More Than You Ever Imagined

Virginia's Skyline Drive North

Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park in northwest Virginia are virtually synonymous. Shenandoah National Park is a long and narrow park that straddles the Blue Ridge Mountains, the easternmost and highest range of the Appalachian Mountains. It includes steep mountains, quiet valleys, streams and waterfalls, and green forests. The 196,000-acre park includes 79,000 acres of designated wilderness.

Skyline Drive is a 105-mile-long, mountaintop road within Shenandoah National Park that winds along the rolling ridgetops of the Blue Ridge. It provides all visitors with sweeping vistas of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
Shenandoah National Park was authorized by Congress in 1926. Residents who had not already left the mountains were either bought out or were relocated by the government. This forcible eviction created considerable resentment toward the park and the government, a residue of which still exists today in surrounding communities.
Most of the park's facilities were constructed by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in the 1930s, and Skyline Drive was opened in 1939.
A portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT) runs for 101 miles along almost the full length of the park. This famous footpath runs 2,000 miles from Maine to Georgia. The section in the park parallels and crosses Skyline Drive numerous times. It varies in difficulty from easy to strenuous. Over 450 miles of trails of all types spider-web the park; the most popular ones lead to mountain tops or waterfalls. Many radiate from Skyline Drive and are mentioned below. For a more thorough guide to 59 of the most interesting hikes, see Hiking Shenandoah National Park by Bert and Jane Gildart (Falcon Publishing, 1998).
You can make the drive at any time of the year, but most facilities are closed in winter. Occasional ice and snowstorms may temporarily close Skyline Drive. Spring can be especially beautiful as wildflowers come into bloom and green creeps up the mountainsides. Fall weekends are the busiest travel times, usually in mid-October as leaf colors reach their maximum. Much of Shenandoah National Park lies beyond Skyline Drive, a wilderness of streams, hollows, and forests. You may want to plan your trip to visit some off-the-road spots.
Remember that this is a national park; all plant and animal life is protected. Collecting of any sort is prohibited. Do not feed deer or other animals. The maximum speed limit is 35 miles per hour. An entrance fee is charged.
The drive begins at the north end of Front Royal about 80 miles from Washington D.C., via Interstate 66. The town gets its name because its large oak trees -- known as royal oaks -- were cut for masts for sailing ships. A mile north of the park entrance is Skyline Caverns, known for its delicate, needle-like anthodite crystals.
At the entrance station pay your fee and pick up a park brochure. Mileage markers on the west (right) side of the road mark the distance from the northern entrance (mile 0.0) to Rockfish Gap (mile 105.4) at the southern end. These markers make it easy to locate spots of interest.
The road heads uphill through a thick forest. Road cuts reveal numerous outcrops of the Catoctin basalt or greenstone, an extensive series of lava flows that covered the region in late Precambrian time. The geology of the park is complex. For a detailed explanation of the geologic forces that have shaped the park's landscape, see Geology Along Skyline Drive by Robert Badger (Falcon Publishing, 1999).
The road curves steadily uphill to the first scenic overlook at mile 2.8, a view of the Shenandoah Valley. The prominent ridge is the northern end of Massanutten Mountain, which bisects the Shenandoah Valley and extends south for about 40 miles. Signal Knob, the prominent high point, was occupied by both sides during the Civil War (at different times) as a lookout post. Drive 1 follows the ridgeline of Massanutten Mountain. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River lies between the park and Massanutten Mountain; the North Fork of the Shenandoah River flows on the far side of the mountain. The two forks meet just north of Front Royal.
At the Dickey Ridge information center, mile 4.6, are exhibits and more views of the Shenandoah Valley. Detailed hiking and other maps are available. The building originally served as a tavern in the 1930s. A popular hang-gliding launch area is nearby.
The first view to the east at Indian Run, mile 10.1, reveals the low mountains of the Piedmont area. Like ripples spreading in a pond, the hills decrease in elevation away from the park, and eventually die out to a gently rolling plain. Washington, D.C., lies beyond the horizon, about 85 miles to the east.
Numerous dead trees are apparent in many places along the drive. The ice storm in January 1998 snapped off so many treetops and branches that much of Skyline Drive was blocked and closed for several weeks. Hurricane Fran in 1996 toppled many trees. Other trees have been killed by huge numbers of gypsy moth caterpillars and their insatiable appetite for leaves, which can denude full-grown trees in a few days.
Another view to the east at about mile 13 has, unfortunately, an inaccurate geologic display. Among its errors, the display shows limestone rocks forming the tops of the ridges of the Valley and Ridge. Actually, the ridges, such as Massanutten Mountain, are formed of resistant sandstone; the valley floors are underlain by limestone, which often contains caves.
The Appalachian Mountains and the Blue Ridge formed about 320 million years ago when the great continental plates of what are now Africa and Europe slowly crashed into ancestral North America. This continental collision first started to fold the existing rocks. But the forces over time were so powerful that the rocks to the east -- today's Blue Ridge -- broke, or faulted, in what is known as a thrust fault, and slid over the younger rocks to the west -- today's Shenandoah Valley. The rocks of the Shenandoah Valley were also thrust faulted over still younger rocks west of them. These huge thrust faults extend for more than 100 miles along the Blue Ridge.
The Range View overlook at mile 17.1 is aptly named. In one direction lies the irregular, craggy crest of the Blue Ridge; in the other, across the Shenandoah Valley, are the parallel ridge lines of the Valley and Ridge province.
More than 200 species of birds have been reported in the park. Crests and ridges provide updrafts for soaring birds, such as the ubiquitous turkey vulture and numerous hawks and falcons.
The turnoff for the Mathews Arm campground is at mile 22.2; just beyond that is the Elk Wallow store and picnic area.
At Panorama, mile 31.5, is the Thornton Gap Entrance Station where the drive crosses U.S. Highway 211. U.S. highway 211 goes west to Luray, New Market, and Interstate 81; it goes east to Sperryville, Culpeper, and Warrenton and the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.
Just beyond Panorama, the drive passes through 600-foot-long Mary's Rock Tunnel, the only tunnel on Skyline Drive. The tunnel, cut through billion-year-old metamorphic rocks, was not necessary from an engineering standpoint, but was constructed to provide variety along the drive.
Stony Man Mountain, with its step-like profile, looms straight ahead at the overlook at mile 38.6. The steeper cliffs are formed in resistant basalt rocks of the Catoctin lava flows. The peak is 4,010 feet high, second highest in the park. To the right in the Shenandoah Valley lies the town of Luray. The gap on the horizon is New Market Pass in Massanutten Mountain.
A half-mile beyond is the trailhead for the Little Stony Man Cliffs, which follows along the base of one of the lava flows. Longer, circular hikes can also start here."

