05/26/2016 10:20 AM EDT
It’s time for your Blue Ridge Parkway experience. Take a slow-paced and relaxing drive (please obey the speed limit) revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The Parkway meanders for 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special. Photo from Beacon Heights courtesy of Jim Ruff.
<div id="