Blue Ridge Parkway Association Releases App To Help You Enjoy The Parkway This Fall

These days the "got milk" expression has been far surpassed by, "is there an app for that?" And in the case of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the answer is "yes!"

Just in time for fall leaf season, the Blue Ridge Parkway Association (with help from the National Park Service) has launched Blue Ridge Parkway -- Travel Planner, in both a 'Droid and iPhone version. The app is intended to help you plan a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding regions.

The app includes GPS mapping capabilities for hundreds of points of interest along the Parkway, historical information, lodging and camping options, major hiking trail descriptions, and visitor services on the Parkway and in nearby communities. Notably, dozens of adjacent communities are included in this app - giving visitors a full picture of the importance of this historic byway to surrounding regions.

Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis encouraged developing this technology to address some of the feedback received as part of the Parkway’s 75th anniversary in 2010: Visitors desire real time information for navigating through the region. Adjacent communities want to make sure Parkway visitors know what’s available in their communities.

New mobile technologies provide the perfect solution for meeting these needs. "As an official partner organization of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Parkway Association is uniquely qualified to bring the navigation of the Parkway and surrounding region to a mobile platform. We’re excited to explore all the possibilities this new technology provides," said Superintendent Francis.

There is no charge to download the Blue Ridge Parkway – Travel Planner and it’s available on both Android™ and iPhone® platforms. Download links are available at this site.