Starting out as New Deal project in the mid 1930s, construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway provided jobs for hundreds of young, unemployed men during the Great Depression. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2008, the 469 mile parkway turned out to be one of America’s favorite scenic drives. Stretching across the mountaintops of Virginia, North Caroline and Tennessee, the byway’s mountain views, picnic areas, natural scenic wonders and nearby small communities create one of the unforgettable journeys of a lifetime.
   Here in North Carolina where the parkway passes more than two hundred overlooks, visitor center stops and hiking trails, most every sightseer stops to marvel at some of the incredible mountain vistas. At milepost 410.3, the Pink Beds Overlook highlights the Pisgah National Forest and a lush area of cove forest and mountain streams. Named for its bounty of pink wildflowers, mountain laurel blooms and dazzling rhododendron blossoms, the Pink Beds area is best enjoyed over the five mile Pink Beds Loop Trail. Here, the trail elevation changes very little under the gaze of the highest peak on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
     While many of us aren’t familiar with the name crepuscular rays, nearly everyone has experienced a dramatic sky where sunlight seems to fan out in distinct rays from a gap in the clouds or mountain peak. These crepuscular rays over the Pink Beds Overlook would have put on a better show at either dusk and dawn.

     Area Map
     NPS - Blue Ridge Parkway Map