The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is seeking support for critical projects that will enhance the 469-mile scenic route. The initiatives include repairing historical structures, rehabilitating trails and overlooks, engaging children in outdoor activities and showcasing traditional mountain music for visitors. In 2023 more than 16.5 million people traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park does not charge an admission fee making it more vulnerable to funding shortfalls, decreased staffing, maintenance backlogs and building closures.
The projects that require financial support span the length of the Parkway through Virginia and North Carolina and total more than $1.6 million. The list includes trail maintenance, overlook clearing, repairs at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals, and two historical landmarks, Mabry Mill and Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.
PROJECTSGOALS
–Craggy Gardens Repairs & Enhancements ($750,000 needed): At Craggy Gardens, the 71-year-old visitor center needs upgrades and repairs. The building’s restrooms are only accessible via an exterior stairway, are closed seasonally, and are prone to water system breaks. Along the surrounding trails, informational signs are minimal and the picnic area requires significant maintenance.
Donations for this initiative will help fund two sets of permanent, fully accessible waterless vault toilets at Craggy Visitor Center and another set in the parking lot for Craggy Pinnacle Trail; five new trailhead exhibits; and planning and design work to renovate and improve the visitor center, picnic area and other site features.
Contributions for this project will be matched dollar for dollar by a $750,000 grant from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s new Legacy Investment from Tourism Fund.
–Mabry Mill Roof Replacement (cost $80,000; remaining need $37,216): The parkway’s most photographed site is in dire need of repairs. Mabry Mill’s weather-worn shake roof must be replaced to ensure the structure remains standing and continues to serve as a landmark where visitors can learn about early 20th-century life. This project will be the first phase of improvements to the historic structures onsite.
–Launch a Trade Career (cost $32,000; remaining need $18,000): There are more than 10,000 signs along the parkway. The park’s sign production center is responsible for designing, fabricating, repairing and installing these important features that orient and educate visitors with trail maps, overlook names, historical information and more. The foundation is seeking funds for an apprenticeship that will pass on the specialized skill set needed for a role in the workshop. The program is a collaboration with the Appalachian Conservation Corps.
–Repair Minerals Museum Facility (cost $43,000; remaining need $5,000): Since 1955, the Museum of North Carolina Minerals has served as a hub of information about the area’s rich mineral resources and mining history. The aging building’s exterior requires repairs, including the replacement of damaged wood and fresh paint. Inside, a new HVAC system is required to ensure adequate climate control to protect the exhibits. This project also includes refreshing the landscaping around the museum, installation of a new flagpole and a ground inspection to address drainage issues.
–Crabtree Falls Interpreter (cost $8,000): With the addition of an interpreter-in-residence at Crabtree Falls, the National Park Service will be able to expand its services for visitors to include demonstrations, campfire programs, and guided hikes to share details about the flora, fauna and history of the area.
–Volunteer Supplies and Training (cost $15,000): The hundreds of volunteers who donate their time to the Parkway each year require training, uniforms and equipment to perform their jobs safely and successfully in the national park. A donation will ensure they receive the tools, gear, learning opportunities, and recognition they need for a rewarding role, while expanding outreach to visitors.
–New programs at The Bluffs Restaurant (cost $25,000): The Bluffs at Doughton Park is known as a must-visit destination for homestyle meals and hospitality on the parkway. The foundation is expanding its role at the restaurant by offering educational events and pop-ups to celebrate heritage foodways and build community connections.
MOSES H. CONE
MEMORIAL PARK
–Flat Top Manor Plaster Repairs ($174,617 needed): Crumbling ceiling plaster in three interior spaces at Flat Top Manor is marring the beauty of the circa-1901 mansion built by Moses and Bertha Cone. In addition to being unsightly and detrimental to the integrity of this historic home, it is a safety issue. Donations will fund repairs by professionals who specialize in period plasterwork.
