Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock sits at 1,382 feet along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway, with the land dropping 575 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. The view faces 240°, a direction that looks toward sunset, roughly 30° off square. Cat Rock rises to the southwest at 1.2 miles, with Bob's Hill and its two named overlooks further along the same general direction between 2.5 and 2.6 miles out. Cunningham Falls lies to the west at 2.0 miles, and Catoctin Furnace is visible to the south at 3.3 miles. Frederick is the closest town, 14.8 miles to the south, with Germantown and Columbia farther southeast. Because the overlook faces toward the setting sun, evening light will fall across the valley below; sunset times run from about 16:49 in December to 20:42 in June. The next stop along the byway is Point of Rocks Overlook.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Cat Rock1,531 ftsouthwest · 1.2 mi
- Cunningham Falls1,268 ftwest · 2.0 mi
- North Bob's Hill Overlook1,721 ftsouth-southwest · 2.5 mi
- Bob's Hill1,751 ftsouthwest · 2.5 mi
- South Bob's Hill Overlook1,685 ftsouth-southwest · 2.6 mi
- Catoctin Furnace524 ftsouth · 3.3 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:14 | 19:22 | 18:46 |
| June solstice | 05:43 | 20:42 | 20:01 |
| September equinox | 06:58 | 19:09 | 18:33 |
| December solstice | 07:28 | 16:49 | 16:07 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Frederick14.8 mi south
- Germantown32.2 mi south-southeast
- Columbia41.9 mi southeast
Take the scenic way to Chimney Rock.
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How high is Chimney Rock?
Chimney Rock sits at about 1,382 feet (421 m).
What can you see from Chimney Rock?
From Chimney Rock: Cat Rock (SW, 1.2 mi); Cunningham Falls (W, 2.0 mi); North Bob's Hill Overlook (SSW, 2.5 mi); Bob's Hill (SW, 2.5 mi).
Is Chimney Rock better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Chimney Rock 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 Chimney Rock?
Frederick, 15 miles S of Chimney Rock.
What is the next lookout after Chimney Rock?
Point of Rocks Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Chimney Rock.
Drive to Chimney Rock with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Thurmont · 1 mi
- Catoctin Mountain Park · 2 mi
- Frederick County · 11 mi
- Boonsboro · 14 mi
- Middletown · 14 mi
- Frederick · 15 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Chimney Rock — 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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More lookouts on Journey Through Hallowed Ground Byway
Named places near this lookout
- Cat Rock Peak · 1.23 mi
- Cunningham Falls Waterfall · 2.03 mi
- Catoctin Mountain Peak · 2.23 mi
- Piney Mountain Peak · 2.33 mi
- Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo Park · 2.67 mi
- Museum of the Iron Worker Museum · 3.42 mi
- National System of Interstate and Defense Highways Historic site · 6.88 mi
- Pen Mar Park Park · 7.27 mi