Mabry Mill
Mabry Mill
4.5
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Explore the historic Mabry Mill, located on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. Experience live milling demonstrations, as this gristmill still grinds flour more than a century since its original construction. See the nearby Matthews Cabin, blacksmith shop and interpretive area. National Park Service staff conducts demonstrations on blacksmithing, carding, spinning and basket making. On Sundays throughout the summer, local folk and mountain music performers appear live here. Then visit the Mabry Mill Restaurant & Gift Shop and enjoy a country-style menu. Breakfast is served all day. Lunch and dinner entrees also are featured. Our gift shop features Virginia crafts and foods, as well as a selection of Mabry Mill and Blue Ridge Parkway-inspired clothing, books, music and souvenirs.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- SteveK28762Worcestershire, United Kingdom88 contributionsMust see on the Blue Ridge ParkwayBeautiful place to stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's the most photographed spot and you can see why. The weather was poor on the day we went, but the rain stopped while we were there, allowing us to explore and see all the exhibits and take in the information provided. Absolutely gorgeous and well worth the stop.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 5, 2023
- tomterrificIllinois95 contributionsA must see place on BRPAs part of my journey on there Blue Ridge Parkway, this place was one off there highlights for me. What a beautiful setting. First the mill is fascinating, the ground are very well kept and there is even a gift shop and restaurant.Visited October 2023Traveled soloWritten October 26, 2023
- Debbi CLexington, North Carolina61 contributionsBeautiful grist millMy husband and I visited this historical grist mill while on a day trip to MOD, VA. It’s a beautiful place to see and it’s amazing to think about all the hard work and planning that went into it back in the early 1900s. It was cool seeing the old farm equipment and buildings. There wasn’t any demonstrations going on (possibly because of the heat OR because we got there not long before closing). Also, we didn’t have time to visit the gift shop 😕. The bathrooms were nice & clean, but there was no soap, only hand sanitizer, which I used as soap. Would love to visit again in the fall!Visited June 2024Traveled with familyWritten July 8, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
508 reviews
Excellent
344
Very good
131
Average
23
Poor
4
Terrible
6
Ross
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Family
I called ahead to make sure they were open. The lady I spoke with said that they closed at 5pm and stopped seating people at 4:30pm. My son, girlfriend, and I drove an hour and twenty minutes and arrived there at 3:20pm and they refused to even take our name down bc the gentlemen said they weren’t seating any more people. Total waste of my time.
Written August 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tombigbee R.
Glade Spring, VA172 contributions
May 2021 • Friends
Not doing well in a few ways. Our last trip was on Friday May 28, 2021 about 1PM when the lunch crowd should have died down. When we parked, there were lots of parking places and I thought we'd hit it at a good time. Unfortunately I think this was due to people not coming. Our waitress was completely overwhelmed and the only one I saw in the place. She did an excellent job, received an excellent tip for it, and had a good attitude the whole time. We waited about 5 minutes to get drinks, but our order was taken promptly and our food arrived in good stead. My only complaint was the vegetables. The green beans, carrots and cooked apples were so bad they weren't really edible. The salads were fresh and excellent, and the roast turkey was just fantastic. My aunt's cheeseburger and fries were good. They could use more help and better prep for the vegetable offerings. We usually get buckwheats, which now are restricted until 12.
Written May 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roy C
Whispering Pines, NC1,001 contributions
Oct 2022
Easy walks for old guys like me and a chance to get a picture of perhaps the most frequently photographed restored mill in the nation. In fact, one of the informative signs pointed out a photograph of the mill was used in travel brochures for other states.
We did eat at the restaurant. It is quite small, though, with few tables. Whatever guide we had used said it stayed open until 6:00 p.m. in October, but it did not, it closed at 5:00 p.m. We got in at 4:30. They were out of chicken pot pie which my wife had wanted, so we both ordered the turkey. It was okay. Service was good.
We did eat at the restaurant. It is quite small, though, with few tables. Whatever guide we had used said it stayed open until 6:00 p.m. in October, but it did not, it closed at 5:00 p.m. We got in at 4:30. They were out of chicken pot pie which my wife had wanted, so we both ordered the turkey. It was okay. Service was good.
