Humpback Rocks Visitor Center
Blue Ridge Parkway – MP 5.8 (VA)
The Humpback Rocks Visitor Center (540-943-4716) at milepost 5.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway is pleased to announce book signings by award-winning author, Leonard M. Adkins. On Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6 from 10 am to 4 pm, Mr. Adkins will be signing copies of Hiking and Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway. In preparation for the book, and to insure accuracy of description and length, he walked every one of the parkway’s more than 130 official trails with a surveyor’s measuring wheel.
That’s just the beginning: the veteran hiker includes information on every trail that comes in contact with the parkway, including the Appalachian Trail and other public pathways on national park, state park, national forest, municipal, and private lands—including the trails of Wintergreen. There are GPS coordinates for official parkway trailheads, along with maps and photographs. Adkins notes each trail’s length, difficulty, points of interest, accessibility, and features. More than just a guide to the trails, the book also provides information about what to expect at overlooks, where to find a restroom, and suggests worthy side trips. There are also elevation change charts for bicyclists, minimum tunnel heights for RVs, camping recommendations, roadside bloom calendars, and sightseeing information for nearby towns.
The book has received praise and fine reviews:
“Adkins justifiably claims that this book is “the only guide you will ever need” when hiking, driving, or biking along the Blue Ridge Parkway. . . An excellent resource for walkers, hikers, or anyone planning a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway.” Library Journal
“[Adkins is] the perfect guide to take you on the Blue Ridge Parkway. . . a book that I will soon love to death.” NationalParksTraveler.com
“Having been introduced to this book, I wouldn’t take one step toward the Blue Ridge without Adkins to guide me.” Harrisonburg, Va Daily News-Record
Learn more about Mr. Adkins at habitualhiker.com.
