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Headforemost Mountain Overlook

OpenStreetMap
Looking south-west from Headforemost Mountain Overlook. Terrain at true elevation.

Headforemost Mountain Overlook sits at 2,864 feet along the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 210 degrees toward the southwest. The land drops 527 feet within 600 meters of the overlook, giving a steep foreground. Three peaks are visible: The Pinnacle rises to the south-southwest at 1.9 miles and 3,652 feet, Harkening Hill lies to the west-southwest at 3.3 miles and 3,360 feet, and Sunset Hill sits to the southwest at 3.8 miles and 2,643 feet. Lynchburg is 23.6 miles east-southeast, Roanoke is 25.3 miles southwest, and Cave Spring is 30.0 miles southwest. Black Rock Hill Overlook precedes this stop, and Mills Gap Overlook follows it along the byway.

Sunrise and sunset shift with the seasons: on the March equinox the sun rises at 07:23 and sets at 19:30; at the June solstice sunrise is 05:58 and sunset 20:43; at the September equinox sunrise is 07:07 and sunset 19:17; and at the December solstice sunrise is 07:30 and sunset 17:04. The approach to this overlook closes seasonally, from August 1 through January 10, so access should be checked before planning a visit during that window.

Access
On the byway
Elevation
2,864 ft
View
Southwest · 210°
Relief
527 ft drop
In view
3 named features
Candy darter photographed in Stoney Creek, VA. Credit: Racel Mair/USFWS
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region · Public domain · source

What you’re looking at

Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.

  • The Pinnacle3,652 ftsouth-southwest · 1.9 mi
  • Harkening Hill3,360 ftwest-southwest · 3.3 mi
  • Sunset Hill2,643 ftsouthwest · 3.8 mi

Light

DateSunriseSunsetGolden hour
March equinox07:2319:3018:56
June solstice05:5820:4320:04
September equinox07:0719:1718:42
December solstice07:3017:0416:23

Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.

Where it is

  • Lynchburg23.6 mi east-southeast
  • Roanoke25.3 mi southwest
  • Cave Spring30.0 mi southwest

The approach closes seasonally. Source: OpenStreetMap (access:conditional=yes @ (Aug 01-Jan 10)). Check the road authority before travelling.

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How high is Headforemost Mountain Overlook?

Headforemost Mountain Overlook sits at about 2,864 feet (873 m).

What can you see from Headforemost Mountain Overlook?

From Headforemost Mountain Overlook: The Pinnacle (SSW, 1.9 mi); Harkening Hill (WSW, 3.3 mi); Sunset Hill (SW, 3.8 mi).

Is the road to Headforemost Mountain Overlook open year-round?

No. The approach to Headforemost Mountain Overlook closes seasonally. The source records: access:conditional=yes @ (Aug 01-Jan 10). Check the managing agency before setting out.

What is the nearest town to Headforemost Mountain Overlook?

Lynchburg, 24 miles ESE of Headforemost Mountain Overlook.

What is the next lookout after Headforemost Mountain Overlook?

Mills Gap Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Headforemost Mountain Overlook.

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Locals make it Verified.

Headforemost Mountain 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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