Rocky Knob Campground: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Blue Ridge Parkway

Regions 1, 2, & 4 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: The Rocky Knob Campground component landscape, one of four component landscapes within the Rocky Knob Recreation Area, is located immediately north of Parkway Milepost 17 in the state of Virginia. Construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Rocky Knob area began in 1937, with the combination picnic and campground area–consisting of 16 campsites, built that same year. In 1959, a revised master plan for Rocky Knob called for the construction of a new campground to offer more space to both picnickers and campers. Construction began in 1962 on a new 110-unit Rocky Knob Campground, north of the maintenance area; the previous picnic ground and campground was then dedicated solely to picnic use. The Campground component landscape is accessed via a single entry road that also provides access to the maintenance area. The minimally graded, curvilinear road splits into four camping loops. Three of the loops, A, B, and C, wind north around Weddle Ridge, forming fully enclosed rings with the next loops beginning near the halfway point of the previous one. The fourth loop, T, extends east from the entrance and parallels the Parkway. Loop T is for trailer camping, with multiple pull-through sites. Loops A, C, and Teach have 28 sites, while B has 26. All of the 110 sites have a grill, picnic table, lantern pole, and tent pad. Located between linked loops A, B, and C, and loop T, a campfire circle area accommodates ranger led activities. Other campground features, such as the split-face stone curbs and rustic shake roof on the registration board represent Mission 66 development that intended to be consistent with early Parkway designs. The Campground component landscape is significant under Criteria A, C, and D, contributing to the period of significance identified for the Rocky Knob Recreation Area parent landscape 1939-1965. That period encompasses initial parkway construction through completion of proposed developments consistent with early master plans for the site. Parkway design principles are conveyed throughout the developed area, including the campground, tying it to the broader 469-mile linear historic landscape. Rocky Knob Recreation Area also embodies several key components early designers considered important for motorists to experience when traveling the corridor - to connect more deeply with the region through recreation, to enjoy the scenic and intentionally conserved natural scenery, and to avail themselves of food, lodging, and other amenities.

Rocky Knob Campground: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Blue Ridge Parkway

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