Blog

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) named George Ivey, North Carolina Development Director for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to participate in the 2024-2025 class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a leadership training opportunity that equips Appalachian community leaders to use economic development as a tool to drive positive change.

From the National Park Service:

News release from the National Park Service (Oct. 23, 2024) BLOWING ROCK, NC – On Wednesday morning, October 23, 2024, the Blue Ridge Parkway opened to traffic from milepost 285.5, at Bamboo Gap, to milepost 305, near Beacon Heights, in the Blowing Rock, North Carolina area. This is the first section of roadway to open in North Carolina since Hurricane Helene. Opening this section of the park provides improved transportation links while communities address ongoing storm recovery on other local routes.   

Update from National Park Service 10/10/24 Asheville, N.C. – The Blue Ridge Parkway from milepost 0 to milepost 198 in Virginia, which closed due to impacts from Hurricane Helene, will reopen at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 11. This includes the 198 miles of the scenic byway from Shenandoah National Park south to Virginia Route 685 - Skyview Drive/Turkey Ridge Road (near Fancy Gap):

October 3, 2024 Updates on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Surrounding Areas: The Blue Ridge Parkway remains closed through North Carolina as crews continue their initial assessment of the damage from Hurricane Helene. The Blue Ridge Music Center remains closed as of today. Power was restored yesterday but the fire suppression systems need to be assessed before any operational decisions can be made. This means Midday Mountain Music is canceled through at least Monday, October 7.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Waypoint Adventure are partnering to offer adaptive kayak training for volunteers and adventures for individuals with physical or mental disabilities in August at Price Lake, milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Blowing Rock, N.C.

  The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation welcomed guests to celebrate the release of the new Blue Ridge Parkway license plate and discuss plans for improvements to the national park on March 21 at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. The nonprofit’s CEO Carolyn Ward and Whitney Brown, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, welcomed the audience to share their ideas for supporting the country’s most-visited national park.

  Great news! Virginia drivers can now order the Blue Ridge Parkway specialty license plate online and request the plate at DMV offices. The tag depicts a colorful scenic view of the Parkway and is the only specialty plate in the commonwealth solely dedicated to funding projects and programs within the country’s most visited national park. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway license plate is the perfect example of how a community of supporters can make a big impact. In 2023, North Carolina drivers raised $574,461 to enhance the national park by purchasing or renewing their Blue Ridge Parkway specialty license plate. That is the largest amount raised through the program in more than a decade.  Thank you, North Carolina plateholders! Your support allows us to rehab trails, restore historic buildings, train volunteers, monitor wildlife, and do so much more for the park you love.