Does Blue Ridge Parkway have an entrance fee?

No. NPS lists Blue Ridge Parkway as fee-free, with no entrance fee.

Is the Blue Ridge Parkway open all year?

NPS says the road stays open around the clock, 24 hours a day, when weather allows. Weather-related road closures happen most often in winter, and maintenance can close sections too.

When is the busiest time on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

In 2025 the busiest month was October, with 2,346,934 recreation visits. January was the quietest, with 398,849.

Are dogs allowed on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

Where pets are allowed, NPS requires a leash no longer than six feet or a crate or cage. NPS marks pets as permitted on 26 of its listed things to do at the parkway.

How much does camping cost on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

NPS lists a nightly fee of $30 for an individual campsite. There are 11 campgrounds listed by NPS and Recreation.gov.

All parks › Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): October^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 16,533,753^[3]
Campgrounds: 11^[4]

Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Park System unit, designated a parkway, that runs through North Carolina and Virginia^[5]. NPS lists it as fee-free, so you pay no entrance fee to drive it^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Blue Ridge Parkway^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the parkway road stays open 24 hours a day when weather allows^[6]. Bad weather closes parts of the road, mostly in winter, and maintenance work can also shut sections, so check the NPS road closure map first^[6]. Visitor centers, picnic areas and campgrounds keep their own hours and seasons^[6]. NPS notes rain can fall in any season and winter can be cold and snowy at higher elevations^[7]. In spring and fall, temperatures can range from close to freezing up past 80 degrees Fahrenheit^[7]. In 2025 the busiest month was October with 2,346,934 recreation visits, and the quietest was January with 398,849^[2].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, October, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	398,849
February	555,824
March	1,113,493
April	1,278,195
May	1,454,398
June	1,679,826
July	1,809,364
August	1,739,256
September	1,774,047
October	2,346,934
November	1,361,572
December	1,021,995

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	15,948,148
2022^[3]	15,711,004
2023^[3]	16,757,635
2024^[3]	16,733,639
2025^[3]	16,533,753

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list 11 campgrounds along the parkway^[4]. The largest is Julian Price Campground with 194 sites, followed by Peaks of Otter Campground with 143 sites^[4]. There are also small backcountry options such as Rock Castle Gorge Backcountry Camping with 8 sites^[4]. NPS lists a nightly fee of $30 for an individual site^[4].

Julian Price Campground, 194 sites^[4]
Peaks of Otter Campground, 143 sites
Doughton Park Campground, 135 sites
Mount Pisgah Campground, 128 sites
Rocky Knob Campground, 110 sites
Crabtree Falls Campground, 84 sites
Otter Creek Campground, 69 sites
Linville Falls Campground, 66 sites
Rock Castle Gorge Backcountry Camping, 8 sites
Basin Cove Backcountry Camping, 8 sites
Johns River Road Backcountry Camping, 2 sites

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS rule, pets must be crated, caged or on a leash of six feet or less wherever they are allowed^[8]. They cannot go into public buildings or onto designated swimming beaches, with service animals excepted^[8]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 26 of the things to do it lists for the parkway^[9].

Before you go

There is no entrance fee, according to NPS^[1].
Look at the NPS road closure map before you set out^[6].
Facility hours differ from the road hours, so check each stop^[6].
Bring rain gear and be ready for weather changes, since NPS says rain is possible in any season^[7].
Fees and hours change, so confirm on the official NPS page before your trip.

Questions people ask

Does Blue Ridge Parkway have an entrance fee?: No. NPS lists Blue Ridge Parkway as fee-free, with no entrance fee^[1].
Is the Blue Ridge Parkway open all year?: NPS says the road stays open around the clock, 24 hours a day, when weather allows^[6]. Weather-related road closures happen most often in winter, and maintenance can close sections too^[6].
When is the busiest time on the Blue Ridge Parkway?: In 2025 the busiest month was October, with 2,346,934 recreation visits^[2]. January was the quietest, with 398,849^[2].
Are dogs allowed on the Blue Ridge Parkway?: Where pets are allowed, NPS requires a leash no longer than six feet or a crate or cage^[8]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 26 of its listed things to do at the parkway^[9].
How much does camping cost on the Blue Ridge Parkway?: NPS lists a nightly fee of $30 for an individual campsite^[4]. There are 11 campgrounds listed by NPS and Recreation.gov^[4].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Blue Ridge Parkway as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 15,948,148, 2022: 15,711,004, 2023: 16,757,635, 2024: 16,733,639, 2025: 16,533,753. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Blue Ridge Parkway (list on this page). National Park Service
Blue Ridge Parkway is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: Parkway) in North Carolina and Virginia. National Park Service
Operating hours, Parkway Road Hours: The road is open 24 hours a day, weather permitting. Road closures due to inclement weather occur most frequently during winter. Sections of the road may also be closed during road maintenance projects. Check our road... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Blue Ridge Parkway. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 26 things to do at Blue Ridge Parkway: Spot an Elk on the Heintooga Spur Road, Become a Blue Ridge Parkway Junior Ranger, Stargaze at Waterrock Knob, Watch the Sunrise from Pounding Mill Overlook, Watch Peregrine Falcons at Devils Courthouse,... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.