HIDDEN
MP 393.6-443.1
A HIDDEN GEM ON THE PARKWAY: Open seasonally April 1-October 30, the
Pisgah Inn (MP 408) offers respite to parkway travelers with its comfortable
lodging and delicious meals. The first Pisgah Inn opened around 1918.
According to history published on the Inn's website, North Carolina officials
bought the land and lodge in 1959 and transferred it to the United States
for the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The current Pisgah Inn was
constructed in 1964. George Vanderbilt's hunting lodge, " Buck Spring Lodge, "
was once located nearby. The buildings are gone, but visitors can walk the
grounds. It's a short walk from the Buck Spring Gap Overlook (MP 407.7) or a
1.1-mile hike from the Pisgah Inn.
MP 411
| PISGAH INN
PISGAH INN FACEBOOK
White Tailed Deer.
Males show increased
antler size until age
6 1/2.
Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country May/June 2023