Virginia's Skyline Drive South
The turnoff for Skyland at mile 41.7 is the highest point on the drive, at 3,680 feet. Just inside the turnoff is the trailhead for the Stony Man Nature Trail. This 1.5-mile, round-trip hike probably gives you the best view for the effort of any hike in the park. A brochure guides you along 20 interpretive signs, culminating at the rocky summit of Stony Man Mountain, which you saw earlier from the road. Nearby are several nesting sites for the endangered peregrine falcon -- known for its high-speed dives -- which the National Park Service has been successfully reintroducing.
Skyland itself, with its lodge, dining room, gift shop, stables, and riding horses, is a popular destination for some travelers. Rangers conduct guided walks and evening programs. The resort was established in the 1890s by naturalist George Pollock, whose continuing efforts helped to establish the park.
Back on the drive, at mile 42.6, is the trailhead for White Oak Canyon, known for its waterfalls. The first waterfall requires a 4.6-mile down-and-up hike; to visit all six is even more strenuous. The least strenuous hike in the park is just past White Oak Canyon: the wheelchair-accessible Limberlost Trail. The trail passes through groves of red spruce and hemlocks, some of the largest and oldest trees in the park. Hemlocks, some more than 400 years old, have become endangered through the action of an exotic insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid. These tiny bugs feed on nutrients in the hemlock needles, eventually weakening and killing the tree.
The best view of Hawksbill Mountain, at 4,051 feet the highest in the park, is from the Crescent Rock Overlook at mile 44.4. Trailheads at miles 45.6 and 46.7 lead to the summit and an unsurpassed 360-degree view of mountains in all directions.
The waterfall closest to Skyline Drive is the 70-foot cascades of Dark Hollow Falls. It is about a 1.5-mile round trip from the trailhead at mile 50.7.
Just beyond the Dark Hollow trailhead is Big Meadows, the largest open treeless area in the park. In the 1920s much of the future park had been cut for timber and looked like this. This flat plain is known for its wildflowers, strawberries, and blueberries, which attract grouse, mice, rabbits, deer, and other birds and animals.
Turn into the Big Meadows facilities at either mile 51.0 or 51.9. The Byrd Visitor Center, named for former Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd, contains numerous exhibits and information on activities, including guided nature hikes along several nearby trails.
A trail of historical interest takes you to Camp Hoover where President Herbert Hoover came to relax and to escape the pressures of Washington. Several original structures can be seen at the site, including the President's cabin. Other facilities at Big Meadows are a restaurant and store, gas station, the Big Meadows Lodge, and a campground.
Children may enjoy the self-guided Story of the Forest Nature Trail accessible by paved trail from the Byrd Center or at mile 51.2. This 2-mile round-trip walk has 22 interpretive signs describing forest sights and ecology.
The Bearfence Mountain trail at mile 56.4 is a strenuous, 0.8-mile round-trip scramble, much of it over jumbled rocks to an excellent 360-degree view. Along the way you'll pass numerous trees downed by Hurricane Fran in 1996, and huge boulders of Catoctin greenstone.
A picnic area and another campground are at Lewis Mountain at mile 57.5. A few aging cabins are available for overnight stays.
At the South River picnic area, mile 62.8, is the trailhead to South River Falls. This is a strenuous, 4.5-mile, round-trip hike to an 83-foot-high waterfall.
The drive crosses U.S. Highway 33 and the Swift Run Entrance Station at mile 65.7. To the west, US 33 goes to the West Virginia border; to the east it goes to Stanardsville and U.S. Highway 29.
The Loft Mountain Information Center at mile 79.5 has a campground, gasoline, and a gift shop. The Loft Mountain trail is a moderate, 2.7-mile loop with views of Flat Top Mountain and to the east, the Piedmont.
The valley at Big Run, to the left of the overlook at mile 81.5, is almost entirely enclosed by mountains. Heavy rains from the large watershed occasionally fill the narrow outlet with resultant floods. At mile 83.7 is the entrance to the Dundo Group Camp, a former Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) center. The campground is open only to organized groups on a reservation basis.
Numerous dead trees, victims of the gypsy moth caterpillar, line both sides of the drive for the next several miles. Although new growth will eventually replace the old forest, the dead trees will be around for years, perhaps creating a fire hazard as they fall and line the forest floor.
Calf Mountain at mile 98.9 provides a 360-degree view. You can see the full width of the Shenandoah Valley, undivided here by Massanutten Mountain. The drive and park narrow beyond here to little more than a road bordered by a fence.
The road descends to the entrance station and then to Rockfish Gap to end at mile 105.4 at Interstate 64 and U.S. Highway 250. Go east (left) to go to Charlottesville, or go west (right) to Waynesboro and I-81. The Blue Ridge Parkway begins just across I-64; the Humpback Visitor Center is 5 miles south.

Arkansas Hwy 7 Ride
The Arkansas Highway 7 Scenic Byway is actually two separate sections of the same north-south highway. The section through the Ouachita National Forest is 24.3 miles long, and the section in the Ozark National Forest totals 36.3 miles. The byway segments are separated by about 40 miles of the populated Arkansas River Valley. The winding two-lane highway is paved and has turnouts for scenic and recreational access.
Summers are generally hot, with daytime temperatures in the 80s and 90s and evenings somewhat cooler. Spring and autumn range from the mid-50s to 80s, and winter days often reach the 50s and 60s, with freezing nights and ice or sleet in January and February, especially on the northern portion of the byway.
Beginning at the north and traveling south, enter the byway at the national forest boundary south of Jasper. The Buffalo Ranger Station in Jasper has information about the national forest, the byway, and the nearby Buffalo National River, which winds through high limestone bluffs and is popular for fishing and for white-water kayaking and canoeing in springtime.
The byway heads south alongside Henderson Mountain. A side trip west on Arkansas Route 16 and Forest Road 1206 leads 5 miles to Alum Cove Natural Bridge Recreation Area. There are picnic tables, restrooms, drinking water, and a 1-mile interpretive nature trail. Walkers see the caves and rock formations along the bluffs and stroll through stands of American beeches, umbrella magnolias, and dogwoods. The natural bridge is 130 feet long and 20 feet wide, and it was carved by the erosive action of wind and water.
Back on the byway, continue south, gaining elevation and rolling through the hardwood forest. Fairview Campground has 11 sites on a small hill above the highway. The dogwoods and redbuds are beautiful in spring.
The Ozark Highlands Trail crosses the byway at Fairview Campground. This 165-mile national recreation trail follows clear streams and ascends mountains on its scenic east-west route. You can hike a portion of it from the campground; the trail goes about 5 miles west to the Hurricane Creek Wilderness Area or about 17 miles east through Richland Creek Wilderness to Richland Creek Campground. Hurricane Creek Wilderness encompasses 15,427 acres of upland southern hardwoods, as well as flat-topped mountains and limestone bluffs. Richland Creek Wilderness has 11,801 acres of slightly steeper terrain and higher elevations.
Continue south on Arkansas Route 7. Tiny Sandgap lies about midway through this section of the byway. Here, a side trip east on Arkansas Route 16 leads 5 miles to unique pedestal rock formations carved into the bluff.
