Linn Cove Viaduct

Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is the most complicated concrete bridge ever built. Completed in 1983 at a cost of almost $10 million, the Linn Cove Viaduct is 1,243 feet long and contains 153 segments weighing 50 tons each. It is a masterpieces of engineering that was constructed to preserve the beauty of Grandfather Mountain as the viaduct curves with the contours of the mountain. The viaduct is a quarter of a mile long and offers spectacular views.

Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Centre is located at Milepost 304.4. The area has restrooms and a trail to Linn Cove Viaduct. The trail is 1 mile round trip and is moderate. An accessible paved trail begins at the visitor center and leads to a beautiful view of the viaduct from underneath, and gives hikers access to the Tanawha Trail. You can continue up the remaining dirt trail and climb by huge boulders for another 1/3 mile to get some views of the surrounding areas.

Here are photos we took on Oct 11th, 2009. The Fall Colors were beautiful and the trail to the viaduct was colorful. Click on the thumbnails to view larger images.