Blue Ridge Parkway

[dan88z]

My wife and I are planning on hitting the BRP this coming July as part of a bike vacation. We're going to start at the southern end, where it begins, and ride the whole NC portion of the road and then head up to Galax VA. Does anyone have any insight on this section? Is it practical to do it in 1 day or would you guys do it in 2 and be more relaxed, and have time to explore roads off of the BRP? It's about 300 miles but google maps says 8+ hours, which with a lot of the ride being twisties, could be mentally and physically difficult and might be too much of a push to get to the destination, which would take some of the fun out of it. What about food and fuel, are they generally available or do you have to ride 30 miles off the BRP to find it? How about lodging if we do decide to split it into 2 days?

The trip is going to be like this, more or less. My wife is going down to TN to the dragon area with a couple friends, renting a cabin for a week and riding in the area. Then she's heading down to Charleston SC to visit her family. I'm going to slab it 650 miles down there in 1 day and meet her, we'll hang for a couple days, then head up to Asheville NC and spend the night. Head over to the BRP the next day, possibly ride that whole section up to Galax VA (depending on advice from people who have done this). Spend the night in Galax, then do a mix of slab/back roads into WV towards Beckley and the New River gorge area, and from there back roads to Elkins where we'll spend the night. The next day, back roads from WV into VA and eventually to MD where we'll take main roads/slab back to DE. Round trip for me is about 1900 miles. My wife wil probably do closer to 3000 by the time she's done.  It will be around 300-350 miles and anywhere from 6-8+ hours in the saddle each day, which is OK. I'm mostly concerned about the major twisty BRP section and whether it's wise to try that in 1 day. We're not the type of riders who have to say we did x miles in x amount of time, we'd rather enjoy the journey instead of having to press to be somewhere by a certain time.

Any insight/suggestions are appreciated!

[wibornz]

That is easily doable on the BRP.  Last summer my son and I left from Deals Gap/The Dragon at 7:00 am stoped for breakfast and lunch, and still made it to Roanoke Va, by 7:00 pm.

The BRP is not a tight twisty ride.  More like a lot of nice sweeper corners one after another.  

[tthompsr]

Dan, That section of the BRP should be easy to complete in one day, In the last few years I've done the whole length down and back a couple of times and it's really only taken a day and a half for the whole length each way and thats with plenty of sight-seeing!On day one down I've been able to make Boone N.C. which has plenty of Hotels to choose from,and the ride up I've found local lodgding around Meadows of Dan. (that Should be a great area for you)!

[gradus]

You'll get replies here, but a quick search for 'BRP' will show similar threads that have been started recently.  

[dan88z]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'll do some searching too.

I have to remember that I'll be with my wife who is on a cruiser, and she's one who would rather ride with no agenda than a "we have to get there by 5pm" mentality like I have. She's a good rider and has logged a lot more miles than I have in the mountains, but we'll stop a lot more than if I were riding alone. So 300 miles of BRP in one day might be pushing it for her, especially if it's foggy in the morning and we wait a while for it to lift. I'm giving us an extra flex day in the planning in case of really bad weather or if we want to side track and hang a day somewhere. A lot of the agenda will depend on my band bookings. I'm leaving on a Weds to go to SC and we'll hang there and head out Sunday to get to the Asheville area. If I have a band gig Friday, I want to be home by Wednesday, with Thursday as a spare day in case we have problems- bike issues, weather, etc. Since I book the band I can kinda work around it, maybe not book anything, or not book Friday, but we have casino gigs that when offered, you take them because the money is too good to pass up.

[ianbh]

It's a nice ride with great scenery but has a 45 mph speed limit, sometimes there are lots of LEOs.  The roads that cross BRP are often times more fun and have a high enough speed limit to allow a challenge at 5-10 over.

The inn at Little Switzerland is a great place to stay with a good restaurant, shouldn't miss it.  The road east from there is very good.

Ian, Iowa

[wibornz]

The inn at Little Switzerland is a great place to stay with a good restaurant, shouldn't miss it.  The road east from there is very good.

