blue ridge parkway hiking trails nc

There is one lodge officially on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina: Pisgah Inn in Canton, which is seasonal and requires advanced booking. You can stay just minutes from a Parkway access point at hotels and motels in Maggie Valley or Waynesville. In Canton, there are several vacation home rentals on scenic routes NC-215 and US-276, a few miles from the Parkway.

While there are no restaurants along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood County, there are plenty of great places to eat located in the surrounding mountain towns of Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde and Lake Junaluska—simply hop off using one of the 4 access points, grab a bite, then head back to your Parkway adventure.

Yes, there are several waterfalls on and near the Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood County. The most popular is Graveyard Fields, an upper and lower falls with an associated hiking path. You can see more waterfalls by taking NC-215 up to the Parkway. Along the way, you’ll see Sunburst Falls from the road, and Bubbling Spring Branch Cascades tucked back on a short hiking path.

The best family-friendly hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Haywood County is Black Balsam Knob, a short section of the Art Loeb Trail on which you’ll trek through a dense pine forest up to the 360º view atop a grassy bald. For those looking for other quick adventures, several short but steep hikes also lead to incredible vistas, including Devil’s Courthouse and Waterrock Knob.

Yes! All trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway are dog-friendly to leashed dogs. If you plan to venture out to nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park, however, you will have to leave your pup at home.