Join us for a celebration
at Craggy Gardens!
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Meet at the shelter on the Craggy Gardens Trail at 10:30 a.m., Oct. 27, to participate in a guided hike
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You're invited to celebrate the installation of new educational exhibits at Craggy
Gardens Visitor Center, milepost 364 north of Asheville, during a
ribbon cutting ceremony
at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 27.
The interpretive panels highlight the many intriguing aspects of this high-elevation environment in the Great Craggy Mountains, a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They illustrate the harsh weather and growing conditions, common high-elevation plants, birds and other animals, hidden wildlife, and more.
The event is also a celebration for repairs completed along the Craggy Flats Bald Trail.
After viewing the exhibits, guests are invited to join Blue Ridge Parkway Plant Ecologist Chris Ulrey for an educational hike at 10:30 a.m. across the bald at Craggy Gardens, where he will share more information about this rare habitat and its history. Participants can meet at the large wooden shelter on the Craggy Gardens Trail before setting off together. The shelter is a half mile hike from the Craggy Gardens Picnic Grounds or a slightly shorter trek from the Visitor Center.
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Take home a piece of the Parkway
We hope you will join us for the art show,
Of Valley & Ridge: A Scenic Journey through the Blue Ridge Parkway
, on October 27-28 at Zealandia mansion atop Beaucatcher Mountain in Asheville. P
ieces painted
en plein air
on the Parkway by more than 25 Western North Carolina artists will be displayed throughout the Tudor mansion, allowing guests to enjoy the art in a grand historic setting and then select pieces to call their own. All the works will be available for purchase with proceeds going to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
There will be five types of artwork at the show: oils, pastels, acrylics, watercolors, and etchings. Participating artists include John Mac Kah, Julyan Davis, Deborah Squier, Bryan Koontz, Mark A. Henry, Jim and Michelle Ostlund, Joy Moser, Tony Corbitt, Jr., Tess Darling, Susan Kokora, Cecil Bothwell, Alisa Lumbreras, Paul Blankenship, Dotti Smith, Caleb Clark, Colleen Webster, Alison Web, Carol Parks, Christine Enochs, Mohamed Sabaawi, Andrew Mastriani, Peter Loewer, and Dana Irwin.
The event is a partnership with The Saints of Paint, a group of artists that is committed to supporting nonprofits dedicated to preserving the environment, caring for animals, and working for positive social changes. The art will be on display and available for purchase from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, October 27, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, October 28. Come find a special work of art to celebrate your love for the Parkway!
Thanks to our sponsors!
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TRACK Trail grand opening this Saturday
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oin us at Gorges State Park for the grand opening of a new TRACK Trail at 1 p.m., this Saturday, October 20. Help us cut the ribbon and check out the new activities for kids on the trail and throughout the park. The fun doesn't end there. This opening is part of the
Gorgeous Gorges Colors Festival
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live music, guided hikes, hayrides, s'mores, and more will make this a day to remember!
The grand opening event will be held at the Visitor Center. Look for the sign from the back deck. See you there!
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A fall farewell at the Blue Ridge Music Center
Many other Parkway facilities are closing for the season as well, including visitor centers, campgrounds, and picnic areas. There are a few exceptions, so be sure to check the
Blue Ridge Parkway Operation Hours for details.
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If you live in North Carolina and have a Blue Ridge Parkway specialty license plate, be sure to register for the Get the Plate Getaway drawing. Simply enter your plate info with us for a chance to win a two-night stay on the Blue Ridge Parkway and a gift card from Mast General Store. The deadline for entries is November 16.
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Raise a pint for the Parkway
Our Find Your Pint series continues with Twin Leaf, Twin Creeks, and Wicked Weed breweries. Throughout 2018, we are partnering with area breweries who are generously donating a portion of beer sales to support the Blue Ridge Parkway. Up next:
Through October 31
Enjoy Twin Leaf's special release, Arkenstone Oktoberfest. This festive beer with its copper undertones and smooth finish are guaranteed to prepare you for the transition of foliage.
The brewery will donate 10 percent of its sales of Oktoberfest this month to the Foundation.
Through October 31
Order a pint of the special Red Leaf IPA created for the Find You Pint series. Twin Creeks will donate $1 per pint of the beer sold.
Join Wicked Weed Brewing for the release of a special brew dubbed Blueberry Ridge to honor the Blue Ridge Parkway. Wicked Weed with donate $1 per pint during November.
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Photo competition accepting entries
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The photo "An Autumn Sunrise on the Ridge"
by Chad Jones was a finalist in the 15th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition
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 Have you captured great photos on the Blue Ridge Parkway this year? Be sure to enter them in the 16th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition.
Amateur and professional photographers are encouraged to submit before the competition closes at 5 p.m., Friday, November 16.
This year's Blue Ridge Parkway category theme, sponsored by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Nikon Professional Services, is "It's in the Details." It's easy to be awestruck by the expansiveness of the Parkway and its accompanying long-range vistas. This year, photographers are asked to share photos of the smaller details that often go unnoticed. The winning image in this category will receive a $250 cash award and a camera from Nikon Professional Services.
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Your Support Matters
Join our Community of Stewards
As the primary fundraiser and trusted steward of the
Blue Ridge Parkway, the Foundation is forever committed to preserving the past, enhancing the present, and safeguarding the future of America's Favorite Journey™. Learn more about joining our Community of Stewards at
brpfoundation.org.
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