Shenandoah, Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Great Smokies
Hello all,
I'm in the early stages of planning a trip to Shenandoah National Park, down the Blue Ridge Parkway, and into the Great Smoky Mountains. Ideally I'd like to enter Shenandoah in Front Royal, traverse Skyline Drive down to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and take BRP to the Smokies, camping along the way.
I'm flexible on season, length of trip, and miles travelled per day. I'm flexible on hookups or no hookups. We like hiking and to see wildlife, and we like cultural/historical stops and museums too.
I'm aware that my fifth wheel won't clear three of the BRP bridges, and that BRP ends in Cherokee. I'd consider getting off BRP in Asheville and taking the camper on I-40 to Gatlinburg to avoid those bridges. In that case, I'd finish BRP with the truck at a later time.
A few questions, in no particular order:
If it were you, how would you structure this trip? How long would you spend in each national park, and how long traversing the parkway?
Would you stay in national park campgrounds, or do you recommend private campgrounds, and why?
Would you get on and off the parkway to visit towns along the way?
What are your experiences with Verizon cell and data service along the Blue Ridge Parkway? I figure it'll be zero in the Smokies and spotty at best in Shenandoah. I'd love to just shut my phone off, but telecommuting gives us the flexibility to take the trip.
Thanks for any info you can provide! I'm thinking a lot about the trip and looking to talk to other people who've done similar.
I'm in the early stages of planning a trip to Shenandoah National Park, down the Blue Ridge Parkway, and into the Great Smoky Mountains. Ideally I'd like to enter Shenandoah in Front Royal, traverse Skyline Drive down to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and take BRP to the Smokies, camping along the way.
I'm flexible on season, length of trip, and miles travelled per day. I'm flexible on hookups or no hookups. We like hiking and to see wildlife, and we like cultural/historical stops and museums too.
I'm aware that my fifth wheel won't clear three of the BRP bridges, and that BRP ends in Cherokee. I'd consider getting off BRP in Asheville and taking the camper on I-40 to Gatlinburg to avoid those bridges. In that case, I'd finish BRP with the truck at a later time.
A few questions, in no particular order:
If it were you, how would you structure this trip? How long would you spend in each national park, and how long traversing the parkway?
Would you stay in national park campgrounds, or do you recommend private campgrounds, and why?
Would you get on and off the parkway to visit towns along the way?
What are your experiences with Verizon cell and data service along the Blue Ridge Parkway? I figure it'll be zero in the Smokies and spotty at best in Shenandoah. I'd love to just shut my phone off, but telecommuting gives us the flexibility to take the trip.
Thanks for any info you can provide! I'm thinking a lot about the trip and looking to talk to other people who've done similar.
