Parking
Park at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center at Milepost 384. The TRACK Trail begins at the back corner of the lot beside the small stone replica of a Parkway tunnel.
Overview
About Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center TRACK Trail
Why go
- TRACK Trail activity guides give families an engaging way to explore the forest
- Easy access, parking, restrooms, and water at the Visitor Center
- Includes a tunnel, mixed forest, and a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
Heads up
- The Parkway road crossing requires extra attention to traffic
- Natural dirt surface, rock steps, narrow sections, and steep short grades limit accessibility
- No sweeping overlook views; this is primarily a forest walk
If you want a short, family-friendly walk that gets everyone out of the car, this designated Kids in Parks TRACK Trail is an easy forest loop from the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center. It is built for discovery rather than overlooks, with activity guides and a quiet mixed-forest setting.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy this trailMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation2,198–2,336 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts
- ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
- ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center TRACK Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center in AshevilleListen
“Just ahead is the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center near Asheville, the main hub for this section of the road. If you're just starting your drive, this is really the best place to get oriented.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Blue Ridge Soundtrack: Five Bird Songs to Know
- Folk Art Center: Appalachian Craft Hub
- Haw Creek Valley and its Sunset View
- Night Lights: The Blue Ghost Fireflies
- 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center TRACK Trail
What to expectThe loop begins at the back corner of the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center parking lot at…
The loop begins at the back corner of the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center parking lot at Milepost 384, beside a small stone replica of a Parkway tunnel. Take the steps and follow the orange blazes. The route passes through a tunnel beneath the Blue Ridge Parkway, follows a wooded ridge, and crosses the Parkway road before returning to the Visitor Center. Part of the loop follows the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, but the signed TRACK Trail loop is the visitor experience represented here.
The full loop maps to about 1.35 miles; the National Park Service describes it as a 1.3-mile hike. Expect a natural dirt surface, rocks and rock steps, a narrow trail in places, and a few inclines steeper than 20 percent even though overall elevation change is limited. Allow about 60–90 minutes for the walk and the activity stops. The surrounding mixed forest is shaded in summer and can be colorful in fall, but this is a woods walk rather than a scenic-overlook hike.
Is it for you?This is an easy route for families, beginners, and travelers needing a leg stretcher after a…
This is an easy route for families, beginners, and travelers needing a leg stretcher after a long drive. The uneven natural surface, rock steps, narrow sections, and grades make it unsuitable for wheelchairs and strollers. Use extra care at the Parkway road crossing, where traffic and the nearby on-ramp can make the crossing busy.
Logistics and tipsTrailhead: back corner of the Visitor Center parking lot beside the small stone tunnel replica.
- Trailhead: back corner of the Visitor Center parking lot beside the small stone tunnel replica.
- Parking and facilities: park at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (Milepost 384); visitor-center restrooms, water, exhibits, and information are nearby.
- Wayfinding: follow the orange dots or blazes; they return you to the starting point.
- Pets: allowed with restrictions; keep dogs on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
