Did You Know?
Staffing levels at the Blue Ridge Parkway have decreased 30% since 2001 resulting in downed trees being cleared less frequently, vistas becoming overgrown, and a reduced quality of visitor experience.
A postcard view of Roanoke from Mill Mountain Star Overlook Photo by Greg Vaughn
Location
Sorry, but unless you turn on javascript, you won’t be able to view our maps.
City of Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
540.853.6428
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
http://www.roanokeva.gov
Near milepost 120
Roanoke is the largest metropolitan area along the Blue Ridge Parkway and combines small-city charm with big-city amenities. A well-traveled crossroads since colonial times, the coming of the Norfolk & Western Railway in 1882 sparked the region’s development as southwest Virginia’s commercial and cultural hub.
The city’s thriving downtown is anchored by its Historic Farmers Market, where vendors sell everything from fresh produce and garden plants to arts and crafts all year long. This National Register district also enjoys a lively cultural scene, featuring myriad unique retail shops and galleries, a variety of international restaurants, the ever-popular Center in the Square that houses several museums, and the exciting new Taubman Museum of Art. Throughout Roanoke, visitors will find a host of shopping, dining, and nightlife opportunities, as well as outdoor recreation, including the City’s ever-expanding system of urban and park-based greenways.
Roanoke served as an early headquarters for the development of the Parkway. In a building downtown, field supervisor Stanley Abbott coordinated a team of experts in preservation, landscaping, engineering, cultural interpretation, and other disciplines who brought their skills to bear on the Parkway’s design and construction. In addition, the Appalachian building styles around Roanoke helped influence the look of new structures created to serve the Parkway.
Today, Roanoke offers several access points to the Parkway from milepost 110 to milepost 121, including the spur from the Parkway to Mill Mountain at milepost 120, completed around 1970. In the 1980s the City got behind the Explore Project as a way to better connect with Parkway travelers; Explore’s visitor center is a valuable resource. Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway has an office here, and the Roanoke-based Western Virginia Land Trust promotes Parkway conservation and stewardship in our region.
- Roanoke, VA
- Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Virginia Tourism Corporation
- Discover Nearby Communities
How We're Doing Our Part
Roanoke Parks and Recreation’s well-visited Mill Mountain Discovery Center, located just off the Parkway spur near milepost 120, will be positioned as the City’s “hot spot” for 75th Anniversary information. Some Parks programming may also offer tie-ins.
