Tanawha Trail

Tanawha Trail is a 13.5-mile point-to-point traverse between Beacon Heights Parking Area and Julian Price Park on Grandfather Mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Allow about 6–7 hours for the full one-way hike, with rocky tread, roots, stone steps, boardwalks, stream crossings, and rolling elevation. The route passes Rough Ridge, the Linn Cove Viaduct, boulder fields, hardwood and evergreen forest, open meadows, old orchards, pasture, and the Price Park campground area. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail shares the route, marked with white blazes.

Start at Beacon Heights and hike west toward Julian Price Park, or arrange a shuttle for a point-to-point outing; the Parkway’s intermediate access points also support shorter section hikes. Rough Ridge and the sections above and below the Viaduct are the most strenuous. Stay on designated paths and boardwalks to protect fragile mountain-heather communities, and follow posted access rules for any Grandfather Mountain State Park section. Use the National Park Service trail page and map to confirm access before setting out.