Blue Ridge Parkway

Happy 20th anniversary! We got here because of you. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation started as a simple idea: Give the people who care deeply for this awe-inspiring park the power to protect and guide its future. Whether you cherished the trails, scenery, ties to mountain history and culture, wildlife, or just the drive itself, we invited you to join our Community of Stewards. The response was overwhelming. Because of your commitment, we have raised more than $12 million for the Blue Ridge Parkway in the last 20 years!

The Blue Ridge Parkway is asking for input on a new firewood policy in line with other neighboring National and State Parks. Here is the park unit's official release: Blue Ridge Parkway officials are seeking public comment regarding a proposed policy to allow only heat-treated firewood that is bundled and bearing a seal from USDA, or a state agency, for use in Parkway camping and picnic areas. Once finalized, this proposed policy change is planned to take effect as the Parkway reopens its facilities for the 2017 visitor season.

We are thrilled to announce that the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority has committed a grant of $300,000 to further our efforts to rehabilitate Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.

We all have our favorite holiday dishes, whether it's the green bean casserole, a perfect gravy for the mashed potatoes, or a savory stuffing. We might just have another favorite to add to your list: pumpkin cobbler as it once was served at Crabtree Meadows Coffee Shop on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Little Switzerland. The recipe appeared in The Raleigh News & Observer in 1998. Enjoy!

National Parks are designed to unite us as Americans. And when we at the Foundation talk of the Blue Ridge Parkway, we speak of legacy, protection, and rising generations of caretakers.

During June, beer fans can show their support for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation thanks to Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s Pints for Nonprofits Program. For each pint sold, a charity chip is given out. (Request yours at the bar.) Patrons can place the chips in a box for the Foundation to donate 5 percent of their pint purchase to support the nonprofit’s work on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Dr. Ray Russell (President of RaysWeather.com, creator of BRPWeather.com, and Associate Professor of Computer Science at Appalachian State University) is running the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway. He started his journey on May 17 at the north end near Waynesboro, Virginia, and is covering roughly 20 miles per day.

We’d like to send out a big thanks to everyone who attended the Foundation’s reception at Hotel Roanoke on March 16. More than 60 people enjoyed drinks, bites and a fascinating presentation by landscape architect David Hill, principal author of A Neighbor’s Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hill shared insights behind the design of the Parkway, from its masonry to the vistas, and tips for blending neighboring homes, buildings and landscapes into the overall picture of the scenic route.

The National Park Service just released information about an upcoming controlled burn near Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is the release: Controlled Burn Planned Near Doughton Park

This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, but in 1972 crowds observed another centennial: the establishment of Yellowstone as the country's first national park. That's right. The first park preceded the National Park Service, which was established in 1916 to protect the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the Department of the Interior and those yet to be established.