Ribbon Cutting at Waterrock Knob Visitor Center

Join the Foundation and National Park Service for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 25, celebrating exhibit enhancements that educate visitors about the fragility of the high-elevation ecosystem and a lithium battery donation that allows for more efficient storage and use of solar energy at Waterrock Knob Visitor Center at milepost 451.2 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

This year, the Foundation is marking 25 years of support for the national park unit. One of the nonprofit’s first projects was the construction of the visitor center at Waterrock Knob.

“Through donor support, the site of a carport at Waterrock Knob became the location for a new Visitor Center,” said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Foundation. “The commitment to this hub for travelers continues to this day with improvements that enrich visitors' experiences and sustain the building’s operations.”

The interactive exhibits highlight many creatures that call the peak and surrounding acres home,  from black bears to bugs and buds. Funded by donations to the Foundation, the engaging illustrated panels and displays also give viewers insights on how they can be good stewards of the rare flora and fauna found at this site.

The event will also celebrate a new corporate partnership between RELiON Battery and Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. RELiON, a lithium battery manufacturer based in Charlotte, N.C., recently donated batteries for the solar power upgrades at the visitor center.