Near Asheville in Buncombe County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
America’s Favorite Drive
Blue Ridge Parkway
Photographed by Steve Stoessel, May 12, 2026
1. America’s Favorite Drive Marker
Welcome to the Blue Ridge, an area steeped in tradition and recognized world-wide as a crossroads of natural and cultural richness. The Parkway serves to tie together a diverse landscape and lifestyle-connecting the past with the present and preserving the region's heritage for the future.
We invite you inside to begin your exploration of the 469 mile Blue Ridge Parkway, stretching between Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks, and offering a glimpse into these unique resources.
Did You Know
Roadway construction began in 1935 as a public works project intended to bring jobs and tourism to rural Appalachia. Today the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most visited units of the National Park Service.
The Blue Ridge Parkway ranges in elevation from almost 6,050 feet near here in North Carolina to 649 feet at James River in Virginia, and is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the world.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1935.
Location. 35° 33.944′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Forster A. Sondley (approx. 1.8 miles away); The American Chestnut / Chestnut Restoration (approx. 1.8 miles away); Stoneman's Raid (approx. 3 miles away); Private George Avery (approx. 3.1 miles away);
Photographed by Steve Stoessel, May 12, 2026
2. America’s Favorite Drive Marker
Also see . . . Blue Ridge Parkway (Wikipedia).
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is the longest linear park in the U.S.,[2] runs for 469 miles (755 km) through 29 counties in Virginia and North Carolina, linking Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It runs mostly along the spine of the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains.(Submitted on May 12, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 12, 2026, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.
