Beartrap Gap Overlook
Beartrap Gap Overlook sits at 5,579 feet along the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 240 degrees with the land dropping 654 feet within 600 meters of the pullout. Four peaks are visible to the south and west: Gage Bald 2.0 miles south-southwest at 5,567 feet, Hickory Flat Knob 2.6 miles west-southwest at 4,513 feet, Charley Bald 2.7 miles south-southwest at 5,502 feet, and Rich Mountain Bald 3.3 miles south-southwest at 5,576 feet. The overlook's orientation is angled about 30 degrees off a direct sunset view, giving evening light across the gap; on the June solstice the sun sets at 20:51, while on the December solstice it sets at 17:24. Asheville lies 29.5 miles to the northeast, with Easley 41.3 miles south-southeast and Greenville 46.3 miles southeast. Beartrail Ridge Overlook is the previous stop along the byway, and Caney Fork Overlook follows next.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Gage Bald5,567 ftsouth-southwest · 2.0 mi
- Hickory Flat Knob4,513 ftwest-southwest · 2.6 mi
- Charley Bald5,502 ftsouth-southwest · 2.7 mi
- Rich Mountain Bald5,576 ftsouth-southwest · 3.3 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:36 | 19:44 | 19:10 |
| June solstice | 06:18 | 20:51 | 20:13 |
| September equinox | 07:21 | 19:30 | 18:57 |
| December solstice | 07:38 | 17:24 | 16:45 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Asheville29.5 mi northeast
- Easley41.3 mi south-southeast
- Greenville46.3 mi southeast
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How high is Beartrap Gap Overlook?
Beartrap Gap Overlook sits at about 5,579 feet (1,701 m).
What can you see from Beartrap Gap Overlook?
From Beartrap Gap Overlook: Gage Bald (SSW, 2.0 mi); Hickory Flat Knob (WSW, 2.6 mi); Charley Bald (SSW, 2.7 mi); Rich Mountain Bald (SSW, 3.3 mi).
Is Beartrap Gap Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Beartrap Gap Overlook toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Beartrap Gap Overlook?
Asheville, 30 miles NE of Beartrap Gap Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Beartrap Gap Overlook?
Caney Fork Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Beartrap Gap Overlook.
Drive to Beartrap Gap Overlook with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Asheville · 29 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Beartrap 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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