As a public works project begun during the Great Depression, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the first and longest rural parkway in America. Administered by the National Park Service, the 469-mile long parkway extends through the southern Appalachians of Virginia and North Carolina, linking Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Along the parkway, travelers experience stunning pastoral and mountain vistas, along with a great diversity of plant and animal life. In addition, visitors encounter the region’s history, culture and traditions of craft, music, and agricultural heritage, brought to life through historic sites, artifacts, displays, live interpretation and performance.