Doughton Park

This spring, the National Scenic Byway Foundation awarded the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation the 2022 Visitor Experience Award for the rehabilitation and reopening of The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Laurel Springs.

Great news! The Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park will reopen on Thursday, May 27, with a new team managing operations. Heritage Dining and Events, LLC, led by Sharon Pinney and Chef John Gamradt of Boone, N.C., bring a combined 35 years of experience in the food service industry to the historical restaurant at milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. “Heritage is honored and excited to be a part of bringing The Bluffs, a cherished iconic restaurant, back to life,” said Pinney, President of Heritage Dining and Events.

Update: Stay tuned for an announcement about The Bluffs operator coming soon. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is seeking a partner to operate The Bluffs Restaurant starting this spring and continuing through fall. The restaurant is located within Doughton Park at milepost 241 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Bluffs was a favorite among Parkway visitors and operated for more than 60 years before closing in 2010. Last year, the 80-seat restaurant underwent extensive interior renovations in order to welcome diners back.

The road to reopening The Bluffs Restaurant has been a long journey, and we thank you for supporting the project every step of the way. We want you to be the first to know about a development in operations at the Doughton Park restaurant. The operator has decided to suspend food service for the remainder of the 2020 season in the interest of the safety of patrons and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. We agree with the decision, and plan to reopen in the spring of 2021.

Ten years after The Bluffs Restaurant closed, interior renovations will begin in preparation for an opening day this summer! Thanks to your support, the work will soon get underway at this beloved Doughton Park gathering place at milepost 240.

Note: Ellen Woodruff Smith passed away on February 12. Paul Smith passed on May 5, 2021. For so many people who enjoy fond memories of Bluffs Coffee Shop, the stories go beyond the ham biscuits, pan-fried chicken, and berry cobbler. A big part of the charm of stopping in for a home-style meal was the welcoming staff, including server Ellen Woodruff Smith, who worked at The Bluffs from the day it opened on May 31, 1949, to the day it closed on November 1, 2010. 

Bolstering rare plant populations. Archiving and sharing photographs of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s past. Revealing obscured views at overlooks. Repairs to a historic mill. We are asking donors to support these projects and additional initiatives that will enhance the scenic route and share its stories with millions of visitors. Each year, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation works with the National Park Service to select projects that will connect visitors with the park’s natural wonders and history and sustain the park for generations to come.

Thanks to your gifts, the new roof at the former Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park is complete! The facility at milepost 241 near Sparta, N.C., is now one step closer to reopening. The concrete shingles were replaced with Enviroshake shingles, which are easier and less costly to maintain.

Each year, the Foundation works closely with the National Park Service to identify initiatives on the Blue Ridge Parkway that need your support. You can give to the projects that mean the most to you or the overall protection of the park. No matter how you choose to give, you’re investing in the future of one of the most treasured landscapes in our country.