Back on the byway, the route goes south through Piney Creeks Wildlife Management Area. This area is inhabited by big and small game species, notably white-tailed deer, turkeys, and black bears. Ruffed grouse were recently reintroduced to the area.
The highway climbs to the popular Rotary Ann Overlook and Picnic Area. This popular overlook allows a splendid view of forests and mountains.
The route crosses rolling terrain past Freeman Springs and Dare Mine Knob and through Moccasin Gap before dropping down to its end at the national forest boundary. A side trip just before the boundary, west on Forest Road 1801 and Forest Road 1804, leads to Long Pool Recreation Area on Big Piney Creek. Long Pool has 19 campsites, picnicking, a swimming beach, and canoe access. Large, natural pools make great swimming holes under the high bluffs. Anglers fish for smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass, along with several species of sunfish. Floaters enjoy seasonal canoeing and kayaking in the creek.
The northern end of the second part of the byway is at the community of Fourche Junction on Nimrod Lake. Nimrod has boating and fishing opportunities.
From the junction, drive south on the winding road through the Ouachita National Forest. "Ouachita" is the French phonetic spelling for an Indian word that means good hunting grounds. The well-known Ouachita whetstones and quartz crystals come from this area. The Ouachita Forest hosts white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, beavers, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, quail, turtles, and various waterfowl such as great blue herons, egrets, and wood ducks. Canada geese and mallards pass through during migration.
This southern section of the byway crosses through a dense forest of shortleaf pines and occasional stands of hardwoods. The Ouachita Mountains are unique in being an east-west trending range. Most ranges in North America trend north and south.
About midway through this section of the byway is South Fourche Campground, with seven roadside campsites near South Fourche Creek. Anglers try for brown perch, bass, and catfish in the creek. Nights spent camping in Arkansas are filled with the sounds of frogs, toads, locusts, owls, and whip-poor-wills. The songs of birds brighten mornings.
Continuing south, the byway ascends beside Trace Creek, a pretty stream that sparkles and murmurs under the forest canopy. There are abundant and beautiful wildflowers along the byway and in the adjacent forest. They include lilies, columbines, orchids, crested irises, and asters. The 8,200-acre Deckard Mountain Walk-In Turkey Hunting Area is west of the byway.
Ouachita National Recreation Trail crosses the byway 1 mile north of Iron Springs Campground. This footpath is 192 miles long and runs east to west from Pinnacle Mountain State Park, through the Ouachita National Forest, to Talimena State Park in Oklahoma. West of the byway, the 4- to 5-mile-long loop known as Hunt's Loop Trail connects with the Ouachita Trail and Iron Springs Recreation Area. Hikers can reach the Ouachita Trail and Hunt's Loop Trail from the byway or from Iron Springs Recreation Area. The loop is moderately difficult and best hiked in a counterclockwise direction. There is a spectacular view south from the rocky bluff atop Short Mountain.
Iron Springs Campground has 13 sites in the woods near a spring and stream. A pleasant wading area and a picnic shelter are available.

Georgia's Cherokee Ride
This drive from Carterville's Etowah Indian Mounds to New Echota near Calhoun covers a range of history, from Georgia's earliest inhabitants to Civil War sites to twentieth-century electricity production.
Cartersville, the starting point, has rich barite and ochre deposits. Barite, the ore of barium, is used in a number of products; ocher is a yellow mineral used mostly as a pigment. The William Weinman Mineral Museum has displays of local geology, as well as minerals from around the world, fossils, and Native American artifacts.
Much of the route is on secondary and tertiary roads linking villages such as Euharlee, Kingston, and Adairsville, along rolling countryside, skirting the tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can reach either end of the route directly from I-75.
The drive begins at the GA 113 exit off I-75 (Exit 124), going west on GA 113 toward Cartersville. Continue on Georgia 113 (Main Street) straight across US 41.
Continue to follow GA 113 to where it turns right, and Etowah Drive goes straight. Pick up Etowah Dr. You should see signs directing you toward Etowah Mounds. Continue for 2.5 miles to the entrance to the mounds historic area. This pre-Columbian site by the Etowah River was a major city of Mississipian mound builders. It was occupied between A.D. 900 and 1500, by people who built several ceremonial earth mounds. The largest mound covers 3 acres and is 63 feet high. This state historic site also features a museum. You can climb stairways to the tops of the mounds and look over the floodplain which was farmed by the Indians hundreds of years ago. After marveling at the achievements of this civilization, head back toward Cartersville on Etowah Dr. To the left is Dellinger Park, a well-landscaped city park with trails and recreational facilities.
Turn left on Old Mill Road about 1.5 miles from the mounds, then turn left onto GA 61/113 and cross the Etowah River. The floodplain here is broad and flat, with cultivated fields and some industrial activity. To the right, you will soon see cooling towers of the Georgia Power Company's Plant Bowen. It is the sort of structure associated with nuclear power plants, but this steam generating facility is coal-fired.
When you get to Stilesboro, the structure on the hill to the left is Stilesboro Academy, a schoolhouse built in 1859. Half a mile past the academy, turn right on Covered Bridge Road. You are headed straight toward Plant Bowen. As you pass closely by the cooling tower, you realize how enormous it really is.
Two miles later, you are back a hundred years at Euharlee. This village, whose name is Cherokee for "she laughs as she runs," boasts the oldest remaining covered bridge in Georgia. Lowery (or Euharlee Creek) bridge was built in 1886 by Horace King, a noted black bridge builder. Numbers on the beams of the bridge indicate it was prefabricated elsewhere, brought here, and put together over the creek. The bridge is no longer open for vehicular traffic. It is located to the left of the current road. Go through the village and turn left on Euharlee Road. About 4 miles later, turn right on Macedonia Road at Old (1847) Macedonia Baptist Church. Two and a half miles later, turn right on U.S. Highway 411. You will almost immediately cross the Etowah River bridge and turn left off this four-lane highway toward Kingston and continue to Church Street, where you turn left, crossing the railroad tracks.
This sleepy railroad town was astir with action during the Civil War. In 1862, Federal raiders under James Andrews stole the Confederate locomotive General south of here at Kennesaw and passed through Kingston, intending to destroy rails and bridges behind them. Their plan was foiled by train conductor W.A. Fuller, who pursued the General 87 miles by foot, handcar, switch engine, and finally, the locomotive Texas. Andrews' Raiders were captures and hanged. Their actions made them the first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 1864, federal troops under General William Tecumseh Sherman paused in Kingston three days before driving forward toward Atlanta. And on May 12, 1865, this was the spot of the last Confederate surrender east of the Mississippi. Lee's surrender at Appomatox had taken place more than a month earlier. The Confederate Memorial Museum on Main Street is open by appointment.
At the intersection with Howard St. (GA 293), turn left, then turn right onto Halls Station Road. The railroad on the right is the state-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad (now operated by CSX). It is the reason for Atlanta being where it is, because Atlanta was the southern terminus to this road, which was the first rail link between the Mississippi River Valley with the Atlantic Seaboard. It was also the railroad along which General Sherman's Atlanta Campaign was fought during the Civil War. On the left, Connesena Creek parallels the road.
