Evacuation ordered due to a suspicious explosive device discovered close to Blue Ridge Parkway

Park rangers from the National Park Service (NPS) went to an area of the Blue Ridge Parkway close to Asheville, North Carolina, on Sunday following reports about a suspicious object found in the soil.

Officials with the NPS said the device was located near an intersection by the Folk Art Center at about 11:45 a.m.

The Asheville Police Department Bomb Squad, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation all arrived at the site, along with fire and emergency teams from Asheville and Riceville.

The NPS said the Folk Art Center was evacuated and a section of the parkway was closed temporarily as a precaution.

The 469 miles of scenic road stretches from Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (iStock)

The parkway, with its winding roads limited to a maximum speed of 45 mph, not only provides a route for travelers but also an opportunity for them to relax and appreciate the surrounding views. There are 264 overlooks along the parkway that offer stunning sights of the mountains, valleys, mesmerizing sunrises and sunsets, and the night sky filled with stars on clear evenings.

The parkway connects Shenandoah National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It starts at Rockfish Gap, Virginia, intersecting Skyline Drive, and winds southwest through Virginia into mountainous western North Carolina. 

Travelers will find campgrounds and hiking trails, glimpses of small-town Appalachian life in places like Floyd, Virginia, the small cities of Roanoke, Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina, and many other treasures tucked away in the mountains.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.