How to get to popular hiking trails amid Blue Ridge Parkway construction work
by Tony Mecia
Construction along the Blue Ridge Parkway is making it trickier to get to some of the popular hiking areas near Blowing Rock.
Some of the most popular hiking spots are still open. But the detours will require a little bit of patience to get there.
Here’s what you need to know:
There are three sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway that are closed
You can’t just get on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Blowing Rock and drive to the west unimpeded
You’ll need to take U.S. 221 as a detour to head west from Blowing Rock
These closures affect travel to spots including Cone Manor, Price Lake Park, Boone Fork, the Rough Ridge Trail and the Grandfather Mountain area
Google Maps and Apple Maps aren’t always up-to-date on the closure locations, and internet service is sometimes spotty
Here is the map from the Blue Ridge Parkway, as of spring 2026:
Areas in red are closed for construction in the spring and summer of 2026. Use U.S. 221 instead. (Image courtesy of National Park Service)
◼️ To get to Cone Manor: You can’t get there from the Parkway heading west from U.S. 321. Instead, take U.S. 221, turn right on State Road 1552 (1.6 miles west of Blowing Rock), then turn right on the Parkway. (Directions here)
◼️ To get to Boone Fork parking area: You can’t get there heading west on the Parkway from Blowing Rock. Instead, take U.S. 221, drive 6 miles out of Blowing Rock, turn right on Holloway Mountain Road (1 mile), then take a right on the Blue Ridge Parkway and go 1 mile. The parking lot will be on your right. (Directions here)
◼️ To get to the Rough Ridge Trail: You can’t get there heading west on the Parkway from Blowing Rock. Instead, take U.S. 221 for 16 miles. You’ll cross under the bridge for the Parkway, then take a right to get on the Parkway. When that entrance ramp dead-ends, take a left to go north on the Parkway. Go 2.4 miles and the trailhead will be on your left. (Directions here) (You could also consider going via Boone and N.C. 105 – it is about 10 minutes slower, with fewer twisty turns)
◼️ To get to Grandfather Mountain: You can’t get there from the Parkway headed west from Blowing Rock. Instead, take U.S. 221 for 16 miles and turn right on Grandfather Mountain Drive. You’ll see the signs. (Directions here) (You could also consider going via Boone and N.C. 105 – it’s only a few minutes slower, with fewer twisty turns)
The construction on this section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is expected to be complete by the fall of 2026.