Scenic Overlooks in North Carolina

280 spots

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the backbone of North Carolina’s overlook category, a scenic road built specifically for pull-off views with no fee to drive it and no hike required at most stops. It runs the length of the state’s mountain spine, past Grandfather Mountain, through the Blowing Rock and Linville area, and down toward Asheville and the Great Smoky Mountains. Beyond the Parkway itself, a handful of state park and national forest overlooks add drive-up or short-walk views without needing a full day hike to reach them.

Winter is the main planning variable. The National Park Service closes sections of the Parkway seasonally, sometimes for the whole winter, and closures apply by milepost rather than to the entire road at once, so a stretch that’s open one week can be gated the next. Check the current closure map before a winter or early-spring trip rather than assuming the whole route is drivable.

Fog is the other wildcard, more of a factor than season for whether a given stop actually delivers a view. Ridge-top overlooks catch valley fog that often burns off by mid-morning, so an early start can mean missing the payoff entirely. Fall leaf season, peaking at different elevations from late September into early November, brings the heaviest traffic of the year to the Parkway’s most photographed overlooks.

Compare at a glance

Showing the 3 spots where we have at least one confirmed practical detail.

Name	Fee	Parking	Water	Toilets
Stack Rock Parking Area	Free	surface	—	—
Boulder Field Overlook	—	surface	—	—
Kuwohi Tower	Free	—	—	—

Map

All listings

Stack Rock Parking Area

Free
Parking

Boulder Field Overlook

Parking

Free

Scenic Overlooks in North Carolina

Compare at a glance

Map

All listings

Stack Rock Parking Area

Boulder Field Overlook

View Funnel Top (MP 409.3)

View Pink Beds (MP 410.3)

The Cradle of Forestry Overlook (MP 411.0)

Laurel Knob Overlook (MP 349.2)

Kuwohi Tower

Wolf Mountain Overlook (MP 424.8)

View Herrin Knob Overlook (MP 424.4)

Osborne Mountain Overlook

Jumping Off Rock

High Bethel

Devil's Cellar Overlook

Pocosin Overlook

Wayah Bald Fire Tower

Moore's Knob Firetower

Air Bellows Overlook

Licklog Gap Overlook (MP 435.7)

Rabb Knob Overlook

View Waynesville

Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook (MP 436.8)

Scott Creek Overlook (MP 448.5)

Woodfin Valley Overlook (MP 446.0)

Point Lookout

Calloway Peak

Jockey's Ridge Overlook

Soundside Overlook

169

Bigtom

Picnic

168

Mtcraig

Devil's Head

Craggy Pinnacle Summit

Lower Overlook

Cold Mountain Overlook (MP 411.9)

Wagon Road Gap Overlook (MP 411.8)

Pounding Mill Overlook (MP 413.2)

View Cherry Cove (MP 415.7)

Fetterbush Overlook (MP 421.7)

View Devils Courthouse (MP 422.4)

Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4)

Richland Balsam Overlook - Highest Point on the Parkway (MP 431.4)

Cowee mountains Overlook (MP 430.7)

Beartrail Ridge Overlook (MP 430.4)

Beartrap Gap Overlook (MP 428.5)

Spot Knob (MP 427.8)

View Doubletop Mountain (MP 435.3)

Roy Taylor Forest Overlook (MP 433.3)

Lone Bald Overlook (MP 432.7)

Cove Field Ridge Overlook

View Steestachee Bald (MP 438.9)

View Village of Saurock

Balsam Gap Overlook

View Hominy Valley

Bad Fork Valley Overlook

View Chesnut Cove

Whitewater Falls Overlook

Deerlick Gap Overlook (MP 337.2)

Kitty Hawk Pier

South Harper Creek Falls Overlook

Flat Top Tower

St. Benedict Statue & Basilica of Maryhelp

Singecat Ridge Overlook (MP 345.3)

View Mount Mitchell Overlook (MP 349.9)

Curtis Creek Overlook (348.8)

Green Knob Overlook (MP 350.4)

Bear Den Overlook (MP 323.0)

Black Mountains Overlook (MP 342.2)

Camp Creek Overlook (MP 315.6)

Chestoa View Overlook

Heffner Gap Overlook (MP 325.9)

North Cove Valley Overlook

North Toe River Valley (MP 318.4)

Table Rock Overlook (MP 329.8)

The Loops Overlook