Of all the national park units we have visited, none provide a more pleasant experience than driving the 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Vistas through North Carolina and Virginia aren’t as spectacular as those along Rocky Mountain National Park’s Trail Ridge Road, Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road, or Yosemite National Park’s Tioga Road. However, for a pleasant drive that lasts several days rather than several hours, the Blue Ridge Parkway is without peer.
Lodging on the Parkway
During our initial drives, the Parkway was home to four lodges: Pisgah Inn, Rocky Knob Cabins, Bluffs Lodge, and Peaks of Otter Lodge. At the time we were the proud owners of a VW camper (we went through four of these trouble-prone jewels) and spent nights camping, although we would often spend time browsing through the lodges. It wasn’t until 1996 when we started writing our national park lodging guide, Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges, that we began staying in the lodges.
The lodges were each quite different, a feature that added to the enjoyment of a trip along the Parkway. They were also conveniently spread along the Parkway from Peaks of Otter Lodge at milepost 86 in the north to Pisgah Inn, located south of Asheville, North Carolina, at milepost 408. We typically drove north with stays at Pisgah Inn, either Rocky Knob Cabins or Bluffs Lodge, and finally at Peaks of Otter before driving on to Shenandoah National Park and visiting its three lodges.
Unfortunately, only Pisgah Inn and Peaks of Otter Lodge currently remain in operation. Rocky Knob cabins, with only seven rental units, was almost certainly a marginal operation from day one. With a six-month season and cabins renting for $65 per night during its last year of operation (with a discount for multiple nights), the entire complex could produce annual revenue of only $75,000 to $80,000 even if every cabin was filled every night of the season. The saving grace of Rocky Knob was the concessionaire’s ability to also operate nearby Mabry Mill that always seemed a viable business. Although Rocky Knob Cabins has been closed for several years, Mabry Mill has continued in operation.
Bluffs Lodge and Coffee Shop
But this story is about Bluffs Lodge, one of our favorite places to spend the night in a national park. Bluffs was just off the Parkway, but in an isolated location offering quiet and enjoyment in a scenic rural setting. Its guest rooms and furniture were retro, but the place was fun and the atmosphere blended perfectly with what attracted travelers to drive the parkway. With only 24 guest rooms (23 during years when the manager resided onsite) and little to do, guests visited with one another and enjoyed evening gatherings with a park ranger near a fireplace on the small patio that separated the lodge’s two buildings.
Bluffs didn’t have a game room, lobby, TV room (in fact, it didn’t have TVs, and if it had, they would have been old black and whites of the Ozzie and Harriet era), or an attached restaurant. In fact, it didn’t have any extras other than a couple of friendly employees, a place to really relax and read a good book, and the fellowship of its guests. The registration area was the size of a closet. The place was perfect.
Nearby, within walking distance, was Bluffs Coffee Shop offering a retro dining experience that served as an ideal companion to the lodge. We have dined at Yosemite’s Ahwahnee (now the oddly named Majestic Yosemite Hotel), Grand Canyon’s El Tovar, and Yellowstone’s Lake Hotel. Each serves excellent food with equally good service, but none provided a more enjoyable experience than dining at Bluffs Coffee Shop. No restaurant in America served better fried chicken, the coffee shop specialty. Regional specialties included pinto beans and cornbread, and biscuits and gravy. What delicious grub after a day on the Parkway. And where else could a person dine on barbecued pork with melted cheese served between two golden brown corn cakes, all topped with cole slaw? This was heaven on a budget!
Demise of a Parkway Icon
Unfortunately, the opportunity to experience a night at Bluffs Lodge along with a delicious and filling meal at the nearby coffee shop is an image in the mirror. Both are closed with a future that doesn’t look promising. With only 24 guest rooms to rent during a six-month season, it was apparently difficult to make the numbers work.
