BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY - STOP #5

through

TRAVEL DAY - 20.8 miles

JULIAN PRICE CAMPGROUND
to
LINVILLE FALLS CAMPGROUND

Nearly our shortest travel day distance to date

While this was a very short move today we did drive over a very interesting feature on the Parkway. The Linn Cove Viaduct was the last piece of the Blue Ridge Parkway to be completed in 1987. The roadway hugs the side of Grandfather Mountain instead of being cut into the side of the mountain like so many other stretches of the parkway.

Grandfather Mountain State Park has a unique Mile High Swinging Bridge that goes from one mountain peak to another. It is a pedestrian bridge that was originally built in 1952, but it 1999 it was rebuilt to be more stable and secure. We were told by the staff that the old bridge really did swing back and forth when people were walking across it, but not so much anymore.

Here are a few of the pictures we took while visiting:

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN


Today's destination - The peaks of Grandfather Mountain
The steep switchback roadway leading up the mountain
Wasn't sure I wanted to drive over this edge on the roadway
This is the view from the far edge of the parking lot
A view of the parking lot from atop the visitor center. I decided to park on one side instead of the far edge.
The entrance to the Swinging Bridge
The center the bridge is at an elevation of 1 mile
A view of the gorge the bridge crosses over
A view straight down at the center of the bridge
Some of the heavy duty cable anchors that support the bridge
Until next time
TWO PEAS
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