Carter Overlook
Carter Overlook sits at 551 feet along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway, facing 300 degrees toward the northwest. The terrain drops 172 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. From this vantage, Quarry Park lies north-northwest at 0.9 miles, with Belmont Park farther along the same direction at 1.2 miles. Ridge Street Historic District and Forest Hills Park are visible to the northwest at 1.7 and 2.0 miles, while Albemarle Historic District, the Charlottesville and Albemarle County Courthouse Historic District, and Court Square Park all lie to the north at roughly 2.0 to 2.1 miles. Charlottesville itself is 1.9 miles to the north. The facing direction is angled 30 degrees off square from due sunset, meaning evening light crosses the view rather than sitting straight ahead. Sunset times vary through the year, from 20:41 at the June solstice to 16:58 at the December solstice. The previous lookout along this route is identified as a CS Sharpshooter's position.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Quarry Park371 ftnorth-northwest · 0.9 mi
- Belmont Park442 ftnorth-northwest · 1.2 mi
- Ridge Street Historic District486 ftnorthwest · 1.7 mi
- Forest Hills Park463 ftnorthwest · 2.0 mi
- Albemarle Historic District502 ftnorth · 2.0 mi
- Charlottesville and Albemarle County Courthouse Historic District485 ftnorth · 2.0 mi
- Court Square Park498 ftnorth · 2.1 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:18 | 19:26 | 18:51 |
| June solstice | 05:52 | 20:41 | 20:01 |
| September equinox | 07:02 | 19:13 | 18:38 |
| December solstice | 07:27 | 16:58 | 16:17 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Charlottesville1.9 mi north
- Staunton34.1 mi west-northwest
- Harrisonburg37.6 mi northwest
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How high is Carter Overlook?
Carter Overlook sits at about 551 feet (168 m).
What can you see from Carter Overlook?
From Carter Overlook: Quarry Park (NNW, 0.9 mi); Belmont Park (NNW, 1.2 mi); Ridge Street Historic District (NW, 1.7 mi); Forest Hills Park (NW, 2.0 mi).
Is Carter Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Carter 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 Carter Overlook?
Charlottesville, 1.9 miles N of Carter Overlook.
Drive to Carter Overlook with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Charlottesville · 2 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Carter 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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