Long operated by concessionaire National Park Concessions (NPC) and later, Forever Resorts when it absorbed NPC, the lodge and coffee shop have sat vacant since the end of the 2010 season when Forever’s obligation was up and the company decided to pull out. Various attempts by the National Park Service were unsuccessful in attracting another concessionaire. The Park Service did install new roofs on the buildings, most likely at great expense, but the exteriors continue to deteriorate with evidence of mold and decay. Bluffs and the coffee shop have become a depressing sight for those of us who enjoyed many an evening there.
Is There Hope?
The National Park Service undertook a value analysis study of Bluffs and the coffee shop, along with the Crabtree Falls and Otter Creek restaurants, that was completed in 2014 but only recently released to the public. The study evaluated several alternatives for Bluffs, including resuming operation of the lodge and coffee shop by a concessionaire or under a lease arrangement.
According to the report, locating a willing concessionaire for Bluffs is likely to “encounter a major implementation issue” due to the significant investment required to remediate mold and rehabilitate the facilities prior to a concessionaire agreeing to an obligation for operating the facility. In other words, no concessionaire will be willing to absorb the costs necessary to put the facilities into operating condition. The copy of the report we received did not include the cost of remediation of either the lodge or coffee shop.
The study also considered the options of remediating mold in the coffee shop while demolishing the lodge, and of preserving the exteriors only so as to serve as exhibits without interior use. Fortunately, for the many fans of Bluffs, the evaluation team primarily recommended first determining interest in and the viability of returning the facilities to their traditional concessions operations. On the downside, the viability is a function of the condition of the buildings.
Another Avenue?
Some of you may know of or experienced a ride in one of the historic red buses utilized for tours of Glacier National Park. The so-called “Reds” are as iconic to Glacier as Old Faithful Geyser is to Yellowstone. Built by Cleveland’s White Motor Company, the buses were introduced into Glacier in the early 1900s with nearly three dozen additional buses being acquired in the mid-1930s. Glacier’s current concessionaire, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, continues to offer park tours in over 30 of these iconic buses thanks to the generosity of Ford Motor Company that partnered with the National Park Service to rehabilitate and refurbish the Reds to the tune of $6 million.
Wouldn’t it be grand if one or more corporations stepped up to offer financial and other assistance for Bluffs Lodge and the Bluffs Coffee Shop similar to that provided by Ford Motor Company for Glacier’s red buses? Because the lodge being in North Carolina, Lowes, a national corporation headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, would be a prime candidate for the donation of materials required for the renovation.
Reynolds American in Winston-Salem, and Bank of America in Charlotte, could both use some image improvement. BB&T is another large Winston-Salem company with substantial financial resources. Software firm Red Hat is headquartered in Raleigh. This is only a partial list of businesses that might be approached to assist such a worthy project that would likely provide loads of favorable publicity.
One of our stays at Bluffs was next to the room of a couple with their young daughter. Earlier in their trip the mother had purchased a harp that she played on the balcony outside their room. We spent a portion of the afternoon sitting in our chairs listening to the music and chatting with the couple. What a memorable late afternoon experience that helps recall the pleasures of staying at Bluffs.
So, who starts the ball rolling to help keep Bluffs from the scrap heap?
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Comments
As the former General Manager of Bluffs Lodge and Bluffs Coffee Shop Restaurant, I would dearly love to see the place make a come back! So many memories were made by guests and our employees alike, as they enjoyed a meal or created life long friendships in front of the fireplace at the Lodge. Average guests at both operations didn't visit just once; they returned year after year; generation after generation plus being a popular destination for locals as well. Interestingly, many of the 50 former employees continue to stay in touch; each and every one of them continue to whole heartedly encourage finding a way to make it all happen again.
Our family began staying at Bluff's Lodge in the 1980's before our son went to college. My wife and I continued to stay, and enjoyed meals at the restaurant. We miss this place of calm and peace. We have never stayed ANYWHERE as tranquil. If we were multi-millionares, we would have it remodeled and re-opened. It's that special.
