11 accessible trails to hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is both America’s longest linear park and a National Scenic Byway, spanning 469 miles throughout Virginia and North Carolina. The route connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in North Carolina while following the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains—a part of the country’s oldest mountain range. Fall along the Blue Ridge Parkway is absolutely breathtaking: it presents the perfect combination of a meandering mountain roadway, crisp autumn air, and breathtaking views with dense and colorful foliage. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to spend any amount of time in nature throughout autumn.

Hitting the trail looks different for all of us. Whether you’re into a strenuous hike, a shorter distance, or a scenic drive with plenty of overlooks, the parkway offers all sorts of accessible options that will fit the bill. There are 280 pullouts and overlooks that offer travelers the opportunity to take in views, and over 120 trails that offer further opportunities to explore.

One thing to keep in mind: In order to find a particular overlook or trail, you will need to know its milepost number—so make sure to keep track of mileposts as you drive. For reference, mileage is counted from zero at the parkway’s northern entrance at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro, VA, and peaks at 269 at the southernmost entrance near the Qualla Boundary in Cherokee, NC.

To enjoy all of the autumnal beauty that the parkway has to offer from the comfort of your car, look no further than the Linn Cove Viaduct. Located in Avery County, NC, the viaduct is a 1,243-foot-long segmental bridge that snakes its way along and around Grandfather Mountain. A fully paved and accessible trail at the Linn Cove Visitor Center offers views from underneath the viaduct.

Looking Glass Rock is one of the parkway’s most photographed and iconic features: a pluton monolithic structure rising out of an expanse of forest. Sure, you could summit 1,600 feet along a 2.75-mile trail full of winding switchbacks to the top of the rock outcropping for incredible views of the surrounding mountains from the rock. But equally, if not more, impressive views of the rock itself can be found from the Looking Glass Rock Overlook. The sunrise views as the light reflects off of the enormous rounded rock face are totally worth the drive.

One of the first stops on the parkway from the northern entrance, Raven’s Roost Overlook is not to be missed. A lone pine tree provides a well-framed photo op, and travelers can enjoy fall colors and great western-facing views.

At an elevation of 5,950 feet, the Cowee Mountain Overlook offers a truly unparalleled and unobstructed 180-degree view of the Nantahala National Forest. Believed by many to be the most beautiful of all the parkway’s many overlooks, this is the perfect place to take in the brilliant views during a sunset picnic.

Cone Manor was built in 1901 as a summer retreat for Moses Cone, a textile industrialist, and his wife Bertha. The manor and grounds were donated to the park service and opened to the public in the late 1940s. Visitors can enjoy long-range mountain views of fall leaves from the manor’s expansive front porch or meander along the 25 miles of gently sloping “carriage” trails across the estate grounds. The Bass Lake Loop trail is a popular 0.9-mile gravel loop, with accessible parking options and connections to other trails within the park.

Located in the Peaks of Otter area, this is the parkway’s only fully ADA-compliant trail: an easy meandering 0.9-mile loop around a small mountain lake with picturesque views. For those using wheelchairs or other mobility devices, it is worth noting that while most of the trail is a 0.5 percent grade or less, there are short downhill grades of up to eight to 12 percent found in some sections. There are also accessible fishing piers at nearby Otter Lake and Price Lake.

Arguably the most popular trail within Mount Mitchell State Park, this 0.9-mile fully paved trail is wheelchair accessible and offers impressive views from the summit of the highest peak east of the Mississippi. An early fall visit is best in order to enjoy peak foliage times and avoid seasonal park closures due to extreme winter weather and large amounts of snow.

The juxtaposition of fall foliage in the distance as you hike through fragrant spruce and Fraser firs simply can’t be beaten. Stop first at the Richland Balsam Overlook, which is the parkway’s highest point at 6,053 feet. The trailhead to this 1.3-mile loop is found at the neighboring Haywood-Jackson overlook, beginning with a paved beginning portion that transitions to a mossy—and at times rocky—high-elevation forest.

Much of the appeal of the Waterrock Knob Trail belongs to the expansive mountain views, which can be seen even from the parking lot at the start. This short but steep climb gains over 450 feet of elevation over the duration of the one-mile hike. The first half of the trail is paved, with a large stone overlook and chairs located where the pavement ends. The second half is very rocky, with stone and wood steps leading the way to the summit.

The Sharp Top Trail is a popular hike on the parkway’s northern Virginia end and offers experiences for people of varying skill levels and abilities. The hike is steep and strenuous, featuring switchback and stone staircases, but ends with 360-degree views that are particularly spectacular during the autumn. Over 1,300 feet in elevation gains occur over 1.5 miles. If completing the hike in its entirety isn’t of interest, the Sharp Top Shuttle will deliver you within 1,500 feet of the summit.

If you’re up for a hike that feels like a sprint, add summiting Mount Pisgah to your list. The mountain is situated just south of Asheville in the Pisgah National Forest, and the trail offers 710 feet of elevation during its 2.3-mile round trip. The last 0.7 miles are one set of stone steps after another. If your mobility or balance is impacted, trek poles are recommended to aid with stability near drop-offs and make the climb more manageable. The observation deck allows for impressive panoramic views once you reach the top.