Five miles up Halls Station Rd., Barnsley Gardens Road on the left leads to Barnsley Gardens, 2.5 miles away. A wealthy Savannah merchant, Godfrey Barnsley, built a home here in the 1840s. The ruins of his mansion have been preserved, and his extensive gardens have been restored. Five miles north on Halls Station Rd. is Adairsville. The depot here is where Captain Fuller boarded the locomotive Texas during The Great Locomotive Chase of Andrews' Raiders. Turn right on GA 140 east, then left on US 41. This four-lane highway was once a main north-south artery, but is now replaced by I-75, which parallels it to the east. US 41 still carries a fair amount of traffic, most of it local people and shunpikers. Continue 10 miles on US 41 to Calhoun, then through the town to GA 225, where you turn right, pass under I-75, and a mile later arrive at the entrance to New Echota Historic Site. From 1825 to 1838, this was the capitol of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Supreme Court building still stands, as does a missionary's house and the shop that published The Cherokee Phoenix, a newspaper printed in the Cherokee alphabet invested by Sequoyah. This historic site is also where the New Echota Treaty of 1835 was signed that resulted, three years later, in the infamous "Trail of Tears" on which the Cherokee people were forcibly rounded up and marched to Oklahoma.

North Carolina's Blue Ridge North
This is the northern section of the Blue Ridge Parkway within North Carolina from the Virginia state line to Blowing Rock. The well-known scenic route was designed as a recreational road along the crest of the Blue Ridge and other mountains of the Appalachian chain. Hence there is little commercial truck traffic and few business establishments along the parkway itself. The road passes through a seemingly endless array of deep forests, pastoral fields, and breathtaking views. Historic sites, hiking trails, and numerous overlooks break up the trip. Though the parkway is hardly undiscovered, it is still one of the premier touring routes of the eastern United States.
The Blue Ridge Parkway got its start in the 1930s, when the nation was in the depths of the Great Depression. To boost morale, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Civilian Conservation Corps facilities at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was established to provide jobs to unemployed young men in difficult economic times. During his visit, Roosevelt particularly enjoyed the scenery and views along Skyline Drive. When Virginia senator Harry Byrd proposed building a scenic drive along the crest of the Appalachians between Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks, the idea fell on receptive ears. It would not only create a long scenic drive, but would offer new employment opportunities.
The states of North Carolina and Virginia purchased rights-of-way and donated them to the project. In 1936, Congress approved legislation, creating the parkway and placing it under the National Park Service's authority. Construction was soon underway, but completing the route took many years. The last segment, near Grandfather Mountain, was not finished until the 1980s. As you follow the parkway, notice the excellent stonework on its bridges and embankments.
The drive starts in rolling, wooded country at the North Carolina border just a few miles south of Galax, Virginia. It immediately passes a junction with NC 18. The Cumberland Knob Recreation Area is on the left, only a mile into the drive. The first of many recreation sites built along the parkway, it's also the first of many worthwhile stops. The visitor center here was built by the CCC in 1937 in a rustic style, using durable native materials. The visitor center offers information, books for sale, and a great view. From here, a short paved trail leads to the top of 2,885-foot Cumberland Knob; other longer trails wind through the area, some offering southeast views of the valleys below. Picnic tables entice hungry visitors to eat lunch here on nice days.
The parkway crosses US 21 about 13 miles from the state line at Roaring Gap, a small pass in the ridge. A worthwhile side trip on US 21 leads to Stone Mountain State Park, a large granite mass rising 600 feet from its base.
Just past the US 21 junction is Little Glade Pond, which offers a picnic area and fishing opportunities. About 2.5 miles farther down the road is an overlook with a good view of Stone Mountain. Soon other views begin to appear on the right (west) side of the parkway. The country on the east side of the ridge is generally much lower than that on the west because it slowly slopes down to the Atlantic.
The road gains altitude for the next few miles. The ridge it follows is narrow in the vicinity of Air Bellows Overlook, with views on both sides of the drive. Just beyond the overlook is Air Bellows Gap, named for the fierce winds that blow here in winter. Brinegar Cabin lies about 1.5 miles beyond Air Bellows Gap on the left side of the road. This historic cabin displays weaving exhibits and has a million-dollar view.
When you reach the cabin, the parkway has entered Doughton Park, a recreation area of about 6,000 acres. The park was named for Robert Lee Doughton, a longtime North Carolina congressman and supporter of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park flanks the next 6 miles of parkway. You will reach the campground first, followed by Low Notch, a pass over the mountains. "Notch" is a term used more commonly in New England for a mountain pass; in this part of the South, the term "gap" is generally used. About a mile farther, you will come across a large complex with gas, food, lodging, and picnic sites. Trails lead from parking areas at Alligator Back and Wildcat Rocks through forest and clearings to great views.
You'll get even more views as you continue southwest along the parkway, with frequent overlooks. In a few miles the parkway drops into the small Meadow Fork Valley and crosses NC 18. (Yes, this is the same NC 18 you crossed near the start of the drive; it's not a particularly straight highway.) Meadow Fork Creek flows into the New River, and its waters eventually spill into the Gulf of Mexico. The divide between the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico watersheds follows the Blue Ridge here.
The Northwest Trading Post lies on the right about 10 miles from the junction with NC 18. The store sells many old crafts and products made by people in the northwestern 11 counties of North Carolina. Although these items are not cheap, they are often very attractive and well made. Two miles past the trading post is Jumpin' Off Rocks, where a short 0.5-mile trail leads to a rock outcropping and a view almost worth jumpin' off for.
Just beyond Jumpin' Off Rocks, drivers come to the junction with NC 16 at Horse Gap. Unlike most sites on the parkway, the gap's name is not especially historic. Locals had never heard of the name until the state government put up a sign here in the 1930s after moving NC 16 to its present route. Views start improving beyond the gap as the parkway ridge gets higher. The Lump, a large rounded hill, offers sweeping views about 3 miles from the gap.
Mount Jefferson Overlook, a short distance down the road, offers a great view north to the mountain that was renamed for Thomas Jefferson in 1952. Jefferson's father, Peter, was a member of the party that surveyed the nearby VirginiaDNorth Carolina boundary in 1749. The mountain's original name, Negro Mountain, dates back to the 1700s. The name may have come after an escaped slave was captured there during the American Revolution. Alternately, the name may have originated from the mountain's dark appearance at sunset. Before and during the Civil War, runaway slaves sometimes hid on the mountain on their way north, giving it a reputation as a stop on the underground railroad.
The mountain's 4,683-foot summit looms over the small town of Jefferson, where a small state park offers views and hiking trails. The peak lies on the divide between the two main forks of the New River, which is thought to be the oldest river in North America (its name is slightly off the mark!). Geologists believe that this waterway predates the uplift of the mountains. It has followed roughly its present course for millions of years.
