Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation

Whether you’re hiking with your furry friends or spotting canine illusions in the rocks, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway is a great way to enjoy National Dog Day! Just remember to keep your dog safely on a leash when visiting the Parkway🐶

Photos courtesy of Blue Ridge Parkway/National Park Service:
1974, Crabtree Falls
1959, Peaks of Otter Trail
1974, Linville Campground

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Milepost Music concert at the Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville has been canceled, but you can still catch the Luke Mears Band from 2 to 4 p.m. today at The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park, milepost 241.

Great news about progress on the Laurel Fork Bridge just south of The Bluffs Restaurant on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

🚨Last call for auction items for this year's Denim Ball!🚨

We would love to feature your business or organization at our event. Contact our staff at 866-308-2773 or by messenger today if you would like to be included in this wonderful event being held Sept. 5 at the Linville Golf Club. Our auction will feature art, jewelry, gourmet kitchenware, gift packages, and many fantastic experiences! Too many fabulous items to list...

All auction donors will be recognized in our event materials, on our website, and with a social media shout out. Reach out today if you think your product is a great fit for this popular High Country fundraiser. Thanks!

Don't miss an opportunity to learn about a pivotal moment in recording history. The Blue Ridge Music Center and North Carolina Arts Foundation will host an information session about the Historic Asheville Sessions project from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 15, at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville.

The public is invited to learn about the project, which presents, interprets, and celebrates recordings made by OKeh General Phonograph Corporation in the summer of 1925 in Western North Carolina. These sessions were the first performances of traditional music from the Southern Appalachians to be documented for commercial sale to a broader American audience. This event accelerated the evolution of American vernacular and homemade music into the emerging genre of country music, which is now known around the globe. Despite its historical importance, the OKeh recordings made in Asheville have never been reissued and the impacts of these sessions have never been publicly explored and presented. In fact, few North Carolinians are aware of this event of international significance.

We’re thrilled to partner with Waypoint Adventure_NC to offer adaptive kayak adventures for individuals with disabilities at Price Lake on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On Friday, Aug. 16, kayaking sessions will be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The cost for each excursion is $20 per person; scholarships are available. The outing is accessible to people with a range of disabilities thanks to a variety of adaptive kayaking equipment and instruction designed to meet individual needs.

Trained staff and volunteers will provide adaptive equipment and personalized instruction tailored to meet adventurers needs.

These adventures are made possible by support from .

The Bluffs Restaurant is hosting a Celestial Dinner Party to celebrate the Perseid meteor shower starting at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11!

Doughton Park is known as an amazing spot for stargazing on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Y. Enjoy a three-course family style meal prepared by guest chef Jordan Rainbolt of Native Root in Winston-Salem, N.C. The evening will include wine pairings and a dessert to be enjoyed under the shooting stars. Special guests include Via Weber, bar manager at The Downtown Grille and astronomer, and Chuck King from American Premium Beverage. Don’t miss this heavenly event!

Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/3Wpdesw

Catch a free outdoor Milepost Music concert from 2 to 4 p.m., this Sunday, Aug. 4, at Peaks of Otter (milepost 85.6 near Bedford, Va.) or Mabry Mill (milepost 176 near Meadows of Dan, Va.).

Keith Goggins will perform at Peaks of Otter (please note this show was originally slated to take place at Humpback Rocks). Singer-songwriter Keith Goggin brings a mix of original lyrics, skilled guitar, and vocal power. For the past 20 years he has played in the Houston-based bands The Levee Busters and Whiskey Brisket. He has opened for The Charlie Daniels Band and shared the stage with Jerry Lee Lewis.

The Mac Walker Music Duo will perform at Mabry Mill. The duo plays a mix of Americana, blues, and rock. Walker comes from a long line of musicians and grew up in West Virginia in a house filled with harmony and song. The multi-instrumentalist now calls the foothills of North Carolina home and can be found playing in the bands Camel City Blues and Mac and the Machine.

We hope to see you there!

We are so saddened to share the news of the passing of Dr. Olson Huff, a tremendous leader, friend, and founder of the Kids in Parks program.

There are certain people who were born to improve the lives of others and make the world a better place. Our friend Dr. Olson Huff was undoubtedly one of those people.

He was an inspirational leader in children’s health. Throughout his career as a pediatrician, Olson developed programs, formed partnerships, raised capital, and influenced policies that improved the health of children, especially those from underserved populations.

As a member of the board of trustees for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, he founded the Kids in Parks program. In 2008, after learning only 10 percent of visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway brought children to the park, Olson had a revolutionary idea—the creation of a hiking program designed to get kids and families active outdoors and reengaged with nature. Olson’s original concept was to design a program that encouraged kids and families to utilize the trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway as a resource for their health.

However, because childhood obesity and nature deficit-disorder were not unique to the Parkway corridor, the program was rapidly embraced by park agencies throughout North Carolina, and across the country. Today, there are nearly 300 TRACK Trails in 18 states, Washington, D.C., and the Qualla Boundary. Over the past decade, approximately 1.5 million TRACK Trail adventures have been completed by kids and families. These outings represent participants spending at least 750,000 hours outdoors and walking 1.4 million miles.

Kids in Parks is just one gift that Olson gave children and families. He also:
- Created a childhood development program that would go on to become Smart Start;
- Developed the Toothbus, which provided mobile dental care to children in rural Western North Carolina;
- Led the fundraising efforts to create the Children’s Center at Mission St. Joseph’s Hospital—now known as the Olson Huff Center at Mission Children’s Hospital in Asheville, N.C.

For these accomplishments, and more, Dr. Olson Huff was recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics; named to the Order of the Longleaf Pine by the governor of North Carolina; listed as one of the Top 100 most-influential people in Western North Carolina; and admired by his peers at local, regional, state, national, and even international levels for his influence in pediatric medicine and public health.

Olson will be greatly missed as a visionary leader, a trusted doctor, and an inspirational friend whose legacy will last for generations to come.

- From all of us at the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Kids in Parks

Get your dancing shoes ready! This year's Denim Ball will feature the smooth stylings of Continental Divide. The band has been performing around the Southeast for nearly thirty years. They'll get the party going with their energetic performance. 🎺🎹🎷

Many thanks to our friends at The Rosemyr Corporation for sponsoring the live music for this year's event. Do you have your tickets yet for the 2024 Denim Ball? Tickets and tables are going fast. Get yours today at TheDenimBall.com! ✨

The wildflowers are putting on a spectacular show in Doughton Park at milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Go see the Heller’s Blazing Star, coreopsis, and more in bloom!

Please remember you are not allowed to pick flowers in the national park, so plan to take plenty of pictures to enjoy!

More than 369 miles of trails in the national park lead visitors across rolling fields and through sun-dappled forests, up craggy mountainsides and down into lush valleys. Keeping each step of the way safe for visitors with minimal impacts on the surrounding ecosystems is a tall task.

With a donation, you can fund a thorough inventory of trails within the national park and give the Trail Program Manager and volunteer crews the assessment tools and critical information they need to prioritize and plan trail improvements while carefully considering impacts to the landscape.

Give today at BRPFoundation.org!

Images: American Conservation Experience teams work on trail improvements at Craggy Gardens and install a bridge on the High Meadow Trail at the Blue Ridge Music Center

Happy Independence Day!

Trying to beat the heat near Asheville? Check out these cool spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Summer hikes in Asheville: stunning Blue Ridge Parkway excursions with a view Asheville area hiking guides recommend some favorite WNC summer spots, from up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway and beyond.

This weekend, the Blue Ridge Music Center is hosting two free Milepost Music sessions (Doughton Park and Asheville’s Parkway Visitor Center) and a ticketed concert at its main outdoor amphitheater in Virginia. Take your pick and get your fill of great music!

Tuba Skinny plays the Music Center at 7 p.m., this Saturday, June 22. While the group has become known as world-class interpreters of traditional jazz, they have also branched out into jug band music, spirituals, country blues, string band music, ragtime, and New Orleans R&B.

The Leftover Biscuits play from 2-4 p.m., this Sunday, June 23, at The Bluffs at Doughton Park. The group of life-long musicians is bringing toe-tapping, old-time string music to the front lawn with this free performance.

Cary Fridley and Bayla Davis play a free concert from 2-4 p.m., this Sunday, June 23, at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville. Over her 20-plus year career, Fridley’s music has evolved to embrace all styles of traditional country, blues, folk, and jazz. Davis, still in her teens, has already received acclaim for her clawhammer banjo playing.

Learn more at https://www.blueridgemusiccenter.org/

Enjoy the first day of summer on the Blue Ridge Parkway🌞
Today's Summer Solstice brings maximum daylight to the Northern Hemisphere, bathing the parkway’s endless peaks and valleys in sunlight. Where will you explore on the longest day of the year?

Photo by David McKenzie
Woolyback Overlook, milepost 452.3

Two wonderful concession opportunities on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Weekends are made for exploring the beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway and iconic spots like Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.

Bertha Lindau Cone managed the estate on her own for four decades, following the precedent set by her husband, Moses Cone.

Today, June 8, is the anniversary of her passing. Thousands of guests who visit the park each year enjoy her careful commitment to preserving the beauty of this scenic mountain estate.

Thank you, Mrs. Cone.

Photo from June 7, 2024 of horseback riders and hikers in front of Flat Top Manor.

It’s a mighty musical weekend on the Blue Ridge Parkway! The Blue Ridge Music Center is hosting the Chatham Rabbits + Colby T. Helms & Virginia Creeper for its summer concert series at 7 p.m., this Saturday, June 8, in the outdoor amphitheater.

On Sunday, June 9, the Music Center is presenting free outdoor Milepost Music concerts from 2 to 4 p.m. at Peaks of Otter and The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park. The Brothers Young will play Peaks of Otter, and Carrie Hinkley & the Virginia Hollow Band will perform at Doughton Park. Bring a camp chair and enjoy the tunes and tales from regional musicians!

Do you love music and the outdoors? We're looking for volunteers to assist with our free Milepost Music concerts on alternating Sunday afternoons. We'd love your help setting up tents and equipment with concert staff before the show and breakdown afterward. During the performance, volunteers can greet concertgoers and provide information about the program and Blue Ridge Parkway. The performances are hosted from 2 to 4 p.m., so you can pick between an earlier set-up shift or a later breakdown shift, or stay for both.

Volunteers are needed at:
- Humpback Rocks, Lyndhurst, Va., milepost 5.8
- Peaks of Otter, Bedford, Va., milepost 85.6
- Mabry Mill, Meadows of Dan, Va., milepost 176.1 (in the Old Mill Village)
- The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park, Laurel Springs, N.C., milepost 241
- Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Asheville, N.C., milepost 384

Details at https://www.brpfoundation.org/volunteer-blue-ridge-parkway

Happy National Trails Day! Did you know that the Blue Ridge Parkway features 369 miles of hiking trails? From Humpback Rocks Trail at the northern end of the scenic route to Waterrock K**b Trail near the terminus, there are so many wonderful adventures to be had. We are so grateful for the help of donors and volunteers who care for these special treks that lead us deeper into nature. Tell us your favorite trail to explore in the national park?

To support our Trails & Views Forever program, visit https://www.brpfoundation.org/initiatives/trails-views-forever-program

There are a lot of exciting projects on the horizon for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. We are seeking a Senior Finance Director to help guide the financial growth that comes with new opportunities to protect the country’s most visited national park and unite the neighboring communities that are intertwined with its success.

If you would like to join a team dedicated to creating a better Blue Ridge Parkway for more than 16 million annual visitors, and are seeking a collaborative and rewarding work environment, we encourage you to apply (or share this post with a friend).

Learn more at https://www.brpfoundation.org/senior-finance-director

Happy National Road Trip Day! We may be biased, but we think all 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, named an All-American Road in 1996, make up the best road trip you can take. Do you have a memory of exploring the Parkway with a sweetheart or piling into the station wagon with your family for a weekend drive? Share your favorite Parkway road trip story in the comments!

The Blue Ridge Music Center is hosting its first performance of the season at 7 p.m., this Saturday, May 25, in the outdoor amphitheater at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer concert series opens with East Nash Grass and the Amanda Cook Band.

The members of East Nash Grass honed their performance chops night after night on the tiny stage of Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge on Nashville’s east side. The ensemble has quickly become one of the top young bands in bluegrass, bringing swagger, instrumental virtuosity, and high energy to every performance. The Amanda Cook Band is led by one-of-the most dynamic female bluegrass vocalists and band-leaders in bluegrass today.

Tickets are available at https://bit.ly/3Vd2qOC

Cultural preservation is a core element of the Foundation’s mission, and we advance that goal through donor support for the programs at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Va.

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation representatives joined the leaders of several North Carolina environmental groups on Earth Day to celebrate a grant awarded by the Duke Energy Foundation. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation was one of 18 groups selected, and received a $25,000 grant at the event.

This support will fund an initiative to guide landowner outreach and voluntary land conservation to protect viewsheds and natural resources along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Foundation will collaborate with conservation groups to analyze land parcels along the scenic route, with emphasis on the protection of rare species, clean water, and migration corridors for species impacted by climate change. With this grant, we’ll focus on the 14 North Carolina counties served by Duke Energy in the Parkway corridor. This program will also be introduced in Virginia.

Our thanks to the Duke Energy Foundation for their strong support of our park’s views and natural resources!

In the 1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt took a road trip along the newly constructed Skyline Drive in Virginia, sparking the idea to extend the roadway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

Just a few years later the project was approved by the Interior Secretary, and various private contractors and New Deal public works programs were employed in the construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway. With 469 miles of road, tunnels, bridges, and the global conflict of World War 2, the parkway took decades to complete, with the final piece, Linn Cove Viaduct, opening in 1987.

The Parkway is a powerful place, connecting us with nature and wildlife, mountain history, and our sense of wonder. If you’d like to help ensure the parkway continues to thrive, visit our website at BRPFoundation.org.

Images courtesy of the Blue Ridge Parkway/National Park Service, Parkway construction during June of 1942.

Would you like to spend your summer at beautiful Crabtree Falls helping visitors learn more about the Blue Ridge Parkway? Apply to be our interpreter in residence at Crabtree Falls Campground, milepost 340 on the Parkway (6 miles from Little Switzerland, N.C., and 24 minutes from Spruce Pine, N.C.).

https://www.brpfoundation.org/interpreter-in-residence

There is still time to get mom a heartfelt gift for Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 12. You can give a donation in her honor to protect the Blue Ridge Parkway. Whether the national park is where you love to spend time together or it holds fond memories, she’ll know you care about the place she cherishes. When you give, you can download this ecard or print a card at home. Give mom a gift with an important meaning at https://www.brpfoundation.org/donate