National Parkways

The United States has more than 8 million miles of roadway, but only four roads, totaling just over 1,000 miles, are designated as national parkways.

The United States has more than 8 million miles of roadway, but only four roads, totaling just over 1,000 miles, are designated as national parkways.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, the Natchez Trace Parkway, the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway and the George Washington Memorial Parkway are designed to promote an appreciation of scenery among motorists who tour these transportation treasures.

The National Park Service in 1938 established eight specific characteristics that distinguish parkways from other roadways. These criteria center on an immersion in natural beauty and the desire for travelers to enjoy a recreational experience apart from commercial development.

Like siblings within a prestigious family, these parkways share common characteristics, but each demonstrates its own personality. Come explore their pleasurable differences.

Blue Ridge Parkway

"The nice thing about the Blue Ridge Parkway is that there’s always more to see the next time you drive," says avid motorist Jim Studnicki of the 469-mile Appalachian journey that extends from Asheville, N.C., to Rockfish Gap, Va.

Marching across the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for much of the way, "America’s Favorite Drive" also meanders through pristine forests and lush valleys, by rushing mountain streams and silent springs, and offers an abundance of stops to gain historical insight into the area.

Studnicki frequently makes the eight-and-a-half hour trek from his home in Tampa, Fla., just to take in the quiet lowlands and spectacular vistas behind the wheel of his 2004 Corvette convertible.

"I’m trying to get away from the stress of an everyday job," he explains. "To me, the parkway embodies everything that is good in this world—simplicity, peace, beauty. No traffic. No deadline. The seasons and the weather change in a way that is very obvious to the visitor."

His travels take him on an ecological journey from the oaks and chestnuts of the coves and hollows, through the beech and birch of the middle elevations, and upward to spruces and firs that dominate the summits.

Along the way, travelers can gain insight from the archaeological artifacts of native American tribes, retrace the steps of explorers, venture back in time to see remnants and reconstructions of early settler life, and learn about the area’s industrial past, including its ventures into railroading, mining and logging.

Natchez Trace Parkway

"I guess I’ve been on the Natchez Trace hundreds of times," reflects Tricia Walker, who grew up in Fayette, Miss.

As a child, it was the route Walker’s family followed on frequent visits to Jackson, Miss., and surrounding areas. As an adult, it was the route she took when following her dream of becoming a songwriter in Nashville, Tenn. In fact, she essentially moved from one end of the parkway to the other when she took up residence in Music City in 1980.

Centuries before her pilgrimage, the Trace was a footpath followed by Choctaw, Chickasaw and Natchez Indians and other Southern tribal peoples. With the arrival of white settlers, it became a wilderness road, and in the early 1800s, a highway connecting the old Southwest with the Union.

A drive along the parkway today memorializes these chapters in its history as it treks past ancient burial mounds, restored homes of early settlers, the remnants of ferries and early industries, Civil War battlefields, and gravesites of those laid to rest along the picturesque route.

Much of the gently rolling landscape along its 444-mile expanse is farmland and woods where it is common to see deer venturing out from thickets in early morning or evening hours. Popular for motorcycle and bicycle enthusiasts, it also offers a number of short hiking trails, picnic sites and scenic overlooks.

"A lot of what’s remarkable about the Trace is what I don’t see," Walker says. "I don’t see billboards, red lights, commercial development, smoke and a lot of people, which leaves me with some nice, quiet, scenic nature scenes. You’ve got a front-row view to watch the seasons change—trees budding in spring, the lush greenery of summer and the leaves changing in the fall."

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Known to local residents as the GW, the George Washington Memorial Parkway is quite accurately a memorial to the nation’s first president. It begins at his plantation home at Mount Vernon and travels north to the Great Falls of the Potomac River near McLean, Va., where Washington employed his engineering skills to open the river to navigation.

Small in comparison to the other parkways with only 7,342 acres, its 32-mile route is rich in early American history. For example, Old Town Alexandria, Va., is home to a number of notable landmarks including Christ Church where Washington worshiped, Gadsby’s Tavern whose patrons included Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, and the boyhood home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Travelers today note the roadway has taken on a dual personality. It is both a much-used commuter route and a scenic drive providing access to an abundance of recreational opportunities on both land and water.

For Heather Lawver, 18, of Sterling, Va., driving the GW gives her the chance to relive an unforgettable limousine ride from her home to downtown Washington, D.C., when she was 16 years old.

Instead of taking the more direct route along Interstate 66, the driver suggested taking the parkway. "The scenic route turned out to be a magical drive through the darkness along the Potomac," she recalls.

Her brightest memories are of the national landmarks. "We came around a tree-framed bend and were met by the lights of The Mall. Then the road looped to the right, the trees opened, and I saw the Kennedy Center beaming out at me, the Washington Monument standing as a pillar of bright white light, and far beyond it, the Capitol Building as a small after-thought, the punctuation mark on a perfect evening."

Even though another route might be more direct, Lawver frequently chooses the parkway when she travels to Arlington, Va., or the nation’s capital. "The scenic route proved to be an addiction for me, as I have regularly opted to take the long way home, so that I can repeat the magic of that night," she says.

John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

In 1933, philanthropist John D. Rockefeller donated to the federal government 33,000 acres in Wyoming that he had quietly bought in small parcels. Though controversial at the time among locals who questioned giving the government control of the land, it has been touted as one of the most significant property transfers in U.S. conservation history.

In homage, a 24,000-acre parcel connecting Yellowstone National Park with Grand Teton National Park was designated as the John D. Rockefeller Jr. National Parkway in 1972.

"It’s a transitional, gentle drive between these two beautiful parks," explains Joan Anzelmo, Grand Teton’s spokeswoman.

For much of its 82-mile length, it loosely parallels the Snake River with occasional glimpses of the waters as well as breathtaking views of the Teton mountain range in the distance. Stately fir and lodgepole pine tower above fields of spring wildflowers, including lupine, fireweed, balsamroot and mule’s ear. In the fall, the aspens burst into riotous color while those who stop along the way frequently hear the unmistakable sound of bugling elk.

With the completion of a much-needed reconstruction project this year, the road is vastly improved and widened, which is of particular note to cyclists, because biking has increased exponentially in recent years.

Whether traveling by bike, sports car, limo, or the family mini-van, it’s a joy to take a trip through nature—and time—by exploring these treasures of the American roadway system.

For more information, log on to www.nps.gov/parks.html.

Freelance writer Michael Nolan has traveled on all four parkways.

Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos

Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great. Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.

 Start Uploading Now!

 

Discuss this Article