Towing the Blue Ridge Parkway

Hi everyone,

I am trying to plan a trip to the north east and would like to (I think) travel down the Blue Ridge Parkway. I notice the tunnel heights give a maximum and minimum heights. Has anyone actually towed down this road? Can I assume that the Maximum height would be like in a center lane?

I am so confused LOL.

Thanks
Dusty

Hi Dusty,

I admire your desire to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway.........it is a beautiful drive; albeit a slow and time consuming one. I was born and raised at the foot of the Peaks of Otter in Bedford, Va. which is also at the foot of the Parkway. I spent most of my teenage life running that Parkway and traveled a large portion of it in my young adult years. I have not traveled it in years, although I can tell you there are many underpasses that are domed shaped and are low. I would guess that your assumption of the max height being the center is correct. I would exercise extreme caution traveling the parkway in a 5ver (height wise). I traveled a portion of it once in a 25ft. TT and experienced some very uncomfortable moments and also found that most of the national park campsites along the way were more suitable for tents and small popup sized campers. As I said, it has been many, many years since I traveled the Parkway so things could have changed. I am interested in hearing others comments as I would like to travel in again but would not attempt it with a 5ver unless I hear from others that have done it successfully.

Thanks Van,

I was kinda worried about it, my trailer is in the neighborhood of 12'6" and it makes me nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rockers to think about leaving the air conditioner hanging on a low underpass, or worse the roof of the trailer.

Dusty

I live along the BRP (my home is about 250 yards from the roadway) near Balsam, NC, and I do see some fivers on it. Most of them are the older models with lower profiles though. There are not a lot of steep grades on the BRP except near Mt. Mitchell. The problem is the tunnels in this area-there are a lot of them in the southern end. They are the typical arch, and I'm not sure exactly where they are measuring from for the clearance they have posted. I think there are 5 tunnels west of me towards Cherokee, and 6 or 7 east of me towards Asheville. I believe every one has a curve in it since they are tunnels thru ridgelines. That is where it could get dangerous-riding the center line to clear the arch side, with oncoming traffic, on a curve in an unlighted tunnel. Every emergency vehicle eastbound for 30 miles from Balsam towards Asheville has to pass my home, and there are a lot of them! I would check the actual clearance for you but the Parkway is closed most of the winter because of ice and snow. We've had 6-7 inches in the last week at my 3900 ft elevation, and probably 12-16 inches between 5500 and 6200 ft. That means it will be a minimum of 3-4 weeks of melting before it opens. It rarely opens for traffic until March though, and last year our last snowfall was 4/28.

Maybe this link will answer your questions about clearance of tunnels. I only see 4 that I would be concerned with and they are at locations, 336, 458, 459, and 461.

http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/tunnel-heights.htm

Jim

Good find Jim. I spent the last hour looking for my BRP guide but gave up. Those last three would be between Soco Gap (US 19, between Maggie Valley and Cherokee) and the end of the Parkway, near Cherokee. That would be easy to bypass. Not sure exactly where the other one is located, but it is probably available somewhere on the web.

This another good link to have in your favorite list.

http://www.aitaonline.com/Info/Low Clearances.html

Ok,
Thanks guys, I think I will find another route.

Dusty

Don't give up on it yet. I'm sure there are detour routes around the few tunnels that would give you problems. We drove it a few years back and the views are so worth it. Maybe ct0218 can give you details on how to bypass them.

Dusty said:

Ok,
Thanks guys, I think I will find another route.

Dusty

Click to expand...

NO WAY, we traveled it in our Class A. What a beautiful drive and we plan to do it in our 5th wheel again.

Here are all the tunnel heights for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Notice that you are under nearly ALL the minimum heights (the curved part lowest point), with most being 19 feet high at maximum...

http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/tunnel-heights.htm

Remember the lowest heights listed are at the very SIDEWALL of the tunnel. Of course you will be 6-7 feet from the side. If you drift a to the line in the middle the height in most tunnels is 19 feet...

We had NO PROBLEMS at all in a 36 Foot Class A... We saw plenty of Class A with toads and fifth wheels...

Go slow and enjoy the ride. Headlights and flashers on in tunnel if you're going to drift over center line.

Dusty,

Probably a smart decision.........atleast unless someone else attest to making the trip without incidence. By the way, I would suggest that your rig is closer to 13'; mine is. I crunched the A/C shroud on my previous motorhome in a low underpass; so, I dont even think about going under one thats stated to be less that about 13' 3" and then I'm like that "long tailed cat"!

It looks as if to clear many of the tunnels along the parkway you would have to probably straddle the center line.....................talking about the nervous cat!!!!!!!!

Van

Back in '99, I had to be escorted through a tunnel for the reasonable fee of $10.00. They stopped the oncoming traffic and led me down the middle of the tunnel. I couldn't make it with my GC at 13' 2" overall height. If I'm not escorted, I don't drive down the middle. Some oncoming drivers won't cut you a break.

John