E.B. Jeffress Park lies about 5 miles from the Mount Jefferson Overlook, farther southwest along the parkway. The 600-acre park was named for the state highway commission chairman who persuaded the federal government to build the parkway in its present location. The park has picnic tables and a short nature trail leading to cascades on Fall Creek, ample reasons for a rest stop. Another trail within the park leads to the old Cool Spring Baptist Church and Jesse Brown Cabin.
The parkway crosses US 421 at Deep Gap, a few miles past Jeffress Park. In the last days of the Civil War, Union troops occupied this gap and raided nearby towns. In another 4 miles, an access road leads to US 421 (which roughly parallels the parkway here) and US 221. US 421 leads to nearby Boone, the largest town in the area. Home to a university, ski areas, and other attractions, Boone is more fully described under this guide's Drive 5, Elk Falls.
A pullout on the left about 4 miles down the road marks Boone's Trace, the route believed to have been used by frontiersman Daniel Boone on his westward treks. Boone settled on the North Carolina Piedmont in 1751, but he wasn't much suited to the farming life. He soon left his family for frequent hunting and exploration trips as far west as Tennessee and Kentucky. He became an excellent woodsman during his years of travel. He is probably most noted for guiding settlers through Cumberland Gap into Kentucky, one of the first steps toward opening the American West.

North Carolina's Blue Ridge South
The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the premier drives in the United States. It generally follows the crest of the Blue Ridge and other Appalachian mountains for 469 miles, from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Driving the entire route takes several days if you want to see its many sights. Even this 75-mile segment of parkway, the southernmost section, can take more than a day if you spend a lot of time hiking and taking side trips.
This route travels from the southwest side of Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, both worthy destinations in themselves. Drive 2 describes the section of parkway just north of this one, from Blowing Rock to Asheville. Between Asheville and the Smokies, the Blue Ridge Parkway reaches its highest point (6,047 feet) and some of its most spectacular views. It crosses a large portion of public lands in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests, leading to exceptional opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, and other activities.
Start the drive on the edge of Asheville where the parkway crosses NC 191 and the French Broad River, a large waterway flowing west toward Tennessee. The river's wide banks encouraged its use as a travel route through these mountains during the early days of area settlement. In warm weather you may see boaters floating downstream here. The parkway's first overlook, on your left, offers good views of the river and boaters.
From here, at about 2,000 feet above sea level, the parkway climbs and climbs. It enters the Pisgah National Forest almost immediately. The 87,000-acre heart of this forest unit was once part of the Biltmore Estate, established by George Vanderbilt (see Drive 2). The U.S. government purchased the land after Vanderbilt's death in 1914. As you continue up the road, you will get occasional views back toward Asheville and the old Biltmore Estate.
By the time you arrive at Chestnut Cove Overlook in another 4.9 miles, you will have climbed to an altitude of 3,035 feet. Until 1904, the American chestnut was one of the dominant trees in this cove. In that year, a blight introduced in New York City began wiping out all the chestnuts in America. A favorite shade tree, the chestnut provided wood for split-rail fences like those seen along the parkway. Both humans and wildlife ate its flavorful nuts. Today, chestnuts that sprout from old root systems still cannot survive the blight. Forest specialists are trying to hybridize a resistant variety.
Drivers along this stretch will have passed through the Grassy Knob Tunnel before reaching Chestnut Cove. Now, in less than a mile, you will reach Pine Mountain Tunnel. At 1,462 feet long, this tunnel is the longest of the 26 found on the parkway. All but one of the tunnels lie in the southernmost 136 miles of the parkway; 18 of them lie along this segment alone. Only one tunnel is in Virginia, near the parkway's northern end.
The parkway next climbs a long ridge leading to Mount Pisgah, with numerous overlooks and tunnels. Drivers pass the 4,000-foot mark just before the Mills River Valley Overlook, about 11 miles into the drive. The river that runs far below this overlook was named for William Mills, an early settler in the area. In the early 1800s, Mills saw an elk near the river; it was the last reported elk in North Carolina. Even in the early nineteenth century, mankind had a significant impact on this natural area.
The road continues to climb. In another 3 miles, it reaches the 4,995-foot Mount Pisgah parking area. Mount Pisgah was named for the biblical mount from which Moses first viewed the Promised Land after leading his people out of slavery in Egypt. From the parking area, a moderately strenuous hiking trail climbs more than 700 feet to the mountain's summit. One mile beyond the parking area is Pisgah Lodge on the mountain crest. With attendant great views, visitors can find food, lodging, gas, campsites, a picnic area, and a gift shop here. The lodge tends to book up early, so reserve a room ahead of time if you want to stay.
The parkway now follows the crest of the mountains on a nearly level route. Look for the Frying Pan Fire Lookout tower on a ridge above the road, a little past the lodge. After some distance, The Cradle of Forestry Overlook appears on the left. Signs at this overlook tell about the birth of modern forestry in the valley far below when it was part of the Biltmore Estate. About 0.8 mile past the forest overlook, drivers reach the junction with US 276. If you do not plan to drive the entire Forest Heritage Scenic Byway (Drive 10), consider making a short side trip down US 276 south toward Brevard to the Cradle of Forestry in America Visitor Center. The center's historic buildings, displays, and living history demonstrations are all very interesting.
Pigeon Gap lies less than a mile past the US 276 junction. Passenger pigeons once flew through here in immense flocks that sometimes numbered in the millions. Hunting and possibly diseases from domestic fowl led to their extinction early in this century. The area along the road to the right after the gap is part of the Shining Rock Wilderness, a 19,000-acre preserve favored by hikers and backpackers. Many miles of trails wind through its high peaks lush forests, and past rushing streams.
An overlook about 5 miles from the US 276 junction offers a good view of Looking Glass Rock. This rocky knob lined with curving cliffs got its name from the sparkling reflections it gives off when wet or icy. Hikers and rock climbers love this peak, which is accessible from trails along Drive 10. In another 1.9 miles, a pullout marks the site of Graveyard Fields. Much of the area here is open or brushy. In 1925, after a long dry spell, hunters started a fire here on Thanksgiving Eve. Burning out of control, it decimated 25,000 acres. The blaze destroyed standing trees, cut timber, logging camps, and slash piles. The fire was so hot that it burned up stumps, roots, and much of the soil itself. Because it so damaged the soil, the area has been slow to recover. Graveyard Fields is a well-known hiker destination because it offers easy access to the Shining Rock Wilderness and high peaks such as 6,214-foot Black Balsam Knob. Another area attraction is Yellowstone Prong (a prong is a creek), visible below the road. The Graveyard Fields Loop Trail leads to three attractive waterfalls and many smaller cascades. In summer, don't expect to have this popular area to yourself.
After another 1.4 miles of parkway, you will pass another trailhead on the right. Routes lead from here to the Shining Rock Wilderness. Another popular parkway stop, known as the Devils Courthouse, follows in 2.2 miles. Legend tells us that the Devil holds court in a cave within the bowels of this mountain. The Cherokee people also speak of a "nice" devil in this place. According to their story, a giant named Judaculla sat in judgment here, condemning people who lacked courage or strayed from virtue. The Devils Courthouse viewpoint lies at 5,462 feet. A short trail climbs nearly 300 feet to the knob's summit. The top is bare and rocky; without trees to get in the way, the 360-degree views are incredible.
