Taking Care of the Parkway

Two park service employees working on vista restoration project.

NPS photo

The parkway is unusual among national parks because unlike the wild, untamed acres of Yellowstone or the Everglades, the parkway is a carefully designed and landscaped park. Following the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains through North Carolina and Virginia, its 469 miles of breathtaking views and managed greenery are maintained by employees, volunteers and conservation groups.

What Are Some General Maintenance Activities?

• Facility management: taking out trash, cleaning restrooms, and mowing around visitor centers to keep them safe and clean as well as maintaining campground and historic structures
• Roadside Mowing: mowing and clearing along roads to provide a beautiful and scenic route for motorists.
• Closures Due to Maintenance Work: Several types of projects require closed work areas for the safety of employees, visitors, and equipment

Safety During Maintenance Projects

The National Park Service is committed to keeping visitors and employees safe. Learn how you can help.

Please Leave No Trace

The number one type of trash that maintenance employees find is cigarette butts at overlooks. This type of litter, in addition to other incorrectly disposed of trash, can take years to break down. It can also lead to unsafe conditions if it attracts wildlife to areas near the roadway. And, it decreases the naturally beautiful views of the parkway.

To preserve the beauty of the parkway for many generations to come, please use trash cans that can be found at most overlooks or visitor centers.

Graffiti and Vandalism

Designers of the Blue Ridge Parkway gave careful consideration to every part of the experience when they laid out the route in the 1930s. Graffiti and vandlism have become more common along the Parkway. It detracts from the landscape and costs park management time, money and resources. Read more about it here: Graffiti and Vandalism