Blue Ridge Parkway - North Carolina Scenic Drive Turn right to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile recreational motor road that protects the cultural and natural features of the Blue Ridge while connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Designed as a 'scenic drive', the Parkway provides both stunning scenery and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the mountains. US Route 25