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Blue Ridge Parkway
Address: 199 Hemphill Knob Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Phone: 828-298-0398 or 828-271-4779
Fax: 828-271-4118
Overview. The Blue Ridge Parkway rides the crest of the Blue Ridge and the Black Mountains for 469 miles, connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. From milepost 0 atop Afton Mountain near Waynesboro, VA, to its end near Cherokee, NC, the parkway allows visitors a leisurely and scenic drive on one of the most beautiful roads in the nation. Overlooks around every corner provide views of valleys and rolling ridges.
Each season reveals new beauty along the route, from the blooming rhododendron, mountain laurel, dogwood, and numerous wildflowers in spring, to the lush greenery of summer. Autumn is one of the most popular seasons for the parkway, as the trees take on a myriad of fall colors. In winter, snow often blankets the mountains, and leafless trees open up new vistas along the route. Wildlife abounds, but the black bear and white-tailed deer that call the mountains home are best seen at dawn or dusk.
What to see and do. Just about any type of recreation a vacationer could imagine is available along the parkway or nearby in state parks or communities. The parkway preserves sites of both historic and scenic significance. Mountain farms and cabins, a century-old gristmill, old canal locks, and many examples of mountain trail-making and fence-building should keep the history buff occupied.
If you like to hike, you can have your pick of short scenic jaunts from overlooks and pull outs to long portions of the Appalachian Trail. Many areas along the parkway offer opportunities to fish. Swimming is not permitted within parkway boundaries, but plenty of nearby mountain lakes and streams will allow you to take a dip. There are picnic grounds and many individual picnic sites located at overlooks along the route.
The North Carolina Minerals Museum and the Folk Art Center near Asheville, NC are located on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Also of note is the spectacular Linn Cove Viaduct, which seems to hug Grandfather Mountain. Completed in 1987, the Presidential Award-winning bridge was constructed to complement and not disturb the natural environment.
Allow at least two days to drive the entire route. The maximum speed limit is 45 miles per hour, and the posted speed is even lower in congested areas. Commercial vehicles are prohibited. Campgrounds, lodges, restaurants, and service areas are located along the parkway, or are available in communities and parks nearby. Twelve visitor centers, five in Virginia and seven in North Carolina, provide general park information and specific exhibits about the history of the area along their portion of the route. From June to October, special programs and demonstrations of mountain history, crafts, and music are scheduled all along the parkway.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is open year-round, but most services and visitor facilities are closed in winter. Portions of the parkway may be temporarily closed by inclement winter weather. If you plan to visit call 828-298-0398 for general information.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Address: Hwy 12 Rte 1, PO Box 675 US 64
Manteo, NC 27954
Phone: 252-995-4474 or 252-473-2111
Fax: 252-437-2595
Overview. Thin but surprisingly resilient strips of sand and sea grasses, North Carolina's Outer Banks provide the mainland with protection against the pounding sea and intense winds. The shifting shoals and treacherous waters off the shore of these barrier islands have proved fatal for many ships that dared to challenge them. Indeed, pirates used to lead a placid horse, lantern swinging from its neck, along the dune ridges to lure passing ships into "safe harbor." Once the ships ran aground, they were easy prey for the dastardly scavengers, and this practice is said to have given Nags Head, the area's largest community, its name. Edward Teach, the infamous Blackbeard, used Ocracoke Island as a base for his depredations. A series of 19th-century lighthouses, many still in use, grace the Outer Banks; these include Cape Hatteras Light, the nation's tallest. Built in 1870, the tower, with its distinctive black and white spiral exterior, is 208 feet tall. The ever-shifting sands both hide and uncover the wrecks of ships caught off-guard in this "Graveyard of the Atlantic," and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore's 70 miles of coastline offer a wealth of historical and recreational opportunities for those who visit its three islands: Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke. What to see and do. Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks boast some of the best fishing and surfing available on the east coast. Ocean swimming and windsurfing are popular, although the wind and currents are unpredictable, and park service authorities caution against venturing into the ocean without lifeguards present, no matter how accomplished a swimmer you are. Fishing piers and charter boat concessions are available at various locations along the seashore. The National Park Service maintains four seasonal campgrounds: Oregon Inlet, Frisco, and Cape Point are available on a first come, first served basis, and spaces may be reserved at Ocracoke campground by calling 800-365-CAMP. Visitor centers on Bodie and Ocracoke Islands are open seasonally, and offer historical exhibits, park information, and book sales. The Hatteras Island Visitor Center, located at the base of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, is open year round from 9 AM to 5 PM, except for Christmas Day. If you visit in season, you can climb the 248 steps to the top of the lighthouse and take in a wide view of the ocean and the Pamlico Sound. Lighthouse hours are subject to change, so check with the park first if you want to make the ascent. The museum at the visitor center offers exhibits on the history and ecology of the Outer Banks, and provides information on scheduled park events. Check here for the best bird-watching sites and times, and to learn where the sea and shifting sands have exposed a shipwreck or two. Food, lodging, and additional campgrounds are readily available in the islands' towns and villages. Nearby attractions include the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, where the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island met their mysterious fate, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, where the famous pair made their first flight. Jockey Ridge State Park, which boasts the highest sand dunes on the east coast, is a favorite spot for hang gliding. In season, Outer Banks communities sponsor numerous events including fishing tournaments, kite festivals, surfing, hang gliding, and windsurfing festivals, craft shows, seafood feasts, and an annual blues festival. Check with the seashore and local tourist information centers for details and dates. Ocracoke Island, Blackbeard's old haunt, is accessible only by boat. A free, short ferry ride from Hatteras Island will take you to the sleepy town of Ocracoke, which is also linked to the mainland by two ferries. The trip from Ocracoke to Cedar Island or Swan Quarter takes over two hours, and reservations are strongly recommended. There is a fee for the service.
