Tanawha Trail - Beacon Heights to Rough Ridge

Blue Ridge Parkway, NC

On October 6, 2025, Kim and I hiked with my nephew Dillon on the Tanawha Trail from the Beacon Heights parking area to the Rough Ridge Overlook; thus connecting to where we left off the day before. This was a winding, rough (from boulders) at times, beautiful trail through some nice outcrops with amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its always fun to hike with Dillon in his adopted home state!

Walk-Specific Map

Elevation Profile

Images

GPX Download

A sanitized GPX file of our hike is here.

Summary Information

NUM trackID Primary Description Distance CumDist DeltaElev
1 NCTNWHA90 Tanawha Tr Spur Beacon Ridge parking area to Tanawha Tr 0.02 0.02 3
2 NCTNWHA01 Tanawha Tr Spur from Beacon Ridge parking area to US 221 Crossing 0.32 0.34 -41
3 NCTNWHA02 Tanawha Tr US 221 Crossing to spur from Standing Rock parking area 0.57 0.91 91
4 NCTNWHA03 Tanawha Tr spur from Standing Rock parking area to Linn Cove Visitor Center 0.62 1.53 18
5 NCTNWHA04 Tanawha Tr Linn Cove Visitor Center to Blue Ridge Parkway tunnel 0.23 1.77 57
6 NCTNWHA05 Tanawha Tr Blue Ridge Parkway tunnel to spur to Rough Ridge Overlook 1.73 3.49 325
7 NCTNWHA91 Tanawha Tr Spur Tanawha Tr to Rough Ridge Overlook 0.02 3.51 -2
8 NCTNWHA91 Tanawha Tr Spur Rough Ridge Overlook to Tanawha Tr 0.02 3.53 2
9 NCTNWHA05 Tanawha Tr spur to Rough Ridge Overlook to Blue Ridge Parkway tunnel 1.73 5.26 -325
10 NCTNWHA04 Tanawha Tr Blue Ridge Parkway tunnel to Linn Cove Visitor Center 0.23 5.49 -57
11 NCTNWHA03 Tanawha Tr Linn Cove Visitor Center to spur from Standing Rock parking area 0.62 6.12 -18
12 NCTNWHA02 Tanawha Tr spur from Standing Rock parking area to US 221 Crossing 0.57 6.68 -91
13 NCTNWHA01 Tanawha Tr US 221 Crossing to Spur from Beacon Ridge parking area 0.32 7.00 41
14 NCTNWHA90 Tanawha Tr Spur Tanawha Tr to Beacon Ridge parking area 0.02 7.03 -3