Every year my family and I take a trip on the bikes. My dad is getting older and one of his bucket list rides is to run skyline drive into blue ridge N to S and then back again. I'm sure this is a popular ride. I was wondering if anyone has done the trip in both directions and if so about how long would the trip take? If it could be done in 4 days it would be preferred, but if more time is necessary we could make that happen. Also we prefer to plan our stops ahead of time any tips on cheap clean hotels close to the parkway would be great and any other tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
mike

 

It could be done in 4 days, but that would be 4 full days of riding. This link: http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/ has tons of info re. lodging and also any detours or road closures (as of this time, there aren't any). I rode it N to S solo in 2012 and did it in 2 days. I stayed overnight in a small no-name hotel, I can't even remember where (I know, big help huh?) lol.

There are many campsites along the way too, if that's your thing. One that I've seen recommended is http://www.blueridgemotorcyclecamp.com/ . I haven't stayed there so I can't vouch for it. I have stayed at the http://ironhorsenc.com/ which is south of the end of the BRP. Highly recommended, especially if you're going to spend some time down there (riding the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway etc).

The BRP is a great ride! Enjoy and take pics!

 

Mike ... Sounds like a great gig takin' Pops for cruise. The Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are one of my favorite rides. Doing it from top to bottom to top will take more than four days however. The Skyline is about 110 miles and the BRP is around 460 miles. Most of the speed limit on both roads is 35 mph and there are park rangers that monitor speed in certain areas, besides going too fast limits your enjoyment of the scenery. There are many "scenic turnouts" but remember that many will be, or give you the feeling of being off balance when you pull in. It's very easy to have the bike get real heavy and drop it. Check out this link for fantastic maps and guide to the area. They are well worth the minimal cost, fold up easy and provide bountiful information. The guy does a fantastic job of providing very useful information. Good Luck and have a great trip. One last thing ... Without pictures it never happened :>)
http://americaridesmaps.com/

 

Wife and I dd that this summer during our 11,213 mile summer road trip. Way worth taking your time and enjoying it. We spent 3 days and could have easily spent another 2. Lots to see and enjoy.

 

I've ridden the Skyline and the BRP several times. To me the Skyline gets boring after the first 20 miles and the next 85 miles are the same. Seems to be a lot more deer on the Skyline and the speed limit is 35. The prettiest part of the BRP is south of the VA border. What I do now is take I81 to Rt 77 to Hillsville, VA and then 58 to the BRP. If you get on here and go north two miles you will see the Malbry Mill, the most photographed spot on the BRP. The VA/NC line is south about mile 215? It will take a good 2 days to ride to the end of the BRP in Cherokee, NC. On this portion there are about 20 tunnels. This past year I stayed in Boone, NC a good place if you want to visit Grandfather's MT. Don't forget to take the road to Mount Mitchell. I stayed 3 nights in Maggie Valley at the Holiday Motel. The owners are riders and great people. I don't see how you could do the Skyline and BRP one way in four days if you want to see anything. Enjoy the trip with your dad.

 

We did the Skyline and BRP in July. I'd give it 5-6 days unless you want to just ride long days every day and not stop or enjoy the scenery. I'd give it 4 days for one way. We rode until 4pm or so each day and stopped a lot to enjoy the scenery. We cut the last little bit off and stayed in Maggie Valley and then rode the Cherohala.

The Skyline only took a few hours, the BRP took longer due to traffic and more stops. It is a nice ride, but I'd never do it in both directions back to back. it does get boring after a while. personally, one direction in plenty.

Near the bigger cities/towns, gas and hotels are pretty easy to find. In the less populated remote areas, it can be tricky. Hotels and gas are not on the BRP, so you'll have to exit and may have to drive several miles to find one. There are maps at some of the hotels and gas stations that show what is available at each exit.

It is a great ride though, we both really liked it. The scenery along the mountains is simply amazing.

 

Hey Mike,

Good call on a Skyline Drive run. Just watch your speed as the Park Police like to run radar in several spots. I have done the northern part of Skyline Drive many times and believe it's one of the prettiest rides around, especially in the fall. Here is a video I did a couple years ago:


Enjoy this wonderful experience with your dad.

Mike

 

I'd just like to add that I (we) have done the SLD and the BRP a few times and it's one of the best rides east of the Mississippi River.
However, the last time we attempted the trip from north-to-south, the 105 mile, 35 MPH, SLD ride took us nearly 5.5 hours!


We knew it was going to be a wet ride as we left Front Royal, VA but along with the rain, we had wind, fog, loose gravel and a few close encounters with deer.
At one point, the fog was so dense that I rode into one of the "pull-offs" and my wife briefly lost my tail light, so we took a break and waited for the fog to lift a bit before continuing on.

 

Blue Ridge Motorcycle camp is definately a nice place to stop. They have small 1 room cabins or places to throw a tent. Nice folks running it and meals cooked in the Kitchen.
Maggie Valley is another place we love to stay.

 

The top half of Skyline Drive is the more scenic section but it can get crowded on weekends, especially fall weekends.


The weather on Skyline Drive can change dramatically in a short distance with the changes in elevation. I ran into fog and wet pavement on the section between US 33 and Big Meadows at the end of June and stopped at Big Meadows to put the liner in my mesh jacket and let some of the fog burn off.