Ohio Weekends > Travel Guide > North Carolina > Blue Ridge Parkway

Nearby places: Brevard, Great Smoky Mountain National Park

In May 2002, we drove through the Great Smoky National Park for the fourth time. On one of our previous trips, we naively pulled onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, but quickly turned back after realizing that our gas tank was nearly empty and that the parkway wasn't going to have gas stations.

This year, we were determined to take the parkway to Brevard, North Carolina on a trip to Savannah, Georgia to visit our friends, Scott and Stacie, and their son Caleb. After a little research, we decided to spend a few days at the Pisgah Inn.

Stopped at the Graveyard Fields, which still look pretty desolate after a 1920's forest fire. We snaked down the trail to take pictures of two beautiful waterfalls.

Views from the Pisgah Inn

After driving for over an hour in dense fog with a screaming 14-month-old baby, we finally "found" the motel, the Pisgah Inn, if you can truly find something totally encased in fog. Among the amenities that we didn't find mentioned on their web site was the absence of in-room phones, clocks, or cable. We truly "got away from it all".

We dined well our first evening in the Pisgah Inn restaurant. It is popular with the local crowd, for reasons that become obvious immediately. Our filet mignon and walnut-crusted trout were both outstanding. The trout is raised at a local hatchery and delivered daily. For dessert, we shared what the restaurant referred to as a French silk pie, but it was darker and denser than most French silk that we've had. The consistency was more like a fudgey flourless torte. According to our competent and friendly server, the chocolate was sweetened with triple sec. Complete with ice cream, toasted almonds, and a fresh strawberry, this dessert was too good to leave any on the plate.

After a nearly pleasant rest (with a 14-month old baby), we headed back to the Pisgah Inn restaurant for to start our day with breakfast. We both settled on French toast and bacon, plus fresh grapefruit and strawberries. Our daughter enjoyed the sliced banana and oatmeal from the children's menu. The restaurant is a popular stop for bicyclists and motorcyclists touring the parkway.

We arrived at the Pisgah Inn on a rainy Saturday in May. Although our "routine" drive through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was spectacular, our first drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway was nearly a disaster. Because of the pea-soup fog, at times we could see barely 25 feet in front of the car. After about an hour's worth of driving, we finally arrived.

We opted for one of the deluxe rooms on the second floor. The Pisgah Inn accommodates those trying to get away from it all: our room had neither phone nor alarm clock. There was no cable for the television, only an antenna. The views from the balcony are just like the photos in the brochures.

That evening, we dined in the Pisgah Inn restaurant. In addition to the regular menu, a variety of specials took advantage of local farm-raised trout and beef. We enjoyed pecan-crusted trout and filet mignon. The french silk pie was topped with fresh strawberries and fresh whipped cream. It was both prepared and delivered to the table with great fanfare. It's your vacation. Go ahead- indulge! Sunday morning breakfast didn't disappoint, either. The Pisgah Inn is a popular breakfast destination for both cyclists and Harley-riders.

A woman attending the gift shop said that many hotel guests have vacationed there for many years, and we are looking forward to continuing our own Pisgah Inn tradition next summer.

We wanted to continue onto the Parkway into Asheville; however, a recent rock slide blocking the parkway forced us find an alternate route to Savannah.

The Blue Ridge Parkway (National Park Service)

Pisgah National Forest

The Pisgah Inn
PO Drawer 749
Waynesville, North Carolina
(828) 235-8228
(828) 648-9719 fax

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