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Address: 131 Charles St
Harkers Island, NC 28531
Phone: 252-728-2250
Fax: 252-728-2160
Overview. Cape Lookout National Seashore is a world of shifting sand dunes, salt marshes, and tidal flats teeming with life. Accessible only by water and almost completely undeveloped, these barrier islands stretch 55 miles from Ocracoke Inlet to Beaufort Inlet -- 55 miles of remote solitude. Here, the endangered loggerhead sea turtle comes to nest. In summer, tropical fish, attracted by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, find a habitat along the rock jetties of the Core Banks. The marshes attract an array of aquatic birds, and bottlenose dolphin cavort just off the Atlantic coast. On Shackleford Banks, the southernmost island, feral horses roam the maritime forests abandoned by the humans who once kept them.
Save for visitors, humans no longer inhabit these islands. Evidence of their history can be seen at the historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse, where the former keeper's quarters serve as a seasonal visitor center, and at Portsmouth Village, which was once an important off-loading site for incoming ships.
What to see and do. Before setting out to the seashore, stop by the visitor center on Harkers Island. It is open daily from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, with the exception of Christmas and New Year's Day, to provide information on the park's history and geology, and to help you plan your visit according to your time and interests. Rangers at the visitor center can provide up-to-date ferry information, either in person or via recorded phone message.
Cape Lookout National Seashore is accessible by ferry or private boat from several North Carolina coastal towns. Ferries operate from mid-March to the first weekend in December. There are no roads or established trails on the islands, although four-wheel-drive and all-terrain vehicles may drive along the beach. Bicycles and two-wheel-drive automobiles are likely to be mired in sand; don't waste the expense and inconvenience of ferrying them to the island. Several rustic, no-frills cabins are available on both the north and south islands through ferry concessionaires; call Morris Marina, Kabin Kamps and Ferry Service (252-225-4261) for north island information and Alger G. Willis Fishing Camps (252-729-2791) for details concerning south island accommodations.
Camping is allowed along the seashore, but there are no formally designated sites or campgrounds. Tents should be sturdy to withstand harsh winds and tent stakes should be extra-long for use in sand. You'll want a tent with mosquito netting, too, as insects can be fierce here in season. There are no services on the islands; all supplies, including water, must be packed in. Campers should remove all trace of their campsites when they leave, and this includes packing trash and garbage out.
Both overnight and day-use visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, from exploring the grounds around the historic lighthouse and the eerie, abandoned village of Portsmouth, where a self-guided trail explains the town's history, to beachcombing, fishing, boating, cross-country hiking, and swimming. Please take note that none of the seashore beaches are guarded, and that swimmers take to the ocean waters at their own risk. Due to frequent rip currents and rough surf, no one should ever attempt to swim alone.
Contact the visitor center for a schedule of ranger-led activities.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historical Site
Address: 1928 Little River Rd
Flat Rock, NC 28731-9766
Phone: 828-693-4178
Fax: 828-693-4179
Overview. From 1945 until his death in 1967, Carl Sandburg and his family made their home among western North Carolina's rolling hills and meadows. One of America's best-known 20th-century writers, Sandburg won Pulitzer Prizes for his collected poetry and his biography of Abraham Lincoln. His estate, Connemara, encompasses 245 acres and includes Paula Sandburg's goat farm.
What to see and do. Divide your two or three hours between the house, the farm buildings, and the hiking trails. After stopping by the Visitor Information Center, located on the ground floor of the Sandburg home, take a guided tour through the 22-room farmhouse built in 1838. The first two of three floors are mobility-impaired accessible. You'll need to sign up for the guided tour (a nominal fee is charged), and groups over 15 persons should call ahead at least three weeks in advance for reservations. Outside, more than 20 outbuildings invite a leisurely exploration of the farm. Visit the renowned Chikaming goat herd, along with the barn, milkhouse, and springhouse where goat cheese was kept. On five miles of hiking trails, whose terrain ranges from easy to fairly strenuous, you wind about an orchard, two small lakes, a trout pond, gardens, and then up two small mountains. During the busy summer season, check at the visitor center for special ranger programs and walking tours. Typical North Carolina vegetation tests your wildflower identification skills.