We stumbled upon the Bluffs Lodge strictly by accident one night while traveling the Blue Ridge and what a wonderful surprise! We are heartbroken that it had closed! We have been monitoring the lodge for a reopening so that we may visit again as this is a magical place!!! The park MUST reopen this wonderful lodge!!! Charge us a little extra to stay but please reopen it!
The coffe shop is suppsed to reopen this yeat (2020). Here is a link to the information.
https://www.brpfoundation.org/initiatives/doughton-park-repair-reopen-bl...
I started as a desk clerk for Bluffs Lodge being promoted to office manager after just one season. I still have a love and passion for this place that I simply cannot describe. Each nook and cranny holds a magic for me that cannot be recreated. How I dream of the days that I gave tours of the property and had the joy of being nestled in my quaint office full of rustic charm Or chose to spend time with my beloved guests on the patio near the fire after my shift ended. It was truly my favorite place to be in this world. No greater peace is found anywhere for me. As Bill mentioned we were not just coworkers. We were family. We do all still keep in touch. And I also keep in touch with many of our faithful guests whom I consider family as well. Going back to my sun shiny days with just the perfect breeze coming through my open office window while I softly played 50's and 60's music and greeted guests and learned so many of their histories, laughed, and even cried with them is still a calming and cherished memory in my heart. I would love to see this place restored, loved, and back in the business of memory making and good old human interaction with a step back in time.
i am Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue RIdge Parkway Foundation. We are the non-profit partner of the Blue Ridge Parkway helping to raise needed funds to support projects and programs that the Parkway could not otherwise accomplish.
As you might imagine, the needs of the Parkway are many and meeting those needs is often a difficult challenge. Bluffs is one of those special places along the 469 miles of the Parkway that needs help and is a most worthy of saving.
We are committed to helping bring this historic icon back to life. There are many needs and challenges to restoring this treasured spot where so many memories were made, But together we can make a difference.
Theae are our national parks, our memories and our legacy...and our responsibility. In this 100th year of our National Parks we should remember that it was when a dedicated and thoughtful group of people came together that the parks were born... And it is when we come together that their future will be preserved.
The memories and the stories of this special place should be made by our children.
thanks for this touching and wonderful story of the meaning and memory you have for Bluffs.
Carolyn Ward
David and Kay,
Thank you for keeping Bluff Lodge on the Radar. I have been following the struggles the Park Service has been going through and know there are no quick and easy solutions. My wife and I have been watching the issues behind the Lodge and Coffee shop, since the closure. No one will ever take away the memories we have of the landmarks and my hope is future visitors will have the same opportunities to experiences the landmarks. Our company looks at possibilities of running the Lodge and Coffee Shop, being a Native of North Carolina and wishing to return. Yes it would be a tough undertaken, but it seems to stay on my mind. Carolyn Ward of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Mark Woods, and others have working hard to save the landmarks. No matter the energy of Park Professionals and their supporters, park lands and landmarks are taken for granted by most Americans. Bluff Lodge and the Coffee Shop may very well disappear, but it will not be because the professionals did not care. It may well be because most citizens believe that it will alway be there. I know I have not done enough and may be just as much to blame. Thank you for the article.
Thank you Mark and Carolyn for your continued work in protecting our Nature Resources.
While it wouldn't be ideal, what about marketing the Lodge to a specific demographic? As an avid motorcyclist (Canadian) who has ridden the BRP over a dozen times, a place like this would be magic after a long ride.
The real problem is that the road is closed in late fall until spring. Get rid of that obstacle and a consessionar will come forward.
