When you reach Hwy 64, turn left to return to your starting point in Brevard about 10 miles up the road. For a little scientific departure you will find The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute just south of Balsam Grove. This section is all downhill with more twists, turns, streams and waterfalls. 215): Depart the Parkway onto State Rd 215 heading south toward Rosman. There are many inviting excursions or viewing locations along this section including Skinny Dip Falls at milepost 417. (At this point, if you’re interested in an ice cream break I recommend a short detour by turning north to the Pisgah Inn about 5 miles up the road.) Here you’re traversing the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the views are magnificent.

Second Section (Blue Ridge Parkway): Enter the Parkway and proceed south about 15 miles to locate State Rd. Points of interest on the first section include: Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock and Biltmore’s The Cradle of Forestry, the first forestry school in America. You’ll be climbing about 4,000 feet in the first 20 miles until you reach the Blue Ridge Parkway. When we are hosting guests, our favorite loop begins in Brevard, NC (about 30 miles west of the Asheville, NC airport) and has three sections as follows:įirst Section (Hwy 276): Begin (or end) at Hawg Wild BBQ in Brevard, NC and head north on Hwy 276. “(My wife) Kate and I now spend our summers in western North Carolina in a region blanketed with lush vegetation, an abundance of waterfalls, tunnels and scenic vistas, but best of all great roads for motoring. Come back when it’s not crowded! Trust me, it’s worth it, a real timeless classic. This one has a warning to really watch for bikers/hikers/deer/etc.

It’s ultimately relaxing, surrounded by dense woods as you carve through, but it’s a tiresome workout by the end, as it keeps you extra sharp at all times. You have a five-mile race track, several hairpin turns, sharp angles and variance, a ton of elevation changes. Once at Tiorati Circle, take the west exit to Arden Valley Road and the fun begins. The view from the top of Bear Mountain is great, with amazing hiking trails (the actual Appalachian Trail goes through here!). You have several options for exits: Tiorati Brook Road (exit 16) is usually a nice intro otherwise, going farther north and taking exit 18 to grab Seven Lakes Drive is equally nice, with long sweepers as you drive back south. “From Manhattan’s West side, drive North and connect with the Palisades Parkway, a scenic but boring no-tolerance-for-speeding zone. There is almost always a soundtrack/score playing in my head when I think of these routes driving here has a rhythm to it that allows you to enjoy the endurance of the snaking roads that seem to connect and interconnect as they keep on going through.” You have everything from ‘keep your eyes glued to the road’ technical to casual country curves … and every view is perfectly picturesque. Blue Ridge Mountains surround you on the horizon, hardly any traffic, and even the worst-condition roads are stellar compared to anything up north. Winding, smooth roads with sunshine flickering between the trees and openings that reveal vast green farmland … I wish it were neverending. Basically, you could start at the Marriott Horse Ranch and drive south in any number of directions on country roads until you pass Charlottesville. But there are always great roads between Rte 66 and 34 south to Charlottesville. “Skyline Drive between Rtes 33 and 64 northwest of Charlottesville is textbook though severely limited speed, and a constant rate of distracted-onlooker tourist groups can occasionally make parts of it a disappointment.

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