Open from 9 AM until 5 PM daily, except for December 25, Connemara hosts several cultural events, including the Sandburg Folk Music Festival and presentations by authors and historians. Call ahead for details. Transportation will be arranged for anyone who cannot walk the short trail leading to the house, and captioned video tours are also available.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
Rte 1 Box 675
Manteo, NC 27954
Phone: 252-473-5772
Fax: 252-473-2595
Overview. In spring of 1587, the great English courtier, explorer, and soldier Sir Walter Raleigh sent an expedition to settle territory at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. After a difficult crossing the three ships landed at Roanoke and 116 men, women and children disembarked to settle the land and establish a self-sufficient foothold in the New World. Soon after their arrival the governor of the new colony, John White, returned to England in order to get badly needed supplies. When he returned in 1590, the colony he had left behind, which included his own daughter and infant granddaughter, Virginia Dare, had vanished. All that remained were the mysterious letters "CRO" carved in the trunk of a tree and, on a post, "CROATOAN," the name of a nearby island. After years of searching, no clue about the fate of the 116 settlers could be found. The settlement has since been called the Lost Colony.
What to see and do. The settlers of Roanoke built a fort near the shore of Roanoke Sound. That simple earthen fort, called the "Newe Fort in Verginia," has been reconstructed and can be toured. Historic Site staff also offer live dramatizations of the story behind the "Lost Colony," and you can see exhibits, artifacts, a reconstructed Elizabethan room, and a short film in the Lindsay Warren Visitor Center in summer. The Historical Site also features a nature trail and an outdoor theater where the "Lost Colony" pageant-drama is produced in summer. Call the site for information about tour schedules and other information. Leashed pets are permitted. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available.
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
Address: 2332 New Garden Road
Greensboro, NC 27410-2355
Phone: 336-288-1776
Fax: 336-282-2296
Overview. On a battlefield in central North Carolina, the British General Earl Cornwallis defeated General Nathanael Greene, but Cornwallis lost one quarter of his men. Greene's strategic retreat preserved his army, which then pursued Cornwallis's much-weakened forces to the Atlantic coast, setting up the October surrender of the British army at Yorktown. Guilford Courthouse proved a pyrrhic victory for Cornwallis, costing him not only men and supplies but also parliamentary support in London. Today this 220-acre park commemorates the scrappy fighting of Greene and his men with a battlefield tour and museum.What to see and do. Before you head out onto the park's miles of handicapped-accessible trails, stop by the visitor center, open from 8:30 AM until 5 PM. Watch the 20-minute captioned film entitled "Guilford Letters" and look through the museum exhibits of Revolutionary War artifacts. Beginning at the visitor center, a car tour route follows a 2.5-mile road with stops at seven informational sites that tell you about the spot's role in the battle. If you bring your bike, ride along in the bike lane. If you prefer to walk, more than two miles of paved foot trails lead you from point to point on the battlefield. Wildflowers attract your attention in season. Rangers will be happy to conduct group tours if they're contacted in advance. Should your visit fall on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or during fall, call ahead to see which living history programs are being presented. On March 15, the anniversary of the battle is celebrated with special programs. The park is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Leashed pets are permitted.
Moores Creek National Battlefield
Address: 200 Moores Creek Dr PO Box 69
Currie, NC 28435
Phone: 910-283-5591
Fax: 910-283-5351
Overview. One of the earliest battles of the American Revolution in the South was fought beside a bridge over Moores Creek, near Wilmington, on February 27, 1776. More than four months before the colonies formally declared their independence from the British, a thousand "Patriots" clashed with over 1,600 "Loyalists" in the coastal lowlands of southeastern North Carolina. Their decisive victory ended speculation over this colony's sympathies towards the British. Later in the year, at the Continental Congress, North Carolina was first to vote for independence.What to see and do. A diorama at the visitor center and museum depicts the scene as it may have looked on that fateful mid-winter morning. Original weapons from the battle, including a Brown Bess musket and a broadsword, are also on display. The Eastern National organization operates a bookstore in the visitor center. Picnic facilities are available. Two self-guided trails wind through the park. The 0.7-mile History Tour starts at the visitor center and leads to the battle site. Along the way, be sure to see the Patriot Monument, erected in 1857 to the memory of Private John Grady, the battle's sole patriot casualty. The short (0.3-mile) Tar Heel Trail passes by exhibits of naval stores production, the region's main industry at the time of the revolution. The park commemorates the anniversary of the battle annually on the last weekend of February. Events include living history demonstrations, a candlelight tour of the battlefield, and a formal ceremony held on Sunday afternoon. In addition, there are various activities scheduled on summer weekends. Call the visitor center for more information. The visitor center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM year-round. The battlefield is closed on Christmas and New Year's Day. Leashed pets are permitted on the trails but not in the Visitor Center. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available.
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