GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, NC- On Saturday, June 5, Grandfather Mountain will celebrate the 32nd Anniversary of its organized trail program. Volunteers are invited to help with trail maintenance in the Mountain’s backcountry. The backcountry became a North Carolina State Park this past year and volunteer efforts on the trails will be led by Rangers from the […]

Patches of bright purple petals are beginning to appear in the lower elevations of Grandfather Mountain and the attraction’s naturalists are preparing for the “Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble” June 1-13. “We are already seeing blooms in the lower portions of the mountain,” said Chief Naturalist Jesse Pope. “This spring has been warm and moist which has […]

Winston-Salem, NC – Dr. Carolyn Ward, President of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, formally announced Laura Hope-Gill as the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s first Poet Laureate at Asheville’s Wordfest. To commemorate the event, Dr. Ward presented her with a watercolor painting of a sacred Cherokee location and a very special “soul tree” created by Houck Medford, […]

Story by Randy Johnson (originally published 4/29/2010) May will offer High Country trail enthusiasts critical opportunities to help Blue Ridge Parkway paths reopen for the summer travel season after last winter’s damaging storms. The Parkway is staging two late May volunteer days when local hikers can come out and help reopen the Tanawha Trail, still […]

Winston-Salem, NC – The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation announced today that William Mangum is generously donating a portion of sale proceeds from the opening weekend of his upcoming Blue Ridge Inspiration Exhibit to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. His special art exhibit, Blue Ridge Inspiration, In Celebration of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th Anniversary will be […]