Top scenic viewpoints
Scenic ViewpointAir Bellows Overlook
Scenic ViewpointAlligator Back Overlook
Scenic ViewpointBullhead Mountain Overlook
Scenic ViewpointCamp Creek Overlook
Scenic ViewpointChestnut Cove Overlook
Scenic ViewpointBasin Cove Overlook
Scenic ViewpointBeaver Dam Gap Overlook
Scenic ViewpointBrowning Knob Overlook
Scenic ViewpointBuck Spring Gap Overlook
Scenic ViewpointBull Creek Valley Overlook
Scenic ViewpointCold Mountain Overlook
Scenic ViewpointCape Lookout National Seashore
Scenic Viewpoints by county
- Alleghany County9
- Ashe County3
- Avery County7
- Buncombe County9
- Haywood County7
- Jackson County11
- Swain County10
- Transylvania County8
- Watauga County14
- Wilkes County9
All scenic viewpoints (100)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bellows OverlookBlue Ridge | Alleghany County | 1,141 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Alligator Back OverlookBlue Ridge | Alleghany County | 1,022 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Bullhead Mountain OverlookBlue Ridge | Alleghany County | 970 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Camp Creek OverlookBlue Ridge | Avery County | 1,057 m | Spruce Pine | 3 |
| Chestnut Cove OverlookBlue Ridge | Buncombe County | 911 m | Avery Creek | 4 |
| Basin Cove OverlookBlue Ridge | Alleghany County | — | Sparta | 3 |
| Beaver Dam Gap OverlookBlue Ridge | Buncombe County | — | Avery Creek | 4 |
| Browning Knob OverlookBlue Ridge | Jackson County | — | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Buck Spring Gap OverlookBlue Ridge | Buncombe County | — | Canton | 4 |
| Bull Creek Valley OverlookBlue Ridge | Buncombe County | — | Swannanoa | 5 |
| Cold Mountain OverlookBlue Ridge | Haywood County | — | Brevard | 3 |
| Cape Lookout National SeashoreCape Hatteras | Carteret County | — | Buxton | 2 |
| Chestoa View OverlookBlue Ridge | McDowell County | — | Spruce Pine | 3 |
| Ballhoot Scar OverlookGreat Smoky Mountains | Swain County | 772 m | Cherokee | 3 |
| Basin Coves Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,008 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Bee Tree Overlook | Tyrrell County | 3 m | Belhaven | 2 |
| Big Witch Overlook | Swain County | 1,268 m | Cherokee | 3 |
| Blood Creek Overlook | Wilkes County | 315 m | Moravian Falls | 3 |
| Bluff Mountain Overlook | Alleghany County | 1,007 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Brown Mountain Overlook Scenic View | Burke County | 787 m | Spruce Pine | 3 |
| Bunches Bald Overlook | Jackson County | 1,502 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Buzzard Rock Overlook | Mecklenburg County | 198 m | Huntersville | 6 |
| Cascade Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,085 m | West Jefferson | 3 |
| Cowans Ford Overlook | Lincoln County | 209 m | Lowesville | 5 |
| Cranberry Ridge Overlook | Jackson County | 1,658 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Devils Garden Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,041 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Fed Cove Overlook | Jackson County | 1,394 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Grandview Overlook | Watauga County | 985 m | Boone | 4 |
| Heintooga Overlook | Swain County | 1,620 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Hornbuckle Valley Overlook | Jackson County | 1,555 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Horsetrough Ridge Overlook | Swain County | 1,404 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Jenkins Ridge Overlook | Swain County | 1,368 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Jonathan Creek Overlook | Haywood County | 1,359 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Jumpinoff Rock Overlook | Ashe County | 985 m | West Jefferson | 3 |
| Elk Mountain Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,153 m | Boone | 3 |
| Lickstone Overlook | Jackson County | 1,581 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Lookout Point | Carteret County | 5 m | Harkers Island | 2 |
| Luther Overlook | Ashe County | 1,413 m | Jefferson | 3 |
| Mahogany Rock Overlook | Alleghany County | 1,042 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Mile High Overlook | Haywood County | 1,593 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Mount Jefferson Overlook | Ashe County | 1,127 m | West Jefferson | 3 |
| Oconaluftee River OverlookGreat Smoky Mountains | Swain County | 694 m | Cherokee | 3 |
| Osborne Mountain Overlook | Watauga County | 1,067 m | Boone | 3 |
| Out-Off Ridge Overlook | Jackson County | 1,759 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Overlook Ridge | Swain County | 1,632 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Plott Balsam Overlook | Jackson County | 1,509 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Raven Fork OverlookGreat Smoky Mountains | Swain County | 732 m | Cherokee | 3 |
| Sheets Gap Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,018 m | Jefferson | 3 |
