The Waterrock Knob Visitor Center is located on a spur road that turns off from the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mile Post 451.2. This is the southernmost Visitor Center on the Parkway. It is usually open daily from mid-April through early November from 10 AM to 5 PM. Be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s Operating Hours and Seasons web page for the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Visitor Center is housed in a small building with most of the floor space dedicated to a gift store, but there is also an information desk and a few exhibits. You can pick up the same brochures at any visitor center (there are many along the Blue Ridge Parkway), so the fact that the facility is small and mainly a place to buy souvenirs does not mean it is lacking in information. You can pick up a park brochure, which is a large folding road map, and a copy of the tabloid magazine-size publication called the Blue Ridge Parkway Outdoor Guide. This has information on trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, and other Parkway attractions. Drinks and snacks are also available for sale.
Nearly all visitor centers have exhibits, and the Waterrock Knob Visitor Center is no exception. Here you will find information on environmental concerns affecting the Blue Ridge Parkway, such as the Balsam Wooly Adelgid (an insect that wiped out the fir trees), bears, and the reintroduction of elk to the Appalachian Mountains. You should be able to read all of the information and be in and out of the Visitor Center in 15 to 30 minutes.
Restroom facilities (fancy outhouses) are located outside of the building, and picnic tables are spread out around the parking area. You can also hike the Waterrock Knob Trail to the top of Waterrock Knob for one of the best views on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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Last updated on October 11, 2024