In less than a mile, the parkway reaches Beech Gap and NC 215, which is part of the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway (Drive 10). Beyond Beech Gap the parkway turns northwest and passes between two prominent peaks, Mount Hardy and Tanasee Bald. Great views are plentiful in the next few miles as you travel along the crest of the Great Balsam Mountains. Along the right (north) side of the road, the Middle Prong Wilderness contains rugged terrain. The Cowee Mountains Overlook, about 7.4 miles past the NC 215 junction, gives visitors an impressive panorama of the mountains and valleys to the south and west.
The road soon climbs to an elevation of more than 6,000 feet and reaches the highest point on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway at 6,047-foot Richland Balsam Overlook. Nearby Richland Balsam Mountain is the highest peak in the Great Balsams, rising 6,410 feet. If you hike the short nature trail that leaves from the overlook, wear a sweater; it's usually quite cool up here, even in summer. The surrounding forest of Fraser fir and red spruce indicates a cool, wet climate. During cooler times, such as during the last ice age, this Canadian-type forest grew farther down the mountain slopes. As the climate warmed, the trees retreated upward to scattered high peaks and ridges. Sadly, as is obvious here, many of the Southern Appalachian firs are dying from an insect pest known as the balsam woolly adelgid. The red spruces are also not very healthy, victims of acid rain.
From Richland Balsam Overlook, the parkway begins to head downhill. The town of Waynesville and a large, ugly quarry soon become visible below you, on the right. The town is noted for its apple orchards. After a long, 12.5-mile descent, you will reach a low point of 3,370 feet at Balsam Gap. The gap has long been a travel route across the Great Balsam Mountains and was used by the Cherokees before Europeans arrived. Later settlers adopted the route when they arrived on the scene. In 1883, the Southern Railroad built a line through the gap, the highest point on a standard-gauge railroad in the eastern United States. Busy US 23/US 74 also crosses the gap and the parkway here. After traveling down the quiet parkway, the roar of trains and heavy traffic here can be a bit of a shock.
From Balsam Gap, the parkway once again begins a long climb, reaching a second high point in 7.6 miles. Here, at 5,718-foot Waterrock Knob Overlook, visitors can look at exhibits, walk a trail, and find a bathroom. Waterrock Knob rises in the distance to 6,292 feet, making it the second highest peak in the Great Balsam Mountains. It also marks the point where the Plott Balsam Mountains join the Great Balsams. The knob was named for a popular spring that once poured over the rock. Not surprisingly, the all-encompassing view from the top is wonderful.
From Waterrock Knob, the parkway descends once again, this time to Soco Gap and a junction with busy US 19. Like other similar gaps, this one has long been a popular travel route. The Cherokee people remember the gap as a place where they ambushed and defeated a large group of invading Shawnees in the mid-1700s. From Soco Gap, the parkway climbs yet again, reaching the boundary of the Cherokees' Qualla Reservation in about 1.8 miles. A series of wars with white settlers and other Indian tribes pushed the Cherokees out of North Carolina by 1838. They were forcibly removed to a reservation in Oklahoma via the well-named Trail of Tears. During the removal, a band of refugees hid in these mountains while their white agent, Will Thomas, purchased land for them. In time they were allowed to return to this land, which makes up part of the present-day reservation.
About 2.7 miles from Soco Gap, the parkway arrives at 5,100-foot Wolf Laurel Gap. Here Balsam Road leads into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where there is a campground, picnic area, hiking trails, overlooks, and a back route to the town of Cherokee. Beyond this junction, the parkway descends through the reservation, dropping off the Balsam Range past overlooks and through tunnels. In about 11 miles, the parkway ends after crossing the Oconaluftee River at Newfound Gap Road. You are now in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can turn left to go a short distance into the busy tourist town of Cherokee, or turn right to get to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and a route into the heart of the park.

Pennsylvania's Amish Country
This drive starts in Morgantown and snakes its way south and west across the verdant Lancaster Valley, passing through Amish villages and historic towns before ending at Lancaster. The Lancaster County Amish settlement is the oldest in the United States. Their presence and various sites along the tour emphasize the significance of one of this country's founding tenets -- "freedom of religion."
On this drive, you will share the road with the clip-clop of horse hooves and whir of buggy wheels. Views span an engaging farm tapestry of classic white farmhouses, massive Pennsylvania bank barns, silos, livestock, and corncribs. Farm stands, roadside tables, and wheelbarrows loaded with seasonal produce put forth tasty invitations to interrupt the drive.
While the quiet, centuries-old lifestyle of the Amish and Mennonite peoples intrigue, do not allow your curiosity to become intrusive. Avoid staring and put your cameras aside when the "plain people" pass. As the Amish conduct no commerce on their Sabbath, forgo calling on their home trades on Sunday.
At the junction of PA 23 and PA 10 North (the Penna Turnpike access) in Morgantown, go west on PA 23 (Main Street) through the small community to enter the rolling farm country. Traffic is generally moderate. On the right at 1.4 miles is the Amish-Mennonite Information Center, with brochures, information, and maps. On its grounds, find a picnic table with a fine countryside view.
Hand-lettered signs for wood crafts, quilts, and baked goods may entice you onto the side roads, where some of the best discoveries can be made. The possibilities include seeing a work team bring in a corn crop, children in straw hats and aprons playing outside their one-room schoolhouse, a farmer pedaling a scooter between fields, or a barefoot Amish toddler daydreaming beside a fence. The primary tour proceeds forward through the pretty village of Churchtown, only to return to country landscapes that stretch north and south. Tranquil images and rural smells bombard senses.
The tidy farm community of Goodville next marks off distance. At 7.7 miles, turn south on PA 897 for quieter travel, passing a Pennsylvania Dutch restaurant. Watch junction signs to remain on PA 897 South. Beyond the Cedar Grove Presbyterian Church and graveyard, the drive ascends from farm country into a mixed hardwood forest with mountain laurel.
Where the route next descends, drive past a Mennonite Church, Mount Airy Cemetery, and peach and apple orchards. As the tour drifts back into open farm country, you will pass a blacksmith shop -- a vital addition to the rustic agricultural community. Still follow the weaving route of PA 897S.
At 16.9 miles, turn left on PA 340, one of the more highly promoted and commercial Amish tour routes, and in another 0.5 mile, turn right to continue south on PA 897. Ahead stretches more of the unhurried, zigzagging travel past scenes of farm life, which help unravel the mystique of the plain people. During harvest season, the families are particularly busy in fields and gardens.
