Skyline Drive vs. Blue Ridge Parkway?

Hi Folks,

I'm taking a trip south and only have time to commit one day to the blue ridge parkway. I'm coming down from central Pennsylvania to Roanoke and am trying to decide between taking the Skyline Drive and then hopping back on the interstate, or skipping the skyline drive and getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway at its entrance at Rockfish Gap and staying on it to Roanoke.

I plan on committing a full day and feel I should have time for one or the other. So the real question is- Skyline Drive vs. the first leg of the Blue Ridge Parkway into Roanoke?

Opinions of those who know better than I are very much appreciated!

Hi, and Welcome to the Great American Roadtrip Forum.

When I first hit the road, I drove a small section of the BRP. At that point I did not know anything about it, nor about Skyline Drive. But over my subsequent trips, I have driven small sections each time, including Skyline Drive.

It is not really going to matter which you drive, both are slow and both are incredibly scenic, if the weather cooperates. So choose which ever you fancy for this trip, and chances are on future trips you will probably end up driving the rest of it, a small section at a time.

Do you have good paper maps of the area, to show you which attractions are where, and how much there is to explore and occupy your time.

Lifey

Skyline Drive is part of Shenandoah National Park. It's 105 miles of beautiful scenery, which can take you around 5 hours to complete. That would include some stops at the many pull offs to scenic vistas and historic places, and maybe a quick meal. We loved our trip through there, northbound from Waynesboro VA up to Front Royal, 4 years ago. Some day I'd like to do parts of the BRP, but not all at once.


Donna

I would take the Skyline Drive, then see what time it is when you get to the end in Waynesboro. If you have time, you can start on the BRP and get off and go back to I-81 via several different roads on the way south. It's about 120 miles from Waynesboro to Roanoke on the BRP, it can be driven in about 3 hours plus stops.