Cumberland Knob- Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center-Milepost 217.5
Cumberland Knob is located at milepost 217.5 near the North Carolina/Virginia state line, near where the National Park Service has painted a divider line across the Parkway to mark the state line. Cumberland Knob is the site where construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began in 1935 as a part of President Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps.
Cumberland Knob Trail is a good leg-stretching trail, especially if you’ve been riding the Blue Ridge Parkway without a stop. It’s a good one for kids too. For those wanting a bit more…try the two-hour loop Gully Creek Trail from the center into Gully Creek Gorge.
Hiking Trails
- Cumberland Knob Trail (0.7 Miles)
- Gully Creek Trail (2.5 Miles)
Cumberland Knob Visitor Center
The 33-site picnic area provides plenty of sites from which to choose. Two trails are accessible from the visitor center the Cumberland Knob Trail and the Gully Creek Trail. Cumberland Knob is the place where the Blue Ridge Parkway began. Construction of the nation’s first and longest rural parkway began. Cumberland Knob is situated on more than 2,000 acres, with hiking trails built for casual strollers and energetic hikers. The Cumberland knob Visitor Center offers picnic facilities, a recreation field, and a visitor center with bathrooms drinking water, a book shop, and public telephone.
