Buena Vista Overlook
Buena Vista Overlook sits at 2,288 feet on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with the land dropping 702 feet within 600 meters of the pullout. The view faces 270°, directly toward the sunset. Chimney Rock Mountain rises to the northwest at 1.0 mile, reaching 2,426 feet, while Silver Peak stands west at 1.2 miles and 2,096 feet. Garnet Peak and Elephant Mountain lie to the west-southwest at 1.5 and 2.0 miles, with elevations of 2,010 and 2,081 feet respectively. Farther southwest, Paxton Peak, Little Pinnacle, and Lowry Peak extend the view out to 4.4 miles, with elevations ranging from 1,799 to 1,921 feet. Because the overlook faces due west, the sun sets squarely in view; on the June solstice sunset comes at 20:43, and on the December solstice at 17:03. Lynchburg is 24.2 miles to the south-southeast, Staunton is 31.0 miles north-northeast, and Roanoke is 47.7 miles southwest. Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook precedes this stop along the parkway, and House Mountain Overlook follows it.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Chimney Rock Mountain2,426 ftnorthwest · 1.0 mi
- Silver Peak2,096 ftwest · 1.2 mi
- Garnet Peak2,010 ftwest-southwest · 1.5 mi
- Elephant Mountain2,081 ftwest-southwest · 2.0 mi
- Paxton Peak1,880 ftsouthwest · 3.2 mi
- LIttle Pinnacle1,799 ftsouthwest · 3.8 mi
- Lowry Peak1,921 ftsouthwest · 4.4 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:22 | 19:29 | 18:55 |
| June solstice | 05:56 | 20:43 | 20:04 |
| September equinox | 07:06 | 19:16 | 18:41 |
| December solstice | 07:30 | 17:03 | 16:21 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Lynchburg24.2 mi south-southeast
- Staunton31.0 mi north-northeast
- Roanoke47.7 mi southwest
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How high is Buena Vista Overlook?
Buena Vista Overlook sits at about 2,288 feet (698 m).
What can you see from Buena Vista Overlook?
From Buena Vista Overlook: Chimney Rock Mountain (NW, 1.0 mi); Silver Peak (W, 1.2 mi); Garnet Peak (WSW, 1.5 mi); Elephant Mountain (WSW, 2.0 mi).
Is Buena Vista Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Buena Vista 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 Buena Vista Overlook?
Lynchburg, 24 miles SSE of Buena Vista Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Buena Vista Overlook?
House Mountain Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Buena Vista Overlook.
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Lynchburg · 24 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Buena Vista 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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