Written November 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChrisH
Frederick, MD551 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Two adults visited Mabry Mill and other nearby sites on the Blue Ridge Parkway on a Monday in early June and were somewhat disappointed especially wrt the condition of the outside exhibits. We last visited about 10 years ago and the physical plant struck us as being in very bad shape. Just appears to be falling down with rust everywhere on metal surfaces. There were 5 or 6 Park Rangers around but only one engaged us to any extent. The rest seemed to be more interested in talking among themselves. We noticed later that the nearby Rocky Knob information center was not manned on weekdays with no handouts available for the local trails. The signage map posted was little to no help and the one loop trail we tried quickly deteriorated into a very narrow path between high grasses, a prime tick habitat. Many of the road pull offs north of Rocky Knob indicating mountain views were so overgrown that nothing but shrubs and trees were visible. All-in-all we were very disappointed with our short visit.
Written June 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mae
Church Hill50 contributions
Dec 2019
There really isn't a more picturesque spot in the entire country than this old mill. Although I have been here many, many times, I always look forward to the next time. I've traveled to 4 continents, over 30 countries, and 49 states; and this is still one of my favorite places on the globe. It's beautiful in any season, but spring is my favorite when the redbud trees and dogwoods are in bloom.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PandaHouston
Houston, TX6,120 contributions
Oct 2021
We came on Sunday, October 10 during our drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway to observe fall foliage. Mabry Mill was my favorite stop. The leaves changing color against the mill makes for great photos. It is a very popular stop but there is plenty of parking.
Written November 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
west73
Atlanta167 contributions
Jun 2022
This is a must see when driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We were in a Motorhome and there is a parking lot which accommodated us and our towed vehicle. We were able to wander the grounds and see the Blacksmith Shop, with tools displayed inside and took pictures of the most photographed site on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is the water wheel. Be sure to go inside where the gentleman explains the history. It will take about an hour to wander the grounds and read all of the informative signs. Apparently, sometimes there are demonstrations, but, perhaps because it was a hot day, they were not happening while we were there.
Written June 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbi C
Lexington, NC61 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
My husband and I visited this historical grist mill while on a day trip to MOD, VA. It’s a beautiful place to see and it’s amazing to think about all the hard work and planning that went into it back in the early 1900s. It was cool seeing the old farm equipment and buildings. There wasn’t any demonstrations going on (possibly because of the heat OR because we got there not long before closing). Also, we didn’t have time to visit the gift shop 😕. The bathrooms were nice & clean, but there was no soap, only hand sanitizer, which I used as soap. Would love to visit again in the fall!
Written July 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mikeshy
Aurora, OH970 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
While driving the Blue Ridge Parkwy in its entirety, my wife and I had lunch at the Mary Grill. It was Fathers Day and quite crowded. We were seated after about 30 minutes. Our server, Wendy, did a great job of taking care of us. My wife ordered the pot roast dinner and I had the roast turkey. Both meals were a lot of food. Our food was served quickly and was hot and tasty. I wanted to order the warm blackberry cobbler, but I was too full to do so. There was a lot to see on the property while we waited to be seated.
Written June 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justin P
Raleigh, NC4,557 contributions
Apr 2022
We stopped at Mabry Mill while driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway in spring with out dog. It's a beautiful old mill, originally built by Edwin Mabry in 1910. Mr. Mabry and his wife Lizzie operated the mill until 1936 and it was restored by the National Park Service in 1945. It is now the most photographed location on the parkway. A short, paved trail leads from parking to the mill and other historical buildings and artifacts. Dogs are allowed on the trail and outside areas, but not in the mill or other buildings. There are demonstrations of rural life in Appalachia and music, but too early in the season when we visited. There is also a gift shop and restaurant at the mill. Overall, a really beautiful stop on the parkway and worth a visit if you're in the area.
Written May 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
that is a very tough question. you would really need to check the weekly schedule for the change of color for the area you are visiting. personally the entire area is gorgeous even when the fall colors have not yet occurred. also trying to find hotel rooms can be crazy this time of year. if you are planning on going this year, don't wait past mid October.
Written October 13, 2017
I was up at Rocky Knob (near Mabry Mill on the Parkway) about ten days ago and there was minimal color change so you should see a good show. It's hard to say though because so many factors go into mother nature giving us her best in the fall. this year is a mixed bag with warmer then normal temps slowing down the process and a lack of rain in some areas allowing leaves especially at higher elevations to wither and die before they change. my suggestion is to travel some distance on the parkway as the elevation changes dramatically along the way you will find the show somewhere
Written October 15, 2017
Have the leaves turned at the mill yet?
Written October 13, 2016
I believe it ends sometime in October. It ends before the snows.
Written December 28, 2015
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