Parking
Park at the Cumberland Knob picnic area on the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 217.5. Begin beside the gray structure that served as the Parkway’s first concession stand.
Overview
About Cumberland Knob Loop Trail
Why go
- Historic CCC-era shelter and stonework on the loop
- Picnic lawns with a Pilot Mountain view from the start and finish
- Easy paved route suitable for a short family walk
Heads up
- Limited views along much of the wooded loop
- Picnic-area facilities are seasonal and not guaranteed year-round
Cumberland Knob Loop is a short, easy paved walk with Blue Ridge Parkway history, picnic lawns, and quiet woods. The route starts beside the gray structure that served as the Parkway’s first concession stand, loops through the picnic area to the Cumberland Knob Overlook shelter, and returns on a separate branch.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy this trailMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation2,726–2,858 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 Cumberland Knob Loop 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
Cumberland Knob: The Parkway's Starting PointListen
“The spot you're coming to, Cumberland Knob, is where the whole story of the Parkway began; the very first shovelful of dirt for the road was turned right here in 1935.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Cumberland Knob: The Parkway's Starting Point
- Rocky Knob Picnic Area and Trail Hub
- The Leaf that Named a Town
- Scenic Easements: The Invisible Park that Protects the View
- 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 Cumberland Knob Loop Trail
What to expectPlan on about 0.9 miles for the complete loop, with roughly 100 feet of elevation change.
Plan on about 0.9 miles for the complete loop, with roughly 100 feet of elevation change. The paved route is a good choice for families and casual walkers. The CCC-era shelter, stonework, and an old cemetery add interest, while the picnic area offers an eastern view toward Pilot Mountain in clear conditions.
Keep the routes separateGully Creek Trail is a different, strenuous route with cascades and a roughly two-hour…
Gully Creek Trail is a different, strenuous route with cascades and a roughly two-hour commitment. It is not part of this easy Cumberland Knob loop.
TipsBegin at the picnic-area trailhead beside the old concession stand.
- Begin at the picnic-area trailhead beside the old concession stand.
- Allow about 45 minutes for a relaxed loop with time at the shelter and picnic area.
- Do not follow Gully Creek Trail unless you are prepared for a substantially more strenuous outing.
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.