Ian, Iowa

Amen brother.  

[NoGear]

 In the past year and a half I've ridden it several times and have only seen LEO once. There are a lot of great roads in the area so don't be afraid of taking some side trips.

[BentAero]

Dan,

Your two paragraphs indicate two different ideas/itineraries. First one mentions starting from the southern end (Cherokee) and going to Galax. The 2nd one refers to riding from Charleston, SC to Asheville, then to Galax. Big difference.

Remember, July is peak nerd-in-cage season. Often the going can be slow on the BRP because Harold & Clara are only doing 30 mph and you can't get around them. Riding from Cherokee to Galax in a day can be done, but it likely will go from fun to work by the time you get there -especially if the weather happens to be bad that day.

I encourage you to take your time and enjoy some of the activities in the area. Graveyard Fields is a unique waterfall/swimming hole on the BRP at mile marker 418.8, 37 miles SW of Asheville. http://www.romanticasheville.com/graveyard.htm .

Visiting the Biltmore Estate is a must. Plan on a half-day. Pricey but well worth it. http://biltmore.com/

The State of NC has taken over Chimney Rock, 20 miles or so south of Asheville. Splendid views and hiking trails. The final fight scenes from "Last of the Mohicans" was filmed here, the water scenes from "Dirty Dancing" was filmed on Lake Lure that you can see to the south. The ride from Fairview over Gerton Mtn. to Chimney Rock on NC74-A is great! http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/

If you're in Asheville on a Saturday night, be sure and go downtown. It's the place to be on a warm summer evening. There are literally thousands of people out and about in Downtown Asheville on a summer Friday/Saturday night. Shindig on the Green is just one of many (free) activities to take in. http://www.folkheritage.org/shindigonthegreen.htm
If you're here on July 27-29, the largest free street festival in the South is downtown: http://www.belecherefestival.com/

Rather than staying in Galax, stop just short in Sparta, NC at the Alleghany Inn. It's extremely motorcycle friendly, the manager, John hosts several sport-touring groups every year. FYI: Deer in the Sparta/Galax area are as thick as mosquito's. Avoid riding at night. http://www.alleghanyinn.com/

FWIW, when I walk out to the mailbox, I can see a good 10 mile stretch of the BRP all the way to Mt. Pisgah.

[dan88z]

Gary, we were going to head to Asheville or Waynesville, spend the night, and then the next day go to Cherokee and ride the BRP.

Thanks a ton for the recommendations! Always good to have someone from the area who can give you the kind of tips that'll make it a nicer trip. Right now it's just ideas- and if July is nerd in cage season, maybe we avoid it. There are plenty of nice looking roads based on the map and plenty to do with the links you gave. Maybe we just hit part of the BRP and then get on some other roads. I'll keep looking at the map and researching.  Thanks again!

[crashtech]

LOL.....I really dont think I found a bad road off of the parkway the weekend we all went...... ...Only saw 1 ranger in the 4 days we were on and around the BRP......+2 on Ashville nightlife and the Biltmore......

[gradus]

I'm leaving on a Weds to go to SC and we'll hang there and head out Sunday to get to the Asheville area.

Great, you won't have to worry too much about traffic on the week days.  Being it's the middle of the week, I would maybe attempt a ride through Smokey Mountain National Park if you have time.  ....I swore off ever going back there again due to the parade of traffic.  It would have been an outstanding road and scenery if I had it to myself.  

[NoGear]

Great, you won't have to worry too much about traffic on the week days.  Being it's the middle of the week, I would maybe attempt a ride through Smokey Mountain National Park if you have time.  ....I swore off ever going back there again due to the parade of traffic.  It would have been an outstanding road and scenery if I had it to myself.  

I usually stay in Gatlinburg or Sevierville when down in the area so I'm always riding thru the park but I make sure that I'm on the road by 7:30am.  In the peak seasons if you don't get on there before 8am it really sucks!!!