Horsehead Mountain Overlook
Horsehead Mountain Overlook sits at 2,575 feet along Skyline Drive, facing 300 degrees with land dropping 790 feet within 600 meters. Calvary Rocks rises to the west-southwest at 1.0 mile, reaching 2,870 feet, while Horsehead Mountain itself lies west-northwest at 1.2 miles, at 2,056 feet. The facing direction points roughly toward the sunset, 30 degrees off square, making evening light a factor here; sunset falls at 19:27 near the March equinox, 20:42 at the June solstice, 19:14 near the September equinox, and 16:59 at the December solstice. Staunton is 17.4 miles to the west, Harrisonburg is 18.7 miles north-northwest, and Charlottesville is 19.0 miles southeast. Rattlesnake Point Overlook precedes this stop on the drive, and Chimney Rock follows.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Calvary Rocks2,870 ftwest-southwest · 1.0 mi
- Horsehead Mountain2,056 ftwest-northwest · 1.2 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:19 | 19:27 | 18:52 |
| June solstice | 05:53 | 20:42 | 20:03 |
| September equinox | 07:03 | 19:14 | 18:39 |
| December solstice | 07:29 | 16:59 | 16:18 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Staunton17.4 mi west
- Harrisonburg18.7 mi north-northwest
- Charlottesville19.0 mi southeast
Take the scenic way to Horsehead Mountain Overlook.
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How high is Horsehead Mountain Overlook?
Horsehead Mountain Overlook sits at about 2,575 feet (785 m).
What can you see from Horsehead Mountain Overlook?
From Horsehead Mountain Overlook: Calvary Rocks (WSW, 1.0 mi); Horsehead Mountain (WNW, 1.2 mi).
Is Horsehead Mountain Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Horsehead Mountain 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 Horsehead Mountain Overlook?
Staunton, 17 miles W of Horsehead Mountain Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Horsehead Mountain Overlook?
Chimney Rock is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Horsehead Mountain Overlook.
Drive to Horsehead Mountain Overlook with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Skyline Drive, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Charlottesville · 19 mi
- Shenandoah National Park · 27 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Horsehead 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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