Access Points
Although there are 38 different access points to the actual parkway, visitors to ThunderCroft may wish to choose one of these points of entry, ranked in proximity from North to South:
Milepost 121.4: U.S. 220 to Roanoke and Rocky Mount
Milepost 135.9: U.S. 211 to Roanoke and Floyd
Milepost 165.3: Virginia Route 8 to Floyd and Stuart
Click Here for a Detailed Interactive Map of the Access Points
Click here to access the Rocky Knob Hiking Trails Map
Click here to access the Rocky Knob Campground Map
Information Kiosk from the Shenandoah National Park to the North of the Blueridge Parkway
Scenic rock outcroppings such as this are found all along the parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway Wildflower Guide Photos, Calendar and Milemarkers
Blue Ridge Parkway
Just as its name suggests, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a designated 469 mile drive along the Blue Ridge Mountains connecting the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. For anyone desiring a closeup look at the Appalachian Highlands, this famous driving route is well worth the visit. The National Park Service offers a map of the entire parkway in four printable pages. Click here to view and print.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Close to ThunderCroft, "Rocky Knob"
Situated at milemarker 169.0 is the Rocky Knob Recreation Area which covers roughly 4,000 acres. Named for the the famous outcropping of rocks on the crest of the mountain, this area is home to thick dense second growth forests that were once parts of agricural tracks of land long since abandoned. The area is home to many native plants including trees, wildflowers and numerous ferns which provide the perfect cover for fox, deer, turkey, and even bobcats who call this region home. Visitors to this section of the Blue Ridge Parkway have four choices of trails ranging from 1-10 miles in length as well as an impressive campground offering tent and recreational vehicles sites.