Walking the Blue Ridge

from the introduction:
Maybe it is the sense of discovery felt each time venturing into the mountains. The place names alone are a constant source of enticement and entertainment. How can you resist trying to find out what happens in Bear Wallow Gap or what Rough Butt Bald really looks like? Will Graveyard Fields be as spooky as it sounds? Will tears come to my eyes when you walk over Onion Mountain? What the heck is The Lump? Does a rock castle actually exist in the gorge, and does anyone maintain the Craggy Gardens? The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles long. There are over 100 Park Service trails along the Parkway and dozens of Forest Service pathways coming in close contact. The Park Service has done an excellent job in making the Blue Ridges accessible to everyone, even the most casual of walkers. A large number of the trails are easy or moderately easy to walk. For those inclined to put forth a little more effort, the rewards are even greater. It is the author's sincere hope that this guidebook will entice you enough to lace up those comfortable old walking shoes, put one foot in front of the other, and begin your own love affair with the mountains by walking the Blue Ridge.