–Bass Lake Accessibility Ramp (cost $80,000; remaining need $14,230): The loop trail around picturesque Bass Lake is a popular destination. Unfortunately, the gravel ramp that leads from the parking area to the flat trail is rutted and eroded. Donations will replace the gravel walkway with an ADA-compliant concrete ramp for increased and safer access to this key feature of Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.
TRAILS & VIEWS
FOREVER PROGRAM
–Restore the Views (cost $27,000; remaining need $16,800): Many roadside overlooks along the Parkway’s route are obscured by overgrown vegetation. The Foundation is seeking funding for arborist crews to unshroud the iconic scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina near the border with Virginia.
–Trail Needs (cost $85,000): In addition to more than 369 miles of official park trails, the Parkway intersects with the Appalachian Trail and Mountains to Sea Trail.
The National Park Service is tasked with keeping each step of the way safe for visitors with minimal impacts on the surrounding ecosystems. Contributions to fund a thorough inventory of trails within the national park will give the Trail Program Coordinator and volunteers the assessment tools and critical information needed to prioritize and plan improvements while considering the impacts to the landscape.
–Linville Gorge Trail (cost $25,000; remaining need $12,500): The Linville Gorge Trail poses serious safety concerns with several downed trees, uneven and unstable terrain and a steep tread that is eroding into the Linville River. Donations will commission a Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards team to clear trees, install stone steps and retaining walls, and create sidehill reinforcements at several major erosion areas.
–Humpback Rocks Trail (cost $15,000, fully funded): Humpback Rocks Trail is a popular route, so much so that erosion and vegetation loss has become significant and the possibility of injuries to visitors is a concern. The National Park Service will work with a consultant to realign the lower third of the route to protect natural resources and create a safer path.
–Trail Management and Oversight (cost $65,000): Through support for the position of Trail Program Coordinator with the National Park Service, work can move forward to identify trail program priorities with Parkway staff, volunteers, adjacent public land agencies, and partner organizations such as the US Forest Service, state parks, Friends of Mountains to Sea Trail, Appalachian Trail Conservancy and Carolina Mountain Club.
KIDS IN PARKS
–Build a TRACK Trail (cost $6,500 per trail): Kids in Parks outfits existing trails with family-friendly TRACK Trail adventures. Each TRACK Trail provides one park with a trailhead kiosk, four custom activity brochures designed to engage visitors in the natural or historic resources, a feature page on source. This lighting is no longer sustainable. Donations will purchase LED fixtures and converters that will supply energy-efficient lighting.
–Share a New Exhibit (cost $5,500): The exhibit Half-Tone Folk Heroes: Traditional Musicians as Pop Art is on display in the Luthier Shop at the Music Center.
The collection of illustrations by Gina Dilg, a visual artist and musician from Radford, Virginia, pays tribute to the old-time, bluegrass, early country, and blues folk artists who have inspired generations, including the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, Joe and Odell Thompson, Samantha Bumgarner and Etta Baker.
Donations will support this fresh perspective on the intersection of visual arts and music.
–Visitor Experience Ambassadors (cost $28,550): The National Park Service faces many challenges when hiring staff for Parkway roles, including decreased funding and labor force shortages.
To maintain enriching and engaging experiences at the Music Center, the Foundation is seeking funding for Visitor Experience Ambassadors and Event Logistics Coordinators who will share programs and information and assist visitors attending Music Center programs and events through October.
–Repair Solar Lights (cost $12,000): A safe walk from the amphitheater to the parking area is a key part of a safe and enjoyable evening at the Music Center.
The Foundation is seeking funding to repair solar lights used to illuminate the parking lot.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the nonprofit fundraising partner of the Blue Ridge Parkway, helping to ensure cultural and historical preservation, natural resource protection, educational outreach, and visitor enjoyment now and for future generations.
Since 1997, the Foundation has provided more than $22 million in support for the country’s most visited national park unit.
To learn more, visit www.BRPFoundation.org.
