Blue Ridge Parkway Or Not

[carolinarider09]

Planning a trip.  Could travel on the BRP or not. 

Current options

Enter at Buchanan, VA exit around Copper Hill, Va  -  about 30 miles or so. 

Or.

Exit right around Blowing Rock, NC (or any point before I guess).  Thats about 200 miles on the Parkway.

So the real question is, how much time should I spend traveling on the BRP on a nice sunny day and what are the road conditions like today. 

Oh and after Laurel Springs, NC the name changes to North Blue Ridge Parkway on my map (its an older mapping program)

Time is not a real issue but there have been times when, we'll you know, one can get bored. 

Also, the other question would be a fuel stop might be needed but I think I can work that out if I were to do the 200 miles. 

[Jess from VA]

Up at my North end, it's always cooler than any surrounding areas.  Down your way, I don't know.

It's always a nice ride (45PH, so it takes awhile), especially you get behind Winnebagos and trailers.  I'll pass on a double yellow, if I can see aorund and do it quickly and safely, but you risk a big ticket.

It's always a good idea to call to see if any sections are closed for maintenance (or ask at your entrance gate), or being chip and sealed with nasty hot tar and gravel (which you don't want to ride on.... and scrub your azz off getting off) (I've had to backtrack and go around the long way several times)

https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm

Also, print this out and carry it with you for gas availability by mile marker.  You can rarely actually see gas stations from the Parkway, and sometimes they are right down the hill, and other times they are 20-40 miles from the exit you took.  This takes all the guess work and worry out of it.  (Though maybe your cell phone and GPS does all that for you).

https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/gas-availability/

[Patrick]

Its been a long time, we always drove it back home northbound. Enjoyed it until they started closing so much of it. We stopped taking it because there were more detour miles than BRP miles.

But, maybe, hopefully, thats changed by now.

[carolinarider09]

Its been a long time, we always drove it back home northbound. Enjoyed it until they started closing so much of it. We stopped taking it because there were more detour miles than BRP miles.

But, maybe, hopefully, thats changed by now.

If we do it I will do a video and post it.... It will be southbound...Well it will be a segmented video.

[Grandpot]

Weather on the parkway is normally 10 degrees cooler and low humidity compared to the low lands.

[..]

http://www.blueridgeonline.com/MilePost

https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm

Get off the BRP if the weather closes in. Not a good place to be riding with 10ft visibility.  

[Oss]

+4 what Paul says

Fog so bad you could not see the ground below your feet  on my laSt trip

[carolinarider09]

Thanks Gentlemen.  And Paul, thanks for the links.  I had forgotten to look for that.

[3fan4life]

The BRP is still closed from MM 112 (Vinton, VA) to MM 127 ? (Copper Hill exit).

[carolinarider09]

The BRP is still closed from MM 112 (Vinton, VA) to MM 127 ? (Copper Hill exit).

Thanks.  That will make a difference.....

Finally looked the links that Britman provided and the information from 3fan4life and changed the route.  My route with out taking the "long way" used the BRP to bypass Roanoke, VA.  Which is, it appears, the part of the BRP that was blocked due to heavy equipment.  I will look just before we get there on the trip and see what it looks like. 

Thanks. 

Oh, there were only two notices and one will be done before we get there.  The second one, around the Roanoke area, might be some time.