North Carolina's Most Scenic Overlooks

North Carolina's overlooks are some of the finest in eastern North America — particularly along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which was specifically designed to maximize scenic viewpoints.

Clingmans Dome Observation Tower
The highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains and in North Carolina's border peaks (6,643 ft). The futuristic concrete spiral ramp observation tower rises above the spruce-fir forest. On clear days, the view extends 100+ miles; on most days, the tower is in or above the clouds. The half-mile paved path from the parking area is steep.

Black Balsam Knob Summit (6,214 ft)
Open bald summit with a 360-degree view accessible via 2 miles of hiking from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The sweeping mountain panorama — no trees, no development, just ridgeline after ridgeline — captures the Southern Appalachians at their most primordial.

Rough Ridge (Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 302)
A short but rocky scramble to an exposed quartzite outcrop above the Linn Cove Viaduct area near Grandfather Mountain. The views of the viaduct, Grandfather Mountain's distinctive profile, and the piedmont below are outstanding. One of the best short hikes with a disproportionate view reward.

Devil's Courthouse (Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 422)
A half-mile paved trail to a rocky summit at 5,462 feet with views into South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee on clear days. A Cherokee legend holds that this was where the devil held court; the sheer rock face below the summit gives it a forbidding character.

Chimney Rock State Park
The 315-foot granite monolith rising above Hickory Nut Gorge — reached by elevator or stair trail — gives bird's-eye views of the gorge, Hickory Nut Falls, and Lake Lure. The scenic drama of this view helped it serve as filming location for The Last of the Mohicans.