| Stone Mountain Overlook | Alleghany County | 949 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Stony Fork Valley Overlook | Watauga County | 1,040 m | Boone | 3 |
| The Lump Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,057 m | Millers Creek | 3 |
| Thomas Divide Overlook | Swain County | 1,137 m | Cherokee | 3 |
| Tompkins Knob Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,116 m | West Jefferson | 3 |
| Thunderstruck Ridge Overlook | Jackson County | 1,463 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Waterrock Knob Overlook | Jackson County | 1,769 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Webb OverlookGreat Smoky Mountains | Swain County | 1,772 m | Bryson City | 3 |
| Yellow-Face Overlook | Jackson County | 1,705 m | Maggie Valley | 3 |
| Lake Overlook | Orange County | 164 m | Hillsborough | 5 |
| Sleepy Gap Overlook | Buncombe County | 894 m | Avery Creek | 4 |
| French Broad River Overlook | Buncombe County | 637 m | Bent Creek | 5 |
| Reynolds Gap Overlook | Buncombe County | 866 m | Avery Creek | 4 |
| Stony Bald Parking Overlook | Henderson County | 1,144 m | Bent Creek | 4 |
| Standhill Mountain Overlook | Buncombe County | 1,210 m | Bent Creek | 4 |
| Big Ridge Parking Overlook | Henderson County | 1,156 m | Bent Creek | 4 |
| Mills River Valley Parking Overlook | Buncombe County | 1,243 m | Bent Creek | 4 |
| Buck Springs Gap Parking Overlook | Haywood County | 1,527 m | Canton | 4 |
| Mount Pisgah Parking Overlook | Haywood County | 1,513 m | Canton | 4 |
| Cherry Cove Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,383 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Devil Courthouse Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,670 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Mount Hardy Parking Overlook | Haywood County | 1,655 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Fetterbush Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,678 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Pounding Mill Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,435 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Cold Mountain Parking Overlook | Haywood County | 1,392 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Looking Glass Rock Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,383 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Funnel Top Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,485 m | Canton | 3 |
| The Pink Beds Parking Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,455 m | Canton | 3 |
| Rich Mountain Overlook | Transylvania County | 1,427 m | Brevard | 3 |
| Betseys Rock Falls Parking Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,044 m | West Jefferson | 3 |
| Lewis Fork Parking Overlook | Wilkes County | 1,014 m | West Jefferson | 3 |
| Moses H. Cone Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,193 m | Blowing Rock | 4 |
| Sims Pond Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,060 m | Blowing Rock | 4 |
| Sims Creek Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,098 m | Blowing Rock | 4 |
| Price Lake Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,039 m | Foscoe | 4 |
| Boone Fork Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,042 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Cold Prong Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,102 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Callaway Peak Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,167 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Green Mountain Parking Overlook | Caldwell County | 1,261 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Pilot Ridge Parking Overlook | Caldwell County | 1,348 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Wilson Creek Valley Parking Overlook | Avery County | 1,329 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Boulder Field Parking Overlook | Avery County | 1,335 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| 1st Bridge North of Raven Rocks Overlooks | Avery County | 1,325 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Wilson Creel Parking Overlook | Avery County | 1,354 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Yohahlosse Parking Overlook | Avery County | 1,362 m | Foscoe | 3 |
| Lost Cove Cliffs Parking Overlook | Avery County | 1,165 m | Banner Elk | 3 |
| Raven Rocks Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,174 m | Blowing Rock | 4 |
| Thunder Hill Parking Overlook | Watauga County | 1,148 m | Blowing Rock | 4 |
| Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook | Alleghany County | 851 m | Galax | 3 |
| Little Glade Pond Overlook | Alleghany County | 834 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Boone's Trace | Watauga County | 1,001 m | Boone | 4 |
| Proposed Crabtree Creek Overlook | Mitchell County | 1,101 m | Spruce Pine | 3 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph scenic viewpoints
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.