Editor’s note: Fifty years ago in 1970, outdoor writer Michael Frome produced a series of articles about the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway Association recently updated them with current information so that they are still relevant to today’s traveler but retain Frome’s journalistic style and intent. Many of the places mentioned in the articles are opening to the public, but as is common now, each location is opening on a different schedule with varying degrees of facilities and services available, so it would behoove the traveler to confirm details with the sites prior to visiting. Frome’s love for the parkway and the land it traverses, along with his wonderful ability to express himself through the written word, made him the perfect person to write these parkway articles. The fact that his original articles from 1970 have had only minor updates demonstrates the timelessness of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Southern highlands beckon with trails for walkers and hikers of all ages
Linville Gorge, eastern America’s “Grand Canyon,” is another popular area, where accessible trails lead through virgin forests to the rim of lovely Linville Falls, cascading nearly 100 feet in two levels. Wilderness areas are not signed or maintained like other developed areas, so hikers should exercise caution and know their skill level before venturing into the depths of the gorge.
Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak in the Blue Ridge, also lies adjacent to the parkway. Some of its spectacular crags are reached only by trails that sometimes climb ladders over sheer cliff faces, but one can also drive to the top to traverse the landmark Mile High Swinging Bridge.
In the spring, LeConte Lodge, the highest resort east of the Mississippi and the only overnight accommodations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (except for campgrounds and Appalachian Trail shelters) - opens to guests willing to hike in and make do with simple facilities. Six trails of differing lengths and varying difficulties lead to 6,593-foot-high Mount LeConte, a place to watch the sun rise and set over the ridgetops and where the loudest sounds are the serenades of high-flying birds.
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The victim of the fatal wreck was Cayden Jay McKinney, 15 years old.
