The Blue Ridge ParkwayThe Blue Ridge Parkway

Carol Moore

Interesting Facts About Interesting Facts About The Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway

Construction began in 1935 and Construction began in 1935 and took 52 years for its completion.took 52 years for its completion.

Built as an effort to put people Built as an effort to put people back to work as a result of losing back to work as a result of losing their jobs during the Great their jobs during the Great Depression. Depression.

It runs for 469 miles and creates It runs for 469 miles and creates a link between the Shenandoah a link between the Shenandoah National Park to the Great National Park to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.Smoky Mountain National Park.

The elevation ranges from 649 The elevation ranges from 649 feet to 6,047 feet.feet to 6,047 feet.

Other Interesting Facts About Other Interesting Facts About The Blue Ridge ParkwayThe Blue Ridge Parkway

““The mountain ranges of the Parkway include the oldest mountain-The mountain ranges of the Parkway include the oldest mountain-building processes in the world. The road sits at the headwaters of building processes in the world. The road sits at the headwaters of many local and regional watersheds and crosses five major rivers that many local and regional watersheds and crosses five major rivers that define the hydrological patterns of much of the southeastern United define the hydrological patterns of much of the southeastern United States.” (Blue Ridge Parkway, 2014)States.” (Blue Ridge Parkway, 2014)

““The Parkway supports as many plant species as any other unit of The Parkway supports as many plant species as any other unit of America's National Park System, and provides a protected migration America's National Park System, and provides a protected migration corridor for many forms of wildlife. The variety of species includes corridor for many forms of wildlife. The variety of species includes 43 43 kinds of amphibianskinds of amphibians, , 99 fish99 fish, , 60 mammals60 mammals, , 225 birds225 birds, and , and 31 reptiles31 reptiles.” (Blue Ridge Parkway, 2014).” (Blue Ridge Parkway, 2014)

In Addition to Enjoying The Beautiful In Addition to Enjoying The Beautiful Scenery The Blue Ridge Parkway OffersScenery The Blue Ridge Parkway Offers

CampingCampingThere are seven campgrounds that serve the Blue Ridge There are seven campgrounds that serve the Blue Ridge

Parkway.Parkway.

HikingHikingThere are over 360 miles of trails.There are over 360 miles of trails.

Kayaking/Canoeing/FishingKayaking/Canoeing/Fishing

MusicMusicLocal musicians perform at the Blue Ridge Music center playing Local musicians perform at the Blue Ridge Music center playing

traditional Appalachian music on the fiddle, banjo and guitar.traditional Appalachian music on the fiddle, banjo and guitar.

SOLSOLLiving SystemsLiving Systems

4.5 The student will investigate and 4.5 The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals, understand how plants and animals, including humans, in an ecosystem including humans, in an ecosystem interact with one another and with interact with one another and with the nonliving components in the the nonliving components in the ecosystem. Key concepts includeecosystem. Key concepts include

a)a) plant and animal adaptations;plant and animal adaptations;

b)b) organization of populations, organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate;how they interrelate;

c)c) flow of energy through food webs;flow of energy through food webs;

d)d) habitats and niches;habitats and niches;

e)e) changes in an organism’s niche at changes in an organism’s niche at various stages in its life cycle; andvarious stages in its life cycle; and

f)f) influences of human activity on influences of human activity on ecosystems.ecosystems.

SOL and Curriculum ConnectionsSOL and Curriculum Connections

Go Caving - Contact Outdoor Adventures and ecotours Go Caving - Contact Outdoor Adventures and ecotours www.raftcavehike.comwww.raftcavehike.com

Visit Natural Bridge - located on US 11, is off the Blue Ridge Parkway Visit Natural Bridge - located on US 11, is off the Blue Ridge Parkway (MP 61.6, 63.7), and off I-81 exit, 175 or 180 (MP 61.6, 63.7), and off I-81 exit, 175 or 180

Visit Luray Caverns - Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park 10 Visit Luray Caverns - Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park 10 min; I-81, 15 min. min; I-81, 15 min. www.luraycaverns.com

Sleep under the stars at one of the nine campgrounds located on the Sleep under the stars at one of the nine campgrounds located on the Blue Ridge ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway

Take a hike on one of the many hiking trails located on the Parkway Take a hike on one of the many hiking trails located on the Parkway (ranging from easy, moderate to strenuous) (ranging from easy, moderate to strenuous)

Identify an animal and what its food chain isIdentify an animal and what its food chain is Collect different leaves and flowers (be leery of poison ivy)Collect different leaves and flowers (be leery of poison ivy) Look for the different ways humans impact the environment and come Look for the different ways humans impact the environment and come

up with solutions to minimize those impactsup with solutions to minimize those impacts

Share Your Experience!Share Your Experience! Recreate your experience using technologyRecreate your experience using technology

Student generated projectStudent generated project

Create a scrapbookCreate a scrapbook

Write about your experience and share with the classWrite about your experience and share with the class

Make a collageMake a collage

Create a mobileCreate a mobile

Make a dioramaMake a diorama

Develop a plan of how you can help your environment and implement Develop a plan of how you can help your environment and implement

Costs & FeesCosts & Fees

There is no fee to access the Blue Ridge Parkway so you There is no fee to access the Blue Ridge Parkway so you can drive along the Parkway and enjoy all of the scenic can drive along the Parkway and enjoy all of the scenic beauty for FREE!beauty for FREE!

While there take advantage of all of the amenities the While there take advantage of all of the amenities the Parkway has to offer. Parkway has to offer.

DirectionsDirections

From Richmond take Interstate 64 West and travel From Richmond take Interstate 64 West and travel approximately 2 hours to Staunton/Waynesboro approximately 2 hours to Staunton/Waynesboro

Take Exit 99 atop Rockfish Gap for the northern starting Take Exit 99 atop Rockfish Gap for the northern starting point of the Blue Ridge Parkway.point of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Parkway connects Shenandoah National Park near The Parkway connects Shenandoah National Park near Waynesboro, VA (Milepost 0) with Great Smoky Mountains Waynesboro, VA (Milepost 0) with Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, NC (Milepost 469).National Park near Cherokee, NC (Milepost 469).

There are entrances and exits at all major federal and There are entrances and exits at all major federal and state highways so you have easy access on and off the state highways so you have easy access on and off the Parkway to visit other tourist attractions in the region.Parkway to visit other tourist attractions in the region.

ReferencesReferences

Blue Ridge Parkway. (2014, October 17). Retrieved from Blue Ridge Parkway. (2014, October 17). Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htmhttp://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm

Other Resources: Other Resources: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, a documentary by Ken The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, a documentary by Ken

Burns. It is a six-part series that explores our countries national Burns. It is a six-part series that explores our countries national parks and episode five: "Great Nature" (1933–1945) focuses on the parks and episode five: "Great Nature" (1933–1945) focuses on the making of the Blue Ridge Parkway.making of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx8WbZIWCSM&list=PLgn8GGKbhKtJsntftCHXvi_UAV1QysCSbv=mx8WbZIWCSM&list=PLgn8GGKbhKtJsntftCHXvi_UAV1QysCSb

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=824http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=824