We are thinking of taking in part or all of the Blue Ridge late next week.My question is how is the driving with a 40' MH and towed? I know it is two lane all the way and the speed limit is 45 or less. Not a problem as we will not be in a hurry. Any info would be appreciated.
Twostepr
Mark & Patsy (and Clyde, gone but not forgotten)
Mini-Schnauzer puppy named Samson
2nd Mini-Schnauzer named Delilah
2003 Tiffin Phaeton 40 TGH
2002 Saturn L300 toad
You will be fine, the road is wide with plenty of pull outs. Do watch your speed, however, as the Rabgers do actively enforce the speed limits. The Park Service ampgrounds usually fill up early, and not many will be suitable for your length, so do plan on overnight accomodations. Also, a few of the scenic overlooks are not suitable for your length, so you may want to consider not pulling into any you can not see the way out. Most are wide "pull-throughs" so you will be fine.
We've spent the last two summer/fall seasons living and working on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Crabtree Meadows. We also have a 2003 40' Phaeton TGH. As much as we love the parkway, we would NEVER drive our motorhome any great distance on it. Unfortunately this season the tree limbs hang so low and stick out so far from the side that they almost force you over into the other lane to avoid damage to the roof or sides of your motorhome. Often motorcycles or other vehicles are hugging the center line as they come around the curve and if you have drifted over--disaster!
It's a fantastic drive, and the views are especially wonderful on the miles from the southernmost point up to the Mount Pisgah area. Be aware that often with the clouds and the fog you can go around a curve and run into instant zero visibility. Be ready!
If you do it in your motorhome, please come back to this post and let us know how it worked out for you.
Have fun!
Dennis and Cindy Henderson
fulltiming, currently at Crabtree Meadows at milepost 339 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina
Here are some comments from a similar thread on the tiffinrvnetwork forum:
"For those heading to the Blue Ridge Parkway - be carefull !! The tree canopy is very low and having the top and sides of your rig scraped is unavoidable in many places. While traveling most of the Parkway in NC by dingy we found that the low canopy was the rule rather than the exception and finally took the MH on alternate routes. The Park officials said some trimming was done this year but it was not done properly. "
"We just returned home from the Blue Ridge--we drove our coach on it in a section in VA--about 50 miles--We got off as soon as we could due to the low tree canopy. The DH laughed as I often was ducking--like that would help We were in construction with only one lane traffic and we got scratches on the side of the coach too-- due to limbs encroaching on the road and the narrow roadway. We only drove the toad on it after that. That tree canopy was really pretty tho!"
"It is good that you did not go on into North Carolina. I promise it would not have been better."
"We have been traveling the Parkway off and on for years but have never seen the tree situation as bad as this year."
Dennis and Cindy Henderson
fulltiming, currently at Crabtree Meadows at milepost 339 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina
Make sure your gas tank is full as there are no services once on the parkway,Getting on in Cherokee will somewhat commit you to driving to Fancy Gap (I-77) some 250 miles, getting off before would entail a hair raising decent down some of the twistiest roads you've ever encountered to end up in the middle of nowhere..
"Second star to the right, and straight on till morning."
Be careful in the Virginia area near Lynchburg. The road goes from one of the highest points on the parkway down to the lowest point where it crosses the James River. Going south to north this will be possibly one of the steepest longest grades you will encounter. Don't ride the brakes and gear it down.
Quote: Make sure your gas tank is full as there are no services once on the parkway,Getting on in Cherokee will somewhat commit you to driving to Fancy Gap (I-77) some 250 miles, getting off before would entail a hair raising decent down some of the twistiest roads you've ever encountered to end up in the middle of nowhere..
Sorry, this just isn't true. Hwy 215, Hwy 276, Hwy 80, etc are indeed curvey. However, you can easily get off onto 19/23 which immediately dumps you on a nice 4 lane road. From there, it's just a few miles down to Waynesville for Walmart, Lowes, and fuel. Or, wait til you get closer to Asheville and get off on Hwy 191. This is already down low, almost to I26 level, so no long bad curvey road here. Again, you are nearby resturaunts, walmart, and even a mall with Belks, etc. Then you have Hwy 321 at Boone where you only have about two miles back into town for a wonderful quaint town with nice resturuants, fuel, and food. There are others, but these are the best ones I can think of south of I77.
Unless they closed the service station at Pisgah, they have fuel there. Not sure how comparable the price is, but last time I was by a few years ago, it was about 20 cents per gallon more than I could get it down in Brevard.
In regards to the trees, I've been traveling the parkway for 40 years in truck campers, travel trailer, and fifth wheel with several thousand miles of BRP travel. Not once did I have to veer out of my lane to avoid limbs or trees. Most of the fear of tree limbs is from those that don't know the hieght of the rig and can't judge how high the limbs are in comparison. Now you will get the occasional tree falling over, but you have that on any country road. I would be more worried about coming around a curve and finding a rock in the road then a tree, just keep your eyes open for both and save the scenery for when you pull into an overlook.
So, if you want a nice drive, not in a hurry, and don't mind the curves, go ahead and take the Blue Ridge Parkway with your RV.
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