What is the lowest tunnel clearance on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

The lowest posted tunnel clearance is 11 feet 8 inches at the Pine Mountain Tunnel near milepost 392.4. Most RVs do not exceed 11 feet 8 inches. Class A motorhomes typically run 12-13 feet 6 inches; Class C motorhomes 10-11 feet; Class B campervans 9-10 feet. NPS maintains a published clearance list for all 26 tunnels. Vehicles exceeding the posted clearance must detour onto adjacent state highways.

Can I camp on the parkway?

Yes at the 7 NPS campgrounds. Some take reservations via Recreation.gov; some are first-come-first-served. Check current status before arrival. Maximum stay typically 14 days.

What's the speed limit?

45 mph throughout. NPS enforcement is active. Tickets common in tourist-heavy sections.

No. The parkway is free to drive. Camping has nightly fees.

Can I cycle the parkway in an RV-support trip?

Yes. The parkway has long been a cycling-tour destination. Class B campervans support cyclists. Use the campgrounds as overnight points.

What is the lowest tunnel clearance on the Blue Ridge Parkway?

The lowest posted tunnel clearance is 11 feet 8 inches at the Pine Mountain Tunnel near milepost 392.4. Most RVs do not exceed 11 feet 8 inches. Class A motorhomes typically run 12-13 feet 6 inches; Class C motorhomes 10-11 feet; Class B campervans 9-10 feet. NPS maintains a published clearance list for all 26 tunnels. Vehicles exceeding the posted clearance must detour onto adjacent state highways. • Lowest tunnel: 11'8" at Pine Mountain (MP 392.4) • 26 tunnels total along the route • Commercial vehicles banned • 45 mph speed limit throughout • 7 NPS campgrounds along the route

Scenic bywayCited official sources

Blue Ridge Parkway — full 469 miles

The longest linear park in the National Park System. 469 miles. 26 tunnels. 45 mph speed limit. RV-friendly from start to finish.

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles from the south end of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the eastern boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The parkway is managed by the National Park Service. Commercial vehicles are prohibited. The speed limit is 45 mph for the entire length. Twenty-six tunnels carry the road through the Appalachian ridges. For RV travelers, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most accessible long-distance scenic drives in the United States — gentle grades, RV-friendly campgrounds, and a tunnel-clearance reality that affects only the tallest rigs.

Frame: a highway in Virginia — not this route.

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By PickRV·Cited primary sources·Updated May 18, 2026

Elevation

6,053ft

highest point · climbs from 600 ft

05k10k14.5k

Elevation range — drawn from this page's surveyed low and high points

At a glance

Route facts worth checking before you roll out

Conservative, source-minded numbers for planning — always confirm against current conditions and state DOT 511 before you depart.

Distance

469 mi

Waynesboro VA (Shenandoah south terminus) to Cherokee NC (GSMNP east boundary)

Drive time

14–22 hr

5-7 days recommended

Elevation

600–6,053 ft

RV compatibility

RV-friendly

Max height 13'1"

Best season

Late April through October. May (rhododendron bloom) and October (peak fall color) are the marquee months — and the most crowded. Winter sections close intermittently for ice.

Cell coverage. Spotty throughout — by design. The parkway crosses mountain ridges with limited cell infrastructure. Better in Virginia than in North Carolina. Verizon strongest. Plan offline navigation.

Elevation profile

Ranges from about 600 ft at the James River crossing to over 6,000 ft at Richland Balsam (MP 431.4).

Vehicle restrictions

Tunnel clearances 11'8" to 13'1" — verify rig height before committing
Commercial vehicles banned (does not affect personal RVs)
45 mph speed limit enforced
No fuel along the parkway — exit to adjacent state roads

Tunnel clearance reality

The Blue Ridge Parkway has 26 tunnels, almost all of them in North Carolina (Virginia has only one tunnel). Posted clearances at the center of the tunnel range from 11 feet 8 inches (Pine Mountain) to 13 feet 1 inch (multiple). Edge clearances are lower — RV drivers should not assume center-of-lane.

