Balsam Gap Overlook
Balsam Gap Overlook sits at 3,629 feet on the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 330 degrees toward the north-northwest. The terrain drops 338 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. The entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Balsam Gap lies 0.6 miles to the west at 3,383 feet. Fowler Balsam Mountain rises to the north-northwest at 2.8 miles and 5,428 feet, while Wesner Bald Overlook and Scott Creek Overlook, both parkway viewpoints, are visible to the west-northwest at 2.8 and 3.0 miles, reaching 4,990 and 5,158 feet respectively. Further along the same direction, Oldfield Top reaches 5,791 feet at 3.0 miles northwest, Mount Lyn Lowry reaches 6,229 feet at 3.1 miles northwest, and Plott Balsam reaches 6,081 feet at 3.3 miles north-northwest. Asheville lies 31.0 miles east-northeast, Hendersonville 35.1 miles east-southeast, and Sevierville 40.9 miles northwest. The nearby overlooks along the route are Mt. Lyn Lowry Overlook to the previous stop and Rabb Knob Overlook as the next one.

What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Entrance to Blueridge Parkway at Balsam Gap3,383 ftwest · 0.6 mi
- Fowler Balsam Mountain5,428 ftnorth-northwest · 2.8 mi
- Wesner Bald Overlook (MP 448.1)4,990 ftwest-northwest · 2.8 mi
- Scott Creek Overlook (MP 448.5)5,158 ftwest-northwest · 3.0 mi
- Oldfield Top5,791 ftnorthwest · 3.0 mi
- Mount Lyn Lowry6,229 ftnorthwest · 3.1 mi
- Plott Balsam6,081 ftnorth-northwest · 3.3 mi
Light
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:37 | 19:44 | 19:11 |
| June solstice | 06:18 | 20:51 | 20:14 |
| September equinox | 07:21 | 19:31 | 18:57 |
| December solstice | 07:38 | 17:24 | 16:45 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Asheville31.0 mi east-northeast
- Hendersonville35.1 mi east-southeast
- Sevierville40.9 mi northwest
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How high is Balsam Gap Overlook?
Balsam Gap Overlook sits at about 3,629 feet (1,106 m).
What can you see from Balsam Gap Overlook?
From Balsam Gap Overlook: Entrance to Blueridge Parkway at Balsam Gap (W, 0.6 mi); Fowler Balsam Mountain (NNW, 2.8 mi); Wesner Bald Overlook (MP 448.1) (WNW, 2.8 mi); Scott Creek Overlook (MP 448.5) (WNW, 3.0 mi).
What is the nearest town to Balsam Gap Overlook?
Asheville, 31 miles ENE of Balsam Gap Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Balsam Gap Overlook?
Rabb Knob Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Balsam Gap Overlook.
Drive to Balsam Gap Overlook with Byway
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Balsam Gap Overlook — confirmed, rated, and photographed by people who actually pulled over. A local confirmation is what upgrades a lookout from Discovered to Verified. Zero hallucinations.
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