Education and Outreach

A rehabilitation project for one of the most popular trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway is underway! A crew with the American Conservation Experience is repairing Craggy Flats Bald Trail, which has become deeply rutted, leading to erosion.

FUNDED!

FUNDED! Thank you for your gifts to make the first phase of this project a reality. The work will be accomplished in two phases with the main exhibits slated for installation in the winter of 2017/2018. Additional gifts will help us accomplish phase two! The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center hosts 85,000 visitors annually. Inside the circa-1952 building, the 10-year-old faded and outdated exhibit panels will be replaced by displays that tell the story of the plants and animals in this unique and harsh high elevation environment.

Kids in Parks is a network of hiking, biking, paddling and disc golf trails outfitted with free activity guides for children and families. The goals behind these TRACK Trails are to encourage kids to be physically active and help them build meaningful connections with nature. In turn, these goals help inspire the next generation of stewards, who will care for all public lands, including the Blue Ridge Parkway.

You can give to address crucial repairs and maintenance at Flat Top Manor as well as trail work and landscape restoration for this treasure listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is working with individuals and community groups to refresh and revitalize the interpretive information at Buck Spring Lodge, where George W. Vanderbilt's hunting retreat stood. The site overlooks the birthplace of American Forestry and Pisgah National Forest.

FUNDED! Last year, the Foundation supported the expansion of the Upper Falls Overlook to allow visitors access to an exceptional exposure of the Linville Falls thrust fault, the starting point of Linville Gorge. Signs highlighting the significance of this geologic feature will complete the project this year. We've reached our goal for this project. Thank you for your support!

We are partnering with the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (CTNC) to support a crew with the group's North Carolina Youth Conservation Corps, allowing Parkway campgrounds and trails to realize improvements while young men and women learn about the wilderness and themselves.

The assistance of park rangers in times of emergency is invaluable. This investment in EMS training for staff and up-to-date emergency equipment makes exploring the Parkway a safer experience for all visitors.

Rock Castle Gorge is a significant biological area along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but much of these 3,600 acres in the Plateau District have yet to be explored. To survey the diverse array of flora and fauna, the Foundation will support a bioblitz, which will bring together leading scientists and volunteers to survey the various taxa. The result will be a clearer picture of the environmental significance and needs of this intriguing area.