NPS publishes the clearance list. Before driving the parkway, verify your rig's height (including AC units, roof racks, satellite dishes — measure the highest point). Compare against the lowest tunnel on the segment you plan to drive.

For rigs that exceed the clearance limit, the detour is onto adjacent state roads — typically US-221, US-321, or NC-181 depending on segment. The detours add time but are routine.

National Park Service — find a parknps

Segment-by-segment planning

Section 1: Rockfish Gap to Roanoke (MP 0-122)
Shenandoah south end to Roanoke. James River Visitor Center is the lowest point. Otter Creek Campground (NPS) at MP 60.
Section 2: Roanoke to Floyd (MP 122-170)
Roanoke Mountain area. Devil's Backbone State Park nearby (private).
Section 3: Floyd to Mt Airy (MP 170-217)
Mabry Mill (most photographed building on the parkway). Rocky Knob NPS campground.
Section 4: Mt Airy to Blowing Rock (MP 217-292)
Doughton Park NPS campground. Brinegar Cabin historic site.
Section 5: Blowing Rock to Asheville (MP 292-384)
Most-visited section. Linn Cove Viaduct (engineering marvel). Julian Price NPS campground. Linville Falls NPS campground.
Section 6: Asheville to Cherokee (MP 384-469)
Highest section. Mount Mitchell (highest peak east of Mississippi). Mt Pisgah NPS campground. Final descent to Cherokee NC.

Real warnings

Verify rig height
Measure including AC units, roof racks, dishes. Compare to lowest posted clearance on your segment.
danger
Fall color brings traffic
Mid-October crowds the parkway. 45 mph speed limit means backups when leaf peepers stop. Plan extra time.
caution
No fuel on the parkway
Plan exits to refuel. Multiple gateway towns (Buena Vista, Blowing Rock, Asheville, Cherokee).
caution
Wildlife
Deer + black bear active. Drive cautiously at dawn + dusk.
caution
Sections close in winter
NPS posts seasonal closures. Verify before winter travel.
info

What NPS Blue Ridge Parkway doesn't tell you

NPS materials cover the parkway in segments but rarely give RV travelers a single answer to 'how long will this take.' The honest answer: 14-22 hours of actual driving time, depending on stops, traffic, and weather. A determined non-stop transit is about a single day; a savoured exploration is 5-7 days.

The campground reality is underdiscussed. The 7 NPS campgrounds along the parkway have a mix of reservation + first-come-first-served sites. The big rigs need to know that some have no hookups, some have limited length. Mount Pisgah is the best-known. Julian Price is the largest. Doughton Park is the most remote.

Tourism materials also undercover the alternate parkway exits. Almost every NPS campground has an adjacent state highway you can exit to for fuel + supplies. The parkway is genuinely a corridor through a managed landscape, not a hermetic isolation. Use the exits.

NPS Blue Ridge Parkway: Official NPS site.[source]
Blue Ridge Parkway tunnels list: Posted clearances.[source]
VDOT 511: Virginia state road status (for parkway closures).[source]
NCDOT: North Carolina state road status.[source]

Frequently asked questions

Can I camp on the parkway?: Yes at the 7 NPS campgrounds. Some take reservations via Recreation.gov; some are first-come-first-served. Check current status before arrival. Maximum stay typically 14 days.
What's the speed limit?: 45 mph throughout. NPS enforcement is active. Tickets common in tourist-heavy sections.
Are there any tolls?: No. The parkway is free to drive. Camping has nightly fees.
Can I cycle the parkway in an RV-support trip?: Yes. The parkway has long been a cycling-tour destination. Class B campervans support cyclists. Use the campgrounds as overnight points.

Authoritative sources

National Park Service — find a park National Park Service
VDOT 511 Virginia State DOT
NCDOT — Drive NC traveler information State DOT
Recreation.gov — federal campground + permit reservations Recreation.gov
America's Byways — Federal Highway Administration scenic byway program FHWA National Scenic Byways

Verify current conditions with state DOT 511 systems before departure. RV restrictions may change. Weather may close roads.

Planning an RV trip along Blue Ridge Parkway?

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Rent an RV in the 2 states Blue Ridge Parkway crosses

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