My wife and I discovered the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1981 as we were on our way to visit our niece and her new husband in High Point N.C. After that, when our son was born in 1982, we went back about every other year to visit. We always stayed at Pisgah or Bluffs Lodge, and love all the craft shops and visitors center in between. One of our favorite foods at the Coffee Shop at Bluffs was the corn cakes & barbecue. The Bluffs were so relaxing and quiet. We took long hikes into the fields and woods behing the lodge. We have numerous pics of the old still, the camping area, etc. When our son was a teen, he fell in love with the area, as we had done before. We have been back at least twice since the Bluffs closed, and had to spend time at Pisgah, Linville Falls, Little Switzerland, and Big Lynn Lodge. We are now in our seventies and would love to see the Bluffs open again. Not able to start a campaign to help, but would certainly contribute greatly to such a move. Maybe there are others like us who have fond memories of this beautiful area.
We moved to Sparta, NC is large part because of Doughton Park and the lodge/coffee shop. It's closing has been a tremendous loss to us. We still hike there and spend time on the stone patio dreaming of what could still be a grand beauty. What can we do as average citizens to show our support for the renovation of this property? If we had a way to voice our support to those who are in power to make decisions we would gladly do so. Thank you for your article. It's not too late to save this wonderful property!
I suppose we could start passing the hat (or maybe start a Kickstarter campaign), Julie, though not sure NPS would go along....
I hope that someone will step up to save this incredible place that I have so many fond memories of. I began visiting in the early 1970's as a small child and continued with my wife into the early 2000's. I have wonderful memories of climbing the rock wall to the terrace as a child and sitting by the fire that I wish I could share with my own children. It is such a peaceful place that I have so much love for. The meadows that extend from the rear of the lodge are some of the most serene I have ever experienced. I pray that the lodge will be brought back to life and bring memories to families for years to come.
Forever Lodging did a tremendous disservice to the Bluffs Lodge. They offered no online reservation system and were difficult to call... I once had to call several times in order to make a reservation.
I fully expect that a competent concessionary could make money and provide a quality service to guests.
When we would take day trips to The Parkway, we always stopped at The Bluffs for the best peach cobbler in the world. We still take the day trips and always sigh when we pass the restaurant. Hopefully, one day we'll be able to stop and get some of that most fantastic cobbler and a cup of coffee!
Work is being started to refurbish the Coffee Shop at Bluffs Lodge. More work is planned.
It would be so wonderful if someone or group would renovate and restore the lodge and the coffee shop at Doughton Park. One of my favorite childhood memories is staying at Bluffs Lodge every October for my birthday. It is sad to see the grounds so run down as they were always so manicured. It was such a peaceful place to stay and meet others that stopped for the night...sitting by the fire on the patio listening to the park ranger talk about the topic for the night. The menu at the coffee shop was always the same...country ham and buscuits, fried chicken and salad with "french,ranch, blue cheese,or thousand island dressing. Then came dessert....cobbler! And after dinner, a purchase from the gift shop... Oh, to be able to stay there again and relive what I cherish as part of my childhood! ( No TV or telephones were part of the charm !)
I can't believe this place is still closed!!! It was a shot to the gut when I tried reserving a room a few years ago and found out it wasn't going to open!! I guess the Forever Resort company wasn't making money on it. I'm still playing the Lottery hoping I will win and reopen Bluff's Lodge! Notwithstanding I have zero experience with running this kind of operation.
I was a frequent visitor to Bluffs Mountain Lodge and I was very disappointed to see it closed. The area is beautiful and the coffe shop at the bottom of the hill was a great place to eat. The cobblers, with fruit in season, were the best ever. I also didn't mind the required 20 minute wait for fried chicken. I spent many evenings fighting off the chill in front of the 'walk-in' fireplace. In fact, one cool night about 9 years ago I met an older gentleman who said he actually worked on the Parkway as a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Glad to see that there is still a chance to re-open this icon.
I spent many days of my life in the Doughton Park area. My wife and I stayed at the lodge one night. I ate many fine meals and always enjoyed talking to fellow parkway travellers at the coffe shop. The buckwheat pancakes were always my favorite. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when you could still purchase gas there and buy a souvenir in the small store there. Sad days without these services there now.
So, what is the latest with the fate of Bluff's Lodge? Thank You
The Bluffs was always our favorite stop along the parkway.
