Linville Falls is the most dramatic waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where the Linville River drops through a rock gorge before plunging into the wilderness below. The falls are reached by a short walk from a car park off the Parkway at about milepost 316, and several viewpoints give different angles, from the upper falls to the thundering lower cascade. Below them, the river runs into Linville Gorge, a deep canyon sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the East, which is a wilderness area with some of the wildest country in the southern Appalachians.
The Parkway itself is a masterpiece of landscape design. Built over fifty years, from the 1930s until the 1980s, it follows the crest of the mountains for almost 470 miles from Virginia to North Carolina, and was designed to give drivers a slow, scenic journey away from commercial traffic. The speed limit is low, usually 45 miles per hour, and there are no trucks, no traffic lights and no billboards, just curves, tunnels and views. The pavement is generally good, though it can be damp and covered with leaves in autumn, and you should watch for fog, which is frequent.
The forest is rich. Rhododendron and mountain laurel flower in late spring and early summer, and the oaks, maples and tulip poplars turn red and gold in October. The area is home to black bears, deer and a wide range of birds. Peregrine falcons nest in the gorge, and the cliffs of Table Rock and Hawksbill offer spectacular views.
Practical matters need planning. Spruce Pine, about twelve kilometres away, is the nearest town with stations and restaurants, and Marion, thirty kilometres south, is larger. Parts of the Parkway are closed in winter because of ice and snow, and landslides sometimes close sections, so check the National Park Service site before travelling. In October, the Parkway is crowded with leaf-watchers, and the slow traffic can try your patience.
A good time to visit is early morning in late spring, when the air is fresh and the rhododendrons are in bloom. The falls are most impressive after rain, but the trails can be slippery, so wear sturdy boots, and take care near the edges.