This 469-Mile Appalachian Drive Is at Its Absolute Best Right Now — and Most People Miss the Window

There is a reason the Blue Ridge Parkway has been called “America’s Favorite Drive” for decades. But even people who know the Parkway — who have driven the 469 miles of ridgeline highway connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina — are often surprised to learn that they have been visiting at the wrong time of year.

June is the peak. The rhododendron are blooming right now, covering the mountain slopes in waves of purple-pink blossom. The crowds are smaller than in October. The road is…