At 21 miles, bypass Salisbury Township Park, where picnic tables are available. The park abuts the tour all the way south to US 30, another of the popular tourism routes. Turn right on US 30 to enter Gap and reach the next travel leg, PA 772 West. As you pass through Gap, you may notice Auntie Anne's Hand-rolled Soft Pretzel Training Center -- pretzels are a sure-fire sign that you are in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
Track PA 772 west, again sharing the road with buggies, bicycles, and scooters; drive carefully. In places, the pavement may show the telltale scratches of buggy wheels. Across the folded terrain, beltways of corn alternate with other crops. Beautiful old fieldstone and frame farmhouses contribute to the postcard images. A few of the barns have open slats for drying tobacco.
At 27.5 miles, enter Intercourse (the unofficial capital of Pennsylvania Dutch Country) to again tag PA 340. Between the villages of Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand (west on PA 340), shoppers find a myriad of outlets selling Amish goods and original Pennsylvania Dutch food, as well as tours, museums, and accommodations.
For this drive, continue west, following the country highway of PA 772, passing more family-run cottage enterprises. Some cater to the Amish alone, with harness repairs, buggy sales, and boots. At the Saturday garage sales, it is not uncommon to see a cluster of parked black buggies; the frugal, industrious Amish frown on waste and make good use of the bargains.
At 31.1 miles, the drive crosses the broad, pollen-coated waters of Mill Creek just below a small dam. To the left are the Mascot Roller Mills and Ressler Family House. Along Mill Creek to the right is Mascot Community Park, with picnic tables and a small memorial bird sanctuary where egret and blue heron may be spied. May through October, the roller mill and Ressler house are shown by guided tour: Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This stone mill was built in 1760 and served the Amish agricultural community until 1977; it is preserved intact and fully operable and serves as a living record of the flour milling industry. It began with millstones and water wheels and then modernized to water-powered turbines and chilled iron rolls. The Ressler family acquired the mill in 1864 and through their generosity, the mill and their family home of 12 decades have been opened to the public. The home is untouched, with original pieces all in place, conveying the wholesomeness of country life and one family's history.
At 33.6 miles, you will cross over PA 23 at Leola, following signs for PA 772W. Keep to PA 772 until its junction with PA 272, where you have the option of adding a side trip to Ephrata Cloister in 4.3 miles (go north on PA 272 and then right on Main Street in Ephrata) or to Landis Valley Museum in 4.6 miles (go south on PA 272 and then right on Kissell Hill Road). The primary drive remains on PA 772. At Ephrata Cloister, visitors enter the medieval-style village of an austere, eighteenth-century religious communal society. Ten of the original buildings are restored and interpreted to introduce the disciplined lifestyle of the society. The Cloister was founded in 1732 by separatists from the Dunkard Church and is now a National Historic Landmark. It is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; admission is charged.
At its height, the Cloister consisted of 300 members. The white-robed, celibate brothers and sisters left behind a legacy of art, music, poetry, decorated calligraphy, and publishing. Married householders contributed to the community and practiced the rigid faith of purification. During the American Revolution, wounded soldiers from the Battle of Brandywine were cared for by Cloister members. After the 1768 death of Cloister founder, Conrad Biessel, however, the society began to drift from its stern purpose and essentially vanished after 1814.
At the Cloister, you will view a slide program, take a guided building tour, and then walk the tranquil grounds for a self-guided tour of the community. The small, harsh sleep cells and low doorways of humility help introduce the life and the people.
Landis Valley Museum, on the other hand, is an agricultural hamlet of historic stone and frame buildings that introduces the lifestyles and traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch or Pennsylvania Germans. "Dutch" is an Americanization of "Deutsch," which means German, and "Pennsylvania Dutch" is an all-encompassing term for the peoples of germanic origin who settled in this region in the eighteenth century. By the 1790s, they made up 40 percent of the population of southeast Pennsylvania.
Occupying a rural setting, this living history museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; an admission is charged. May through October, visitors may tour all of the buildings, talk with on-site interpreters, and view a full schedule of ongoing craft demonstrations where artists use traditional materials and techniques. November through April, a one-hour escorted tour fills in the history before you roam the village streets. Historic breeds of livestock and heirloom gardens further capture the time frame.
Nostrils flare at the intermingled aromas of straw, earth, livestock, and slow-burning wood. At the walking tour stops, you will learn how the Pennsylvania Dutch viewed luxury and responsibility and what was considered an individual's role within the family and the community. The germanic heritage was carried on in the language, traditions, art, and architecture. Although farming was the mainstay for much of the community, the Pennsylvania Dutch also labored at clock making, leatherworking, tinsmithing, shopkeeping, and weaving.
George and Henry Landis, founders of the museum, came from a Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry and saw the need to preserve the culture's qualities. Their collection of Pennsylvania Dutch articles from the 1700s and 1800s numbered well over 75,000 objects when the Commonwealth acquired the museum in 1953, and the collection has since grown.
For the valley drive alone, proceed west on PA 772 from its junction with PA 272, heading toward Lititz. Beyond the busy intersection, rural images and meandering travel return, but now with moderate traffic. Rothsville presents a pleasant sidewalk community with Federal-style homes and a classic church. By 43 miles, enter Lititz with its many eighteenth-century homes and structures. Lititz, founded in 1756, was once a closed community, centered around the teachings of the Moravian Church. Rigid rules governing personal, business, and societal behavior discouraged outside contact. Lititz derives its name from the town of Lidice in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, where the Moravian Church got its start 300 years earlier. Moravian Church Square still occupies the heart of the community, but the town gates are now wide open and tourists welcomed.
At the eastern edge of Moravian Church Square is the Sisters' House, which later became Linden Hall, the second oldest girls' residence school in the United States. The old Moravian Church of 1763 is now the parsonage.
The town itself is highly walkable, and the narrow streets suggest you park and do just that. Country wreaths adorn many doors, while simple plaques identify the year a structure was built. Throughout the historic village, discover stone, frame, log, and brick buildings dating to the 1700s. Many now house professional offices, service industries, and attractive shops.
From Lititz, the drive resumes west on PA 772, returning to a canvas of broad fields, silos, barns, dairy cows, and alcoves of trees. Next, pass through the narrow streets of Manheim, with its tidy, side-by-side older homes closely fronting the street. The town was founded in 1762, with glass-blowing an important early industry. Still follow signs for PA 772 West.
At 50 miles, you may glimpse a covered bridge 0.1 mile east on West Sunhill Road; it spans Chickies Creek. The valley drive itself continues to track PA 772 southwest to Mount Joy (55.4 miles); in Mount Joy, again watch for junction signs to remain on PA 772. In another 5 miles, this highway ends at PA 441; turn left on PA 441 South to continue the drive. Straight ahead is Marietta, a river town with a historic canal and elegant old homes. A more hurried pace and increased traffic often accompanies the remaining journey to Lancaster.
Heads up, as PA 23 East takes the baton in less than 1 mile; at the corner sprawls a huge, ornate estate. Where the tour becomes more suburban, you may still spy a tobacco barn. The growing communities virtually wrap around the farmhouses and barns of old. Antiques and collectibles, produce stands, and specialty shops dot travel.
