At each Parkway entrance a directional sign indicates 'north' or 'south.' North, toward the north end of the Parkway, leads to Shenandoah National Park. South, toward the south end of the Parkway, leads to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Outstanding scenery & recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most popular units of the National Park System. "America's Favorite Drive" winds its way 469 miles through mountain meadows and past endless vistas. You will enjoy the picturesque farmsteads and historic structures, which complement spectacular views of distant mountains and neighboring valleys.Building the Parkway through mountainous terrain was a monumental labor. Authorized in the 1930s as a Depression-era public works project, it was the nation's first & longest rural parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway connects the Shenandoah Naitonal Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