When I was a child we used to picnic there and I would always ask to stay at the lodge , but it was always full. When my daughter was born we always took a summer or fall trip to the mountains and the parkway. As a young girl we would always hike the trails through the cow pastures, watch the deer feeding in the picnic grounds , enjoy sunsets and cool mountain evening's by the fireplace. Once a elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife , brought firewood and taught my daughter how to build a fire the correct way , he also had all the components for making Smores, since my dad had recently passed , and my daughter had lost her only Papa, they found comfort in each other .He told us stories of how he and his wife would always come to Bluff Lodge and how he felt close to her there each time he visited. Our last visit was my wife and myself , it was the first summer since my mom passed . We had dinner in the coffee shop , which stirred memories . That night as we went to our room , a big thunderstorm came up..we both laid in bed listening to the thunder and the rain through our open windows and door...something that we used to be able to do in our hometown without fear. I laid there remembering my Dad , Mama and my little girl and all the memories .. it seemed as if the mountains were crying as to what was yet to happen to the Bluffs... The next year we tried to make reservations only to find out the place had been shuttered.. we still made the ride as we do each year, we visit the stone fireplace , and I can almost see my young daughter running through the meadows , enjoying the mountains and the fresh air.. now I have a granddaughter, and I hope one day the Bluffs will reopen and we'll play in the meadows..
Our National Parks were not created to make a profit. They were created and protected for USA citizens to enjoy. Private companies and free enterprise profits have no place in our National Parks. The Parks were created with tax dollars from the working class and maintained with tax dollars from the working class. Protect them and restore them with our tax dollars intead of tossing them down the 1% rathole of corporate welfare and insane military expenditures.
Seems funding to reopen the Bluffs restaurant has been secured. Perhaps there is hope for the lodge as well
http://www.wataugademocrat.com/community/blue-ridge-parkway-restaurant-t...
We stumbled upon the Bluff's Lodge this past Saturday, not knowing what it was or its history, and after a bit of digging, I came across its name and this website. I'm only 24 years old but I felt completely drawn to this gorgeous piece of land, trying to imagine what it was like in its prime. I don't know much about it other than the little research I've done these last few days but from what I've read, this place is iconic. I can only imagine what it must have been like, to work there and stay there. It was so peaceful standing near that fireplace you're all mentioning, and I would so love to see this back in operation to enjoy for many years to come. If I had the finances, I would fix it up and get it in operation right away! We did notice deterioration in the lobby area through the window and some vandalization downstairs. I can't stop thinking about this place and I'm hoping that it will one day be in operation again!
Much od my family heritage is in the area of Bluffs Lodge. My Grandmother is burried in the cemetary just past Alligator rock. My dad grew up in that area. My wife and myself have taken our children to Bluffs Lodge for many years and have always enjoyed staying there. I considered it the most peaceful place on earth. It was heartbreaking to see it just sit there empty and deterating over the years. We visited the area last week and found that they had mowed the grass on the walking trails, however, the lodge was still a sad sight. I would love to see someone take an interest in its restoration. It was good to see that someone had opened the restaurant again, maybe the loged still has some hope.
We stayed at Bluff's Lodge back in the late 50's and early 60's when Bluff's Lodge was in its hey day. I have such fond memories spent out in the meadow.
A buddy and I used to ride the parkway every year and we stayed at the Bluffs Lodge on a couple of occasions. I remember eating at the diner just across the parkway and finding our waitress was well into her 70s. She said she had been working there for over 50 years and was the youngest waitress employeed there. It was truely a 'back in time' experience. One evening, sitting around the fireplace was even more memorlabe. As we traded stories around the fire, we met a marine biologist, Professor from LSU traveling due to a recent hurricane coming thru their state, and a gal who had recently been on the Oprah show. Incredible soties and even more incredible memories. I would love to see the lodge and diner returned to their former glory. I will never forget the impact my short time there made on my life.