National Park Service officials said in a statement they were closing the southernmost 14 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, from Milepost 455-469, “in a continuing effort to support federal, state, and local efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and in coordination with travel restrictions in place from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”
On March 17, the parkway closed its year-round Visitor Center in Asheville, at Milepost 384 near the U.S. 74A entrance, and on March 20 closed the Folk Art Center at Milepost 382 and the Museum of NC Minerals at Milepost 331.
On March 23, the parkway closed all of its restrooms, including at the heavily used areas like Graveyard Fields and Craggy Gardens.