Beautiful, old shade trees and sprawling, groomed lawns grace travel where civilization becomes firmly implanted. In Rohrerstown, admire a line-up of grand Victorian and Federal-style homes. Keep to PA 23E as an incredible aisle of elegant living precedes President James Buchanan's Wheatland (72.4 miles). This brick, two-and-a-half story, Federal-style country estate of the fifteenth president barely stands out in its present-day neighborhood. From April through November, the estate may be toured daily (except Thanksgiving) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a fee.
From Wheatland, follow PA 23E to the center of historic Lancaster; eventually the street becomes one-way. At the intersection with North Mulberry, a heritage marker indicates where liberal-thinker Thaddeus Stevens is buried at Shreiner's Cemetery. The drive then comes to its end at the junction with US 222 (Prince Street).
If time allows, you might consider taking a guided or self-guided walking tour of the Lancaster Historic District, with its memorials, churches, courtyards, alleyways, hitching posts, and more than 50 stops. You will find information at the Visitor Center at 100 South Queen Street. It is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:50 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On the walk, you may want to visit Steinman Park, with its fountain, 20-foot-high waterwall, and bronze statue of a park gentleman reading a newspaper; the Heritage Center Museum; Fulton Opera House; and Central Market -- site of the oldest, continuously used farmers' market in the country, open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
History abounds in the city. On September 27, 1777, Lancaster became the capital of the United States for a day, when the exiled Continental Congress held session here after the British overtook Philadelphia. Lancaster was the capital of Pennsylvania, 1777-1778. As you walk her streets, you will bump into the names of signers of the Declaration of Independence, generals, and presidents.

Tennessee's Ocoee Ride
Ocoee Scenic Byway was the first designated national forest scenic byway in the nation. U.S. Highway 64, two-lane and paved, winds through the Ocoee River Gorge, and the byway includes a spur trip up Chilhowee Mountain on Forest Road 77 to Chilhowee Recreation Area. Vistas from several turnouts are exceptional. Traffic on U.S. Highway 64 can be heavy, particularly in the summer. Elevations range from 838 feet at Lake Ocoee to 2,200 feet at Chilhowee Recreation Area. Summer visitors can expect variable weather, with temperatures ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-90s. The area is humid and has an average annual rainfall of 52.6 inches.
Cleveland, 15 miles west of the byway, is a mostly industrial city of 29,400 people. Driving east from Cleveland, your view includes Big Frog Mountain in the background and Chilhowee and Sugarloaf mountains in the foreground. The first overlook is on the dam that creates Ocoee, also called Parksville Lake. The 1,950-acre lake is entirely surrounded by national forest. It has a marina, swimming beaches, campsites, a boat launch, fishing, hiking trails, and drinking water available. Ocoee Inn and Marina has boat gas, food, phone, and lodging. Nearby Parksville Beach, at the lake's edge, offers restrooms, open grassy areas and shady benches.
About midway down the lake, just east of the Ocoee Ranger Station, you can turn north on Forest Road 77. A steady 3-mile climb leads through a forest of shortleaf and Virginia pines; scarlet, chestnut, and red oaks; dogwoods; maples; sourwoods; and black locusts. As this spur road climbs Chilhowee Mountain, the views change from tunnel-like corridors to magnificent vistas. Parksville Lake, Sugarloaf, and Gazebo overlooks afford you views that stretch more than 40 miles west across the Tennessee Valley to the Cumberland Mountains and 15 miles south into the Cohutta Mountains of Georgia. Parksville Lake Overlook has a short loop trail that provides an opportunity for easy day hiking. Sugarloaf Overlook has barrier-free picnic tables.
A visitor to Chilhowee Overlook 125 years ago could have witnessed armies marching toward one of the most decisive conflicts of the Civil War at Chattanooga. A sign at this overlook provides more information. A Civil War interpretive site, where evidence of an 1865 skirmish was found, is also along this spur road. Farther along, you will find Gazebo Overlook, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Depression. The overlook provides shelter from which to look out toward Benton.
The Chilhowee Recreation Area has a large campground with 88 sites. There is a small lake for fishing and swimming, a picnic area, amphitheater, and hiking and bicycling trails. The 0.5-mile Forest Walk Interpretive Trail leads through this area rich in Cherokee Indian history. Other trails lead to Benton Falls, and one passes the edge of the Rock Creek Gorge Scenic Area.
Hikers should be on the lookout for wildlife. Some of the more commonly seen animals are white-tailed deer, black bears, raccoons, opossums, beavers, wild turkeys, chipmunks, and squirrels.
Flora in the Chilhowee area includes pink lady slippers, sky-blue dwarf irises, white wood anemones, pink-tinged trailing arbutuses, rhododendron, mountain laurel, and bright red berries of Jack-in-the-pulpits.
Numerous elongated ridges with intervening valleys characterize the area traversed by the Ocoee Scenic Byway, all trending in a northeast to southwest direction. This is the result of folding and fracturing that took place during a mountain-building episode 230 to 260 million years ago. The rocks are metamorphic and most visible in the gorge section of the byway.
Returning to U.S. Highway 64, continue east and take advantage of several scenic pullouts along the lake. There is a boat ramp, picnicking, swimming beaches, drinking water, and toilets at Mac Point. The highway then enters the Ocoee River Gorge. The rock cliffs make a striking background for the Ocoee River, a premier location for white-water rafting and kayaking from late March until early November and the site of the 1996 Olympic canoe and kayak competitions. The byway through the gorge is very congested on summer weekends.
The 6-mile gorge section of the byway is characterized by rock outcrops, cliffs, and colorful foliage in autumn. The road is quite narrow, but has some pullouts for safe viewing of the natural features and for watching river activities. Continuing east, the byway passes a rafting put-in and a flume line diversion dam.
The Tennessee Valley Authority No. 3 powerhouse is located just east of the rafting take-out point near Thunder Rock Campground. Tennessee Power Company constructed a hydroelectric power complex in the gorge around 1912, TVA took it over in 1939, and the entire complex is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Look for the flume that snakes its way around the bluffs of the gorge for almost 5 miles.
Upon leaving the gorge, the byway passes another powerhouse. A large pipe that carries water through an underground tunnel from a reservoir tucked into the mountains more than 2 miles away feeds this one. The byway passes the dry streambed of the Ocoee River on the south and the Little Frog Wilderness on the north. Boyd Gap has an overlook from which you can see the Big Frog Wilderness Area.
Ducktown and Copperhill, both linked to the copper-mining industry of the past, are located on the eastern end of the byway. The old Copper Road through Ocoee River Gorge was completed in 1853 and used for transporting the high-grade ore in horse-drawn wagons to the railhead in Cleveland. The ore was the primary source of copper for the Confederacy during the Civil War. A smelter in the vicinity of Ducktown and Copperhill was established in 1878 and is now a museum. From the museum, you can see lunarlike Copper Basin. In the distance is Copperhill and the more modern smelter's stacks. The background mountains are on the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia