Blue Ridge Parkway Four Day Road Trip North Carolina

foreign TV welcome to the once in a lifetime series in this long-form video we're gonna explore from Gatlinburg clear down to Cherokee North Carolina then we're going to take the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way across North Carolina as well all this footage was shot in the month of May I've added new unseen footage as well please sit back and enjoy the ride once again thanks for watching the once in a lifetime series [Music] we're on Highway 441 this takes us straight through the Great Smoky Mountains on our way down to North Carolina [Music] this is the bypass going around Gatlinburg look at these trees isn't it beautiful green plush absolutely gorgeous here and there should be an Overlook up here somewhere and keep on trucking it's like about 30 miles we're not that far from North Carolina it's only like 30 miles that you drive through here [Music] look at them rolling mountains with all the trees you don't see this in the desert laughs all right oh here's the Overlook cool all right let's stop see what we can find and see what a perfect Blue Sky day two goodness I absolutely love it land of the Blue Smoke this Overlook there's Gatlinburg right down there all the commercial buildings hotels motels different shops I mean this is probably a huge attraction that in Pigeon Forge my goodness but look at these mountains isn't this pretty wow there's your Kodak moment right there oh nice then look at the trees up here they must had fire or something had to have fire look at that kind of thinned out all right here's another storyboard down here gonna look cool wood fence huh see what this one says how's the view uh not bad it's beautiful you kidding look at that all right let's get on the road perfect little stop miles Wise It's not that far going through here look how they mow the edge of the road I'm not used to seeing anything green love it really good road too so far this whole area has been decent good RV and bring your RV through here this should connect back up with the main road right up here here it is we don't want to go right there we're going to look for The Visitor Center should be right up here it's about eight in the morning I think the Visitor Center opens at nine but we'll explore it anyway are so excited to see the Blue Sky I couldn't wait to get on the road I've been up since 5 A.M saying okay time to roll too funny well being stuck in a van in the rain it gets to you after a while all right we're gonna pull in here there's Visitor Center there's a hiking trail I want to go find uh it's a big waterfall it's supposed to be epic and scenic bus and RV parking one thing about the van I need a bigger parking place it's not huge but it was a long time this will work how about this huh okay what do we got leave only your cares don't leave your trash trail map to Buck two bucks rules it's humid too even with all the rain you can still feel the humidity I'm still not used to that I got some solar panels here it's a good thing that's where the water nice when you look online there's quite a few campgrounds around here primitive campgrounds no hookups supposed to be really close in here here's a map there it is right there Cataract Falls okay less than a half mile I can do that we can walk that one [Music] well let's stroll through the woods here this reminds me when I was young growing up back East you know you don't see any of this out west birds chirping nice and green big tall trees pretty cool huh fall colors here would probably be epic what a pretty day look at these little signs here don't know what kind of trees they are sycamore tree look how tall that is way up there cool all right let's go find that waterfall I'm gonna make the wrong turn at the stop sign teasing got off Trail now I'm back on it is this the one yep Cataract Falls one tenth of a mile we're in nothing like listening to the water when you're in the woods that'll put you to sleep huh get a hammock take a little snooze beautiful here there it is check out the stream down here now in these parts of the world they find a lot of gemstones probably gold definitely mining country a lot of minings histories have been here I know there's certain areas they can find all kinds of gemstones I forgot my fishing pole beautiful here all the Fallen trees Mother Nature's benches to sit on just come out here set think just listen to the Water World by huh you live hey hey I see it there's Cataract Falls we made it wow how'd you like that listen to that all day all night well I guess all night it's loud too Roar the water foreign there it is all right here's your Zen moment on RV or TV thank you but a place bringing out a little lunch water just sit there and listen to the water roaring huh I bet this Woods is just loaded full of wildlife they got water plenty of food just felt its own ecosystem all right to the van we go here we go get back on the highway here we still have there's a few clouds rolling in of course in the mountains you never know at least I can still see a little bit of Blue Sky instead of steady rain well we should have about 20 miles till we get down to Cherokee North Carolina looking forward to seeing that town there's some history there should be some overlooked stops that we can take check it out along the way now you can see some of the views see the mountains the trees are so tall and thick you kind of boxed in along the road here Perfect Day perfect ride and perfect weather motorcycle that'd be absolutely fun to come through here on the motorcycle at least the traffic isn't real heavy there's a van cool everyone taking pictures I'll find a place to pull off we'll do one of the Lookouts up here here's one here let's take a stop I need a break this sign is all the different trees plants they have here just a thick forest look at this you can hear water going down there too this is thicker as it can be whole rocks laying here millions of years or whatever ready should be more overlooked farther up the road look at that view there's your Kodak moment every moment here's a Kodak moment all right to the van we go cool tunnel here we go right on through it all right always enjoy going through those things those are all too see the Old Stone work on the face of it see cars Trailhead another Trailhead another hiking trail right here people out enjoying it another tunnel that's a little one this picture perfect here what a nice ride I'll look at all the cars uh let's keep trucking we're near the top oh no road construction well we'll get to check out The View there it is kind of clouded up a few sprinkles hit the windshield it's okay good place to be stuck in traffic right here [Music] we're moving and go through this tunnel what a job to work on roads up here yeah look at the old rock face on these tunnels can you imagine the amount of cars that have gone through this thing goodness that'd be endless huh there's some blue sky we're gaining on it we're getting near the top of this pass here and they got all the overlooks blocked off darn it we'll find something can't stop in here there's another one [Music] [Music] well it's still going but see all these little pull outs here they're all blocked oh well should be up near the top well we made it through it boy look at the mess look at the cars a couple drops on the windshield oh man there's not even a place to park in there all right well we'll find something never give up let's keep on trucking we got to be getting close to uh North Carolina all right I'll find us a place to pull off we'll get another view look how fluffy the clouds are that's a good picture right there perfect here we go Mills Overlook 4 860 feet hardwood below whoevergreens above there's your view can see forever up here no wonder people love living here Tennessee and North Carolina absolutely stunning I think we already crossed in North Carolina I didn't see a state line sign so who knows I think we're there though all right well we're heading to the small North Carolina town a Cherokee gonna spend a night there and figure it out we are in North Carolina actually this is the town of Cherokee North Carolina we're going to stop check it out it's supposed to be a nice museum here too we'll try to find that cool Fountain I am not even gonna try to pronounce that this is the Cherokee Indian Reservation for a neat fountain look at this thing right across the street there's uh mine you can actually mine for minerals gem mine check it out there's RVs actually parked right next to it too looks like you can camp there look how tree covered these mountains are I'll guarantee in the fall oh goodness fall colors here wow and there's Cherokee it's kind of split with a river we're going to go run around town check it out a little bit see what's here well I'm gonna head towards that museum we're supposed to I'm following my phone here we're going to make a left up on this street pretty good sized River oh I see uh ice cream and candy store oh man look at that thing right on the river nice what a setting this is small town USA here got little shops Green Mountains in the background cloudy Blue Sky I'm kind of hungry here's a little cafe here I want to see that uh ice cream store up here the little princess right on the river homemade ice cream like I need that song There Cherokee Rapids wow look how shallow the river is there's that ice cream store wasn't that neat you could have an ice cream just check out the river watch the world go by there huh the little princess here you go check this thing out water wheel huh there's a mail store inside right along the river cool setting huh nice little shops cafe coffee shop rustic looking pretty cool all right well let's go find that museum small town USA here huh pretty cool all right according to the phone looks like we're about a mile away looks like fire department here some community oh they're voting here today huh Community buildings that river is right off to the right looks like the river kind of splits a town this is like a little Valley here there's a church on the left and we make a right here we're almost there wow look at that motorhome it's a fancy couple of them they're gonna Cruise three of them wow cruising the mountains hey hey I see the museum over on the left we'll stop and check it out Museum of the Cherokee Indian High reviews very good reviews online foreign well there's a parking lot off left a couple dark clouds rolling through not bad though here we go look at the flowers wow look at the color of those things oh the rain they're happy look at the sidewalk painted sidewalk nice okay well let's go on in check it out [Music] Museum of the Cherokee Indian I like these little museums like this well let's go on in [Music] it is super dark in here so I'll do the best I can when we walk through we'll check this out it was uh 12 bucks to get in they've got some storyboards here kind of hard to read it's pretty dark camera struggling a little bit Spirit of the Defenders [Music] here's some good lighting there I walked through a theater but it was so dark I couldn't even see foreign pretty good size Arrowhead there a lot of display cabinets wow look at those stones imagine the history whole display there are more arrowheads and as a kid I used to find those pipes [Music] foreign [Music] look at the feathers on that came out of that guy right there beautiful mural painting and animal skin Pelt wow the artwork in here is really something now that's cool look how the lighting just enhances that statue very well done more Pottery looks like a big arrowheads foreign and very well laid out I'm glad I stopped here medicine man these little museums like this are Priceless they uh keep history going what's this all games that's how they play games kind of like a hockey puck thing huh chunky I'll be darn isn't that interesting [Music] wow look at that artwork which the lighting was a little better look at the detail on it [Music] huh old plow look at that [Music] and we're walking some old firearms in there pistol rifles oh my goodness I thought them guys are real for a minute those are wax figurines wax men oh shipping sales huh look how real those guys look like they're staring at you [Music] and there's old George wow some old documentation look at this it goes way back printing press to where they used to do it that is a antique [Music] but the artwork in here is just beautiful look at that drawing battle a Horseshoe Bend [Music] wow look at this huh that is extremely well done look at the detail on it John Ross Major Ridge huh I'm not that big of a history buff I don't know all these details but this statue is really powerful look at that thing [Music] and the different tribes I'll be done Cherokee wow Seminoles nice [Music] look at that mirror with all the covered wagons that was photography back in the days everyone painted [Music] foreign you gotta stop check this place out this is beautiful very historic [Music] and pictures these look more current look at all of them a wall of life here just all kinds of history in this area through the generations very very well done glad I stopped [Music] [Music] well that's the end of it if we're in here they got a gift shop pretty big place really there's a room for all the veterans all kinds of good stuff you can buy very nice well what do you say let's keep cruising Town check out some more of uh Cherokee North Carolina just stuff everywhere you see here nice [Music] Georgia Blankenship we gotta walk on this painted sidewalk where we go memory of 1918 and 1993. looks like she supported or donated the property Maybe look how they painted the concrete look at that that is cool flowers got a bench just follow the path that's a great idea I have no clue what kind of flower that is what a color isn't that pretty all right well let's head for the van I had to walk this hey we're here why not cool well I cheated I look at the phone we're gonna there's another section of town we'll drive through there's that River but both sides of the river there's a town it's a long Museum what a what a nice stop it was well worth the 12 bucks go in there there's a war memorial Park up here let's check that out work is dedicated to Charles George nice memorial to him [Applause] look at this Memorial here to all the veterans from this area all the different branches represented look at all the names wow Cherokee North Carolina what a cool place well we'll keep going this is scenic but I bet they get snow here though elevation I'm not sure we got to be a couple thousand feet a bit here's another Park along the river they even got a walking bridge across there on the right there's a Bureau of Indian Affairs they're big building and I think we make a left up here this place is like one big Park nice here's another church okay now that 441 kept going to the right I'm going to find a campground here in a little bit so this thing just kind of circles back around we'll cruise down through here see what's here off to the right it's kind of like a strip mall full of little shops look at the architecture on the buildings they're all kind of the same real rustic looking fits the area these buildings been here a long time this town's been here a long time small town USA right here another little Mall pretty cool gift shops wow what's this big building up here there's an old Motel kind of like the Tennessee version of Route 66 huh oh Casino that's what that is that thing is huge Harrah's wow that's a Harris Casino in Cherokee North Carolina wow at things like 15 story high-rise huh well let's see I need to I think turn around there's a couple campgrounds back towards town see if I can find a campsite for the night the Blue Ridge Parkway the beginning of it is very close here and guess what we're gonna do tomorrow you got it well day two on our big epic trip here we're almost up to the Blue Ridge Parkway we're going to stop this Visitor Center real quick and check this out [Music] last night on a local TV station I seen a PBS style uh video about this Visitor Center they actually have a replica Farm built behind this that'd be kind of cool check it out it's early it's not open yet but let's go check out that farm they actually moved buildings from the Smoky Mountains different areas and set them up down here these are original buildings look at the fence how they built them things all right anyway I thought this would be kind of cool see how they live back in the day these Smoky Mountains oh my God the history here just incredible wasn't Cherokee cool down the Cherokee look at these things they're still standing now they moved them here and stuff so I'm sure they had some restoration but supposed to be the original wood I'll be darn huh here's the Farmhouse look at the old brick chimney should be a storyboard around here somewhere look how the woods aged too that thing has two fireplaces two chimneys not open can't go inside but that's all right [Music] your water running that's that river that runs through town Cherokee pretty here's a storyboard see what this one says yep Mountain Farm Museum look at the pictures of the old folks that used to live in them I'll be darned and they brought these right out of the mountain set them up right down here well let's do a little walk around and we'll head for the van and go down that Blue Ridge Parkway look on the roof shingles sticking straight up looks like Barnes out here it's pretty good sized property Orchard there not sure what this is quite a bit of stone work on there huh it's a melt and furnace okay [Music] stop the fire cool must be a reason they got those shingles up there like that what's this one Apple house okay so those trees must be apple all right makes sense store the fruit yeah look at this crowd look how they staggered the wood for the fins so you didn't need a fence post huh kept the critters in healthy looking trees there could probably maintain them they'd get rain here I'll guarantee you that I vowed for that chicken coop well kind of neat neat little stop once again this is a visitor center right at the entrance to the parkway Blue Ridge Parkway pretty cool look at the wood shed out here look how big this is chopping wood all right well we are right here in the Smoky Mountains and we're gonna start what would this be the south west entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway look how vast this is it just keeps going and going nothing but trees Smoky Mountains absolutely beautiful here green as it could be [Music] well the goal is to head towards uh Asheville North Carolina take the parkway all the way across I've never driven up before this is a first for me seeing a lot of videos on it and it should be epic looking forward to it foreign last night online about the parkway should be a pretty interesting and beautiful trip some of the reviews say that this end of the parkway down towards Cherokee between Nashville and here is some of the prettiest country and you got big mountain overlooks so really looking forward to this there's a sign got to make a left up here we're gonna start yay perfect weather not much wind it's in the 60 degree range not bad North Carolina is one pretty place it sure gets I'm sure the summer it gets hot and humid but right now you cannot beat this weather here you go all right everyone welcome to the Blue Ridge Parkway we're right at the beginning of it right here in the North Carolina side of us this thing goes clear up into Virginia like 460 miles something like that [Music] and I see the first sign up here marks the beginning let me get pulled off here we'll get a picture oh I see another sign with the map cool [Music] well it's a sectional map where you're at the beginning 460 miles that's a long ways cut through mountains right there you are here okay we climb an elevation like I said I read some online about all this this sign here is supposed to represent mile zero in this direction and then coming back would be 469. there you go entering the Blue Ridge Parkway [Music] all right you guys ready let's do it [Music] foreign now there's no Services no gas stations anything along this Parkway you have to exit the road and there's all kinds of them you go into little towns you can get supplies gas all that I think up here always there's a rest area there's a bunch of overlooks all kinds of overlooks we'll stop at some foreign is also 45 miles an hour the entire way it's not a fast ride at all they don't recommend big rigs I bet motorcycles and well like a van like this be perfect all right here's our very first Overlook we got to stop we didn't go very far but we gotta stop check it out well there you go a little bit of a look we didn't even go two miles or even four 2400 feet elevation we'll have to remember that I think we go way up around 6 000 feet once we get down the road see if this thing tells us anything new Cherokee Homeland but the area here look at the old pictures that's them putting in the bridges CCC core back in the 30s look there's a map and go all the way up to Asheville that's the goal then from there we'll figure it out foreign they didn't complete it to the mid 80s it took them 50 years to build this thing pretty amazing they can do something like this pretty thick with trees you don't see a lot left to right go figure Smoky Mountains huh Blue Ridge Mountains I guess Blue Ridge Parkway I don't know this enjoy the ride the mileage up to Asheville was a little over 80 miles I think or 90. maybe yeah 80 85 something like that Sun peeking up ooh tunnel yay our first tunnel check it out here we go wow look at this thing cut it right through the mountain there you go now that's fun foreign coming up another tunnel one of these is only supposed to have a clearance of like 10 foot nine which I'm good look how they concreted the inside of these perfect well when I see a good Overlook we'll stop we're climbing we're climbing serious my ears are popping we're heading up see a lot of these trees trees are just starting to bloom not too many leaves out yet up here pretty windy road to speed limits 45 watch this guy room keep on trucking in a hurry not to see the sight get a lot of that on these kind of Roads so far so good cool another tunnel look at the face the rock of the face of those things yes there's light at the end of the tunnel I had to say that keep on trucking well we're getting up high enough I'm gonna look for an overlooked stop there's a sign for one where you say let's check it out foreign [Music] [Music] out of the Rock look how those trees are growing out of the Rock with very little soil they're rooted they're they're actually grown sideways the roots are right into that rock huh now that's cool right in there look at that thing [Music] you could cross the road here before I get run over isn't that something look how that it's growing sideways right out of that rock [Music] foreign [Music] Overlook 49.25 so you uh we start at 2400 so we've climbed 2 500 feet pretty pretty look how far you can see yep she's not on the road well that's just too cool for school Rock trees going straight out of the rock water percolating we've climbed 2 500 feet beautiful overlooks tunnel after tunnel I think we're in the Blue Ridge Parkway what do you think heading up towards Asheville look at these tunnels they are just all over the place it's just amazing how they just cut right through these mountains building this road we're gonna make it to the Virginia border and then we'll decide from there might cut up into West Virginia but at least we're gonna go all the way across through the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway more time I forget how many tunnels there are in this road there is a lot of them what an engineering feat if you get a chance you got to drive this thing here's a little pull out right here let's stop check it out look at that view this guy's getting nice and blue and clear quite a story here about settlers huh you almost need travel of the historian on this route yep beautiful Van's doing good let me show you how I'm filming a lot of the road footage that's a GoPro Hero 9 it's got a wind sleeve around it try to knock down some of the wind noise so a lot of the footage you're seeing it's right off that camera right there well let's continue on we're still climbing I think this thing tops out over 6000 feet somewhere up here mile after mile you're winding through like these little forests and then all of a sudden here it's a big old view that just pops up pretty decent Road I mean this thing takes a lot of abuse I think they close it down in the winter okay here's oh this is one of the exits you can take you can access main highways off the parkway that's how you get supplies there are there is no Services whatsoever along the parkway no gas stations or restaurants or anything I think up farther as we should run into it there should be a rest area like a visitor center rest area but that's it Parkway does not have any businesses on it but we're going to keep on trucking we're good wow check it out I see little cabins or houses down there the parkway the property at Ford isn't very wide if you look at it on a map some of the areas are National Forest some is private land look how far you can see this forever and this one's called Thunderstruck Bridge 4780 elevation we're still climbing [Music] look at the shadow you can see of the clouds on the landscape that's kind of cool right there big old shadow that's off a cloud neat yeah the days really turned out to be pretty then way out there there's the casinos a Cherokee look at that that's how big them things are this one's called woolly Beck 54-25 we are getting way up here and there I can really hear water running we gotta go find it sounds like a little waterfall look at the colors of the Rock data's cut right through this rock when they put in this road look same thing here shrubs and trees growing right out of the Rock let's go find that here over here check it out right across the road here I hear it pretty cool I need to take a break stretch the legs there is just you can just stop every few miles it's just endless where you can stop here miles Wise It's not that far up to Asheville North Carolina but with all the stops this takes a while now we're climbing seems like the higher we get the clearer the sky it was a little kind of like hazy but now you can see farther when you stop at the overlooks I'd like to job a mow and they mow the sides of the roads here look how well this manicured I'd like that job be endless I think we're getting up close to the rest area up here we'll stop check it out Road divides here Heaven say yep yep this is the rest area looks like we need to make a left hopefully it's open I bet there's a good view up here it's called water Rock knob Visitor Center it's pretty empty we'll find a place to park looks open to me looks like a little gift shop [Music] oh yeah shirts hats all kinds of goodies big old map of the area look how they got all the Peaks name mountain peaks foreign Maps nice view out the window well I bet they get snow here huh Mr bear I bet they're all over gotta watch out for those guys nice little uh Visitor Center cool foreign I see a storyboard over here and check that oh same one that was in the shop look how they name all the Peaks they got names for each and every one of them huh that's something let's go to the other side you can actually see off both sides up here well they got a Trailhead here half mile yeah not today look how the trees that thinned out on this side each slope has a different layout of trees the way we switch back and forth along this road you're one one minute you go north and south all over look how they got all these Peaks named here too what a nice stop if you ever come up this way make sure you stop this uh rest area right here for more information on my travels be sure to check out my website rvertv.tv there you can subscribe to our newsletter also get free downloads Sunset photo downloads and also we're offering activity Books Puzzle books guides and a lot more merch coming along t-shirts coffee mugs and even some new puzzles soon so once again be sure to check out rveretv.tv which helps support the channel for more travels like this one well I'm wondering I don't think this is the highest peak yet I think there's one Overlook that has a that's the highest what a view as you drive along there is so much scenery you could make movies out of this thing my goodness they probably have built in the 30s cut through mountains either by Bridge or tunnel another tunnel just to don't work alone on these things it's a labor of love doing stuff like that that's old even a drainage ditches here lined with Old Stone you don't see concrete look at that view we're among the clouds now we're way up here here it is here's the highest peak this is it we made it the highest point on the parkway Richland Overlook 6 000 feet plus oh yeah here's a sign it's official we made it [Music] another Overlook about a half mile from that Richland one Haywood Jackson overlooked 6020. now we're starting to descend down another tunnel this is a longer one nope never went low motor home haven't seen very Benny a lot of vans cars a couple people pulling small pull trailers there's some kind of a big rock mountain out there we gotta find another Overlook here foreign here's one usually if you see a really good view there's an Overlook for it yeah there's a lot of people at this one looking glass rock there it is look how this stands out I'm on the sea of trees look at all those trees absolutely endless what a Priceless place look at that mountain sticking out there cool well how fun huh there's our exit for Asheville We're Gonna Take It thank you I'm gonna stop here spend the night but what an epic trip across that section of the parkway my goodness that was just beautiful 2015 . back on the parkway leaving Asheville this is the parkway headquarters supposed to have a big Visitor Center here with all kinds of goodies to see a lot of the historic stuff about the parkway should be here kind of looking forward to seeing this but we're all filled up full of diesel we're heading to Virginia I'm not going to go any farther in North Carolina we're going to just start trekking North right on this Parkway well let's check it out I see storyboards clouds rolling in good chance of rain here in a few hours a little map of downtown Asheville I did not explore any of it I just stayed in an RV park here's the rules for the parkway pretty pretty basic don't letter emergency uh you know pull off the road 45 mile an hour they really don't want super big rigs no commercial trucks anything like that and there's no Services there's a map pretty good map all right let's go check out this uh Visitor Center the idea to fit the Parkway in the mountains well they did it what engineering wow this place nice look how the high ceiling Highwood ceiling [Music] but Bears there's a mining Pan about mining I'm sure there is mining around here they're called different rocks and crystals these Hills are loaded with it there's a nice looking gift shop no t-shirts though oh those are cool those are maps huh a map on a board if I had a wall I'd hang on it won't fit in the van very nice displays the more you explore the history of this Parkway the more you appreciate what it took to build it force your but hiking fishing bird watching photography oh my goodness I've seen several professional photographers out here already big fancy cameras and huge lenses and they're capturing uh Mother Nature in the Smoky Mountains big old kayak there cool this is definitely worth a stop uh you don't want to hear me play that renewing experiences a lot of waterways at Creeks you can hear water run when you pull on those outlooks but yeah can't see them they're way down below wow there's a map look at that thing that's just North Carolina huh cool and there's Us in the van heading down the road car tire about history can't imagine I mean yesterday coming up through here my goodness there was a lot of traffic on this thing [Music] wow look at this picture look what it took to build the bridges and the tunnels and goodness that's old time construction too they didn't have all the big equipment like they got nowadays pretty good all right well glad I came in here there's supposed to be a folk art center right up the road we'll stop check that out too supposed to be extremely uh historic to the culture of the southern people Appalachians the mountains here to the van we go [Music] yep if you're traveling the parkway you got to stop here it's this part of it got to see the history just getting bits and pieces of how this thing was built this adds to the adventure of actually driving it absolutely amazing they got all these road closure Gates I guess in the winter they closed sections of this instead of trying to plow it they just close it we are actually still within Asheville limits check this out right here here's one of the freeways just kind of wind right around town go over uh rivers and freeways all kinds of stuff just keep on trucking what's this here's another exit for uh State highways there's State highways everywhere back roads small towns State highways North Carolina is full of them that was their original roads for all the freeways people don't travel much and well they do I guess but not for long distance all right I think we're getting close here yep I see yep there's a sign cool the only thing I know it's a folk art center so I'm sure we're gonna see some folk art but it's part of it we gotta stop so if it's part of the parkway we're gonna see it look trees are all leafed out there's the belt wow that's a big building wow okay well let's get parked this place is massive my goodness welcome to the folk art center Southern Highland craft Guild 10 to 5 daily huh cool storyboard about trees but check these out here they got all kinds of pictures on them wow look at the tree being planted look how they wrapped The Roots Old Time park ranger wow look at the tunnel with the old car isn't that neat there's probably some other folk art making clothing huh construction wow look at these pictures building the bridges The Arches for the bridges look at the stone work huh oh yeah I've been I haven't seen any pictures like these huh these are good what else we got more maps map of the whole length shows you how how much long it goes through two states there but these pictures oh man those are not oh there's that Viaduct whatever they call it we'll probably end up on that huh how they build it more of the craft stuff that must be what's in the building cool well they had to make everything they could they didn't have Walmart or Amazon all right let's go get educated in some crafts and let's go on in and what's that big quilt welcome I'm about to crass got chairs on the wall wow this place is big looks like a gift shop huh I'm not the most artsy crafty type person but why not we're here foreign [Music] looks like stuff they sell probably supports their building here keeps everything going a lot of dishes pretty fancy stuff though that's stuff you'd see in the china cabinet in someone's house knickknacks lamps I think upstairs where they got the big stuff we'll head up there cool foreign yeah look at all that I mean that's a lot of inventory all the Quilted blankets up above wow there's like a museum huh like an art museum artistic if you've been in my some of my videos you know me in these places God I enjoy it just gotta have fun with it weave a basket [Music] wow colorful we're very well displayed look at the lighting what's this now that's cool huh colorful a lot of fabric that's been weaved homemade furniture there's the Craftsman see what's out here foreign I think that's a cow oh there you go now that's look at that table [Music] keep the history going like to see that very good hecky come up here you live you got a living room craft room dining room stained glass that's beautiful nice what do we got over here a vape a Vaz that's a Voz don't wanna drop that very modern artwork another vase was sculpture there's a weave they're weaving uh thread cloth wow look at that how'd you like to load that thing for that string look at the design it makes that's an old timer huh I'll be darn we're at the end of it wow look at them things that hurt when would they rake with that woof huh I don't know what that is okay well looks like we're at the end of it go find that van we got some Parkway to explore it's worth this stopped I joke around a lot I know but uh a lot of history in here tremendous effort into all this stuff pretty good really well go back out the way we came in case I missed something here free to come in no charge no mission probably buy something in the gift shop that helps support them pretty good all right to the band we go well here we go we're heading down the parkway or actually up the parkway I guess Blue Ridge Parkway see what else we can find up here you know this is kind of like being in the airplane where you're at about three to four thousand feet all the time and every once a while you look out the window and there you look down that's what it feels like being on this thing oh tunnel more tunnels I don't know how many of these we've gone through quite a few this one's a little long and you also switch sides sometimes the slow The Valleys on the right or be on the left the road winds back and forth across the peaks of the mountain look at this old fence here there's your view down in the valley there huh there's hiking trails here too yeah a lot of these leaves haven't come out yet I don't think on these trees I think it would for being close to the end of May way down there tunnel look how the trees have grown over it oh wow look at this is an older one can't really see the walls they're the old style Rock there's concrete oh another one yeah these are the old ones huh pretty cool clouds starting to roll in you can feel the humidity picking up too they said big chance of rain this afternoon another view just goes forever it's like that uh TV show moonshiners huh when they show those uh clips cool well we're just keep rolling down the road this is the Blue Ridge Parkway going through North Carolina we're kind of trucking like North North what East I believe we're climbing up another Mountain just beautiful views mile after mile after mile what an epic trip this has been so far all right we got another tunnel I think this one is the craigie flats tunnel let me slow down no one's behind me look at the Rock on the face of these things oh my goodness that is solid rock we're driving through foreign too cool for school huh there should be a visitor center right up the road here according to the map we're gonna stop weather's catching up with me so we're going to do a few miles today see what we can see before the rains come in been pretty blessed so far with the weather though can't complain no winds once a while you hit a little sprinkle not bad but this Blue Ridge Parkway oh my goodness if you get a chance this is a must do must see North Carolina is one pretty pretty place look at that out there you can just see forever right all right I see cars up here this must be the craigie some craigie oh I forget it's a visitor center craigie Gardens seeing the sign not too many people motorcycles if you got a bike this would be a trip of a lifetime looks like a little Visitor Center there let me get parked foreign this one's cool you can see off both sides of the Peak here both sides of the mountain look way out there look at the Shadows of the clouds on the ground clouds are rolling in it's in the 60s it's a little chilly right now foreign [Music] here's the other side briggy Gardens Visitor Center there it is there they just got maps and stuff inside but look out this direction now you can see the weather coming in look at the haze and the clouds pretty place okay I see a storyboard here we'll check that I'm not gonna go inside see what it says North mileage Mount Mitchell okay this one's towards the South all right there's mile markers cool nice little stop you can stop every few miles along this way look at that view get off to the van we go and I think we got another tunnel yay I don't know how many we've gone through there's a lot of them it's kind of a cool one here craigie pinnacle tunnel right through solid rock look at them things jeez imagine poking a hole like that through a big rock haha with a view wow look at the weather now we're up here pretty good in the elevation over 4 000 feet in the low 60s I had to put a jacket on actually everyone stops and gets a view and a pitcher okay what's this one Little Switzerland tunnel trees going out of the Rock this thing's been here forever this one got dark it's a little longer the lights on the band kick on automatic but it doesn't light it up real good and we're through yay wow there's a mountain off to the side I think that's it let me pull in here supposed to be a big mountain here the clouds are hanging over top of it Grandfather Mountain here it is [Music] a few Grandfather Mountain the elevation of mountains six thousand feet and we're at 4100 look at the clouds hanging on the top of it all right we're getting pretty close to that buy a duck that bridge goes around the front of this mountain should be right up the road here another exit for uh State Highway here a place of rare abundance more about the mountain huh okay here we are this is that Viaduct see there's a good map of the parkway it's well documented well mapped you can go online there it is Linco Viaduct cool enjoy the view watch the road well we're kind of doing both it's RV or TV we film it hey all right well we say go across a big bridge well I was hoping the weather holds and so far so good no rain yet yay 4 000 foot once again this is kind of like you just go along in a little airplane about three to five thousand feet you can look out the windows that's the best way oh here's a sign let me stop let's get a picture of this real quick Linco parking area half mile working area now on uh online it says it's closed we'll have to see there's actually an app you can get for the parkway and that gives you a pretty current status there's also a road closure somewhere up this direction but I think that's up in Virginia not sure wow look at all the Rocks this everywhere you look scenic beautiful all right what do we got here this don't look like a visitor center nope no should be a visitor center up here somewhere all right let's keep on trucking yeah this Viaduct they build a bridge uh around the face of the mountain they weren't allowed to cut through the Rock here's a bridge I don't think this is it though might be part of it I don't know we're doing this first time here okay according to the phone a visitor center should be right up here yay here it is cool let me stop here oh man it's gated off it's closed ah shucks oh well we didn't need it anyway let's keep on trucking well too bad probably had a view from down there okay I think this is it up here yep here we go here's the viaduct they actually built this bridge around the face of the mountain here we go we're hanging off the front of the mountain Lenco Viaduct Blue Ridge Parkway there it is that is way down there if you're scared of heights this road isn't too bad you really don't get too close to the edge most of the time we did it yay we went over the viaduct it's supposed to be one of the big engineering Feats of the whole Parkway when they put that in 50 years they took to build this thing here's another bridge but I think that was the big one back there pretty ride the sky's really graying up now on me a little turnout there we'll find one I'll stop another Bridge okay pretty good gorge right there we just went over I think we got more coming up up here 45 miles an hour that's the speed limit on the parkway oh look at the fence so you can't park here they got smart they fenced It Off so you can't park and try to walk out here here we go now we're gonna hang off the mountain again well maybe not that must have been the way back there the big section that hung off the mountain look how they blocked that off they're smart because I would have parked there and tried to get pictures turn out let's take it let's check this one out cool and what's this nothing I got a little stairway up there you can hear water running back here mountain spring or something here huh foreign look how the water's cut through the Rock it's got its own little grooves I was like that oh there's a bridge up there huh I'd like that that water feature in your yard looks like it goes right under the road here [Music] and this one is called let's see what the sign says [Applause] rough Ridge Overlook elevation 4293 pretty place you just sit here all day and listen to that thing go you can hear the water running underneath the road through there well I bet in heavy rains that's just that running just a gushing down through there well let's check out The View look at this Old Stone work been here forever and it'll be here a long time they built this thing right kind of overgrown can't see a whole lot down through there look at the brick that's holding up that's showing up the road there hot and you can hear the water down there going all right well let's keep on trucking not a bad little stop at all love it we're definitely dropping down an elevation now too the terrains I'm not going to say flatten out but we're definitely dropping here's another Bridge it's pretty steep over these Bridges that's a long ways down there I could only imagine what the Fall colors are driving through here in the fall if you're a good chance that would be a ride a lifetime caught it right right when all the leaves are changing well let's see what else we can find Jillian price Memorial Park 4 200 Acres wow there's a big lake here I'll be darn history upon history upon history definitely get the Blue Ridge Parkway app that gives you a lot of info that's where I'm getting my info from figuring out where to stop still no rain yet yay just clouds there's the lake price Lake Hatchery supported oh man you could fish this swimming and weighty traveling not nice sailboating and motorboating prohibited so all you can do is fish maybe a kayak take that out our canoe buy Here water over here we gotta go check it out they even got a little walkway here so this must be the dam for the lake great to Lake Hatchery supported so it's loaded full of fish let's go to the other side what a pretty place because I can really hear the water alarm walkway let's check this out oh wow oh yeah here you go here's your Zen moment courtesy of the Blue Ridge Parkway in price Lake listen to this Roar bring your fishing pole gold pan and you're in here look at the stone work on the sides this is one old Dam here they've been here a long time very long I bet it flood Zoo here too and big rains all green and everything still not used all the greenery all right there's your Zen moment hope you enjoyed it cool one last look all right back to the van we go there's really no camping you can't camp at these locations there are campgrounds right off the parkway once again if you look online look on the maps or get the app It'll point them out most of them are private campgrounds too some of the towns are real close to the parkway too foreign what a perfect stop it's like Shangri-La here price Lake all right hop in the van we're gonna take the parkway up to Virginia [Music] foreign [Music] we're getting down here you can we're dropping down a little at a time for more information on our Veer TV check out the website rveretv.tv there you can sign up for our newsletter which covers up and coming events RV travel and more place you can sign up for free screen savers of sunsets check out our activity books courses guides plus we have a whole line of merchandise which helps support this travel and future travels of rver TV once again rvertv.tv that signed back there said Northwest Trading Post see if it's open there it is flags up I'd say so it's a gift shop with the t-shirts and snacks pretty cool [Music] look at that view even with the clouds it's pretty we're only a few miles left to get to the Virginia border but if you think about this Parkway just the vast history of how they build it putting in that Viaduct the cranes moving all the rock the Manpower over 50 years I mean what an Epic Journey this is going through the Parkway in North Carolina absolutely incredible this is definitely experience for a lifetime to check something like this out thank you the amount of bridges countless I I couldn't even imagine this is just a North Carolina section in the stonework that they did they built it for a lifetime look at them guys I mean it's just Perfection how they built this stuff in the tunnels oh my goodness the tunnels right through solid rock been the history here the Appalachian culture that uh center Art Center was cool can you think of living back in the day here especially when they're building a road my goodness [Music] in the millions and millions of people that have traveled through here all the Rangers everyone that really take care of you I mean this this thing is really well organized well looked after well maintained the road has just been uh great the whole way very few bad sections at all [Music] well we should be within a quarter mile of the state line we did it we started down in Cherokee my goodness and we're almost up here to the Virginia State there it is there's a sign right there okay wait for it wait for it yay we're in Virginia we did it too cool for school all right well I'm not gonna take the parkway through Virginia I'm gonna pull off and we're gonna truck straight North up to West Virginia thank you for watching the once in a lifetime series what an epic drive we just had all the way from Cherokee North Carolina all the way over here to the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Virginia state line [Music]

Channel: RVerTV

Views: 504,699

Keywords: North Carolina Four Day Road Trip

Id: Q5l1pj-l9Qw

Length: 133min 40sec (8020 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 15 2023