Three lodges located on the Blue Ridge Parkway offer travelers cozy alternatives to a night in a hotel. Here’s a quick look at each.
Numerous towns including Asheville and Boone in North Carolina, and Roanoke and Bedford in Virginia, are a short distance off the Blue Ridge Parkway, but many travelers prefer to spend nights in lodging facilities within the park boundaries. Three lodges are spaced along the parkway, making them convenient stops for individuals who desire a leisurely drive with time to enjoy the parkway’s beautiful scenery and interesting historical exhibits.
Beginning at the southern end of the parkway and driving north, the three lodging units within the park boundaries are:
Pisgah Inn (mile marker 408). Pisgah Inn offers 51 rooms in three wood-and-masonry, two-story buildings constructed in the mid-1960s. Each room has a private balcony or patio, and, at 5,000 feet, the inn enjoys cool temperatures and excellent mountain views. The restaurant, with vaulted ceiling and ceiling-high windows, offers great views and serves the best food on the parkway. Rates: $127, $132 on weekends. Open March 30-Oct. 31. 828-235-8228. pisgahinn.com.
Rocky Knob Cabins (mile marker 174). The smallest of nearly 100 national park lodging facilities, Rocky Knob Cabins offers seven cabins in five rustic wooden buildings. Two are constructed as duplex units, only one of which (the handicap-accessible unit) has a private bathroom. Guests in other cabins must use a nearby central bathhouse. A remote and heavily wooded setting provides a true Appalachian atmosphere complete with quiet and privacy. Units each have a kitchen with a full-size refrigerator, a two-burner stove top and a sink with cold water only. Pots, pans, dishes, a coffeemaker and utensils are provided. Two miles south on the parkway, Mabry Mill offers meals including buckwheat pancakes, country ham and Virginia barbecue. Rates: Approximately $65 to $69 with a discount for stays of two or more nights. Open May 1-Nov. 1. 540-593-3503.
Peaks of Otter Lodge (mile marker 86). Peaks of Otter Lodge offers 63 rooms in four attractive two-story buildings on the grassy bank of picturesque Abbott Lake. Each guest room enjoys a balcony or patio that offers an excellent view of this small scenic lake. A one-mile paved walking trail circles the lake and daily bus trips (fee charged) to the top of Sharp Top Mountain leave hourly from the nearby camp store. The country-style dining room has a vaulted, beamed ceiling and large windows that overlook the lake. A Friday night seafood buffet and Sunday country buffet draw locals from nearby towns. Rates: $107 to $119; slightly higher on weekends and in October. Open year round. 800-542-5927 or 540-586-1081. peaksofotter.com.
