Parking
Limited gravel/dirt pull-offs on the south side of Tanbark Ridge Tunnel at Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 374.4. Pull off slowly and keep clear of Parkway traffic; the trail begins on the west side beside the cascading creek.
Overview
About Rattlesnake Lodge Trail
Short, shaded loop to the historic Rattlesnake Lodge ruins from the Blue Ridge Parkway's Tanbark Ridge Tunnel trailhead. The mapped visitor loop is about 1.6 miles (the complete OSM corridor measures 1.58 miles) and typically takes about 1.5 hours, with roughly 400–600 feet of climbing. Mileage varies slightly with the pull-off and how the two creek-side trail termini are counted.
Why go
- Historic Rattlesnake Lodge foundations and a fallen rock chimney on a short wooded loop
- Shaded forest, creekside access, and a choice of two blue-blazed branches
Heads up
- Limited gravel pull-offs beside a busy Parkway tunnel
- Steady climbing on rocky, rooty trail with poison ivy and possible winter ice
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation3,340–4,052 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
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 Rattlesnake Lodge 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
Rattlesnake Lodge: A Walk to Historic RuinsListen
“The trailhead ahead is for Rattlesnake Lodge. This isn't a stop for a big mountain view, but for a really interesting walk through the woods.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bull Creek Valley Overlook and the Last Bison
- Rattlesnake Lodge: Ruins of a Conservation Movement
- Lane Pinnacle Overlook and its Iron Mine History
- Tanbark Ridge Overlook Near Asheville
- 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 Rattlesnake Lodge Trail
RouteFrom the south end of Tanbark Ridge Tunnel at Parkway Milepost 374.
From the south end of Tanbark Ridge Tunnel at Parkway Milepost 374.4, park in the dirt pull-offs and start on the west side of the Parkway beside the cascading creek. The two blue-blazed branches climb steadily to the Rattlesnake Lodge site and connect with the white-circle Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). Follow the MST past the lodge area and rock chimney, then take the other blue-blazed branch back toward the pull-offs to complete the short loop. The stored line follows both named branch corridors and the mapped MST connector; the two trail termini are separated by the roadside access area, so the geometry does not invent a road-side shortcut.
What you’ll seeThe wooded route is shaded and mostly dirt and rock with roots, steady climbing, and few summer…
The wooded route is shaded and mostly dirt and rock with roots, steady climbing, and few summer views. At the historic site, look for foundations, retaining walls, the spring house area, and the fallen rock chimney from Dr. Chase P. Ambler’s early-1900s summer retreat.
Access and safetyParking is limited to gravel or dirt pull-offs on the south side of the tunnel.
Parking is limited to gravel or dirt pull-offs on the south side of the tunnel. Pull off slowly, stay out of the Parkway, and never walk in the tunnel. Poison ivy, uneven rocks and roots, slick surfaces, and winter ice are possible. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet. Leave the ruins and wildlife undisturbed.
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.
