Mill Mountain Star Overlook
Mill Mountain Star Overlook sits at 1,731 feet on the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 60 degrees with the land dropping 832 feet within 600 meters of the pull-off. The orientation looks toward sunrise, angled 30 degrees off square to it. Below and to the north-northeast through east-northeast, the view takes in a series of parks: Belmont Park and Southeast Recreation Center at 1.0 mile, Golden Park at 1.4 miles, Thrasher Park at 2.8 miles, East Gate Park at 3.0 miles, Mason Mill Park at 3.3 miles, Vineyard Park West at 3.3 miles, Vineyark Park East at 3.8 miles, and Goode Park at 4.0 miles. These sites range in elevation from 921 to 1,124 feet, well below the overlook itself. Roanoke lies 1.5 miles north-northwest, Cave Spring 4.4 miles west-southwest, and Blacksburg 26.5 miles west. Sunrise and sunset times shift across the year, from a 06:00 sunrise at the June solstice to a 07:31 sunrise at the December solstice, with sunset ranging from 17:06 in December to 20:44 in June. Mill Mountain Overlook precedes this stop on the parkway, with Afton Overlook next.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Belmont Park1,059 ftnorth-northeast · 1.0 mi
- Southeast Recreation Center1,061 ftnorth-northeast · 1.0 mi
- Golden Park933 fteast-northeast · 1.4 mi
- Thrasher Park963 ftnorth-northeast · 2.8 mi
- East Gate Park973 ftnorth-northeast · 3.0 mi
- Mason Mill Park975 ftnorth-northeast · 3.3 mi
- Vineyard Park West921 ftnortheast · 3.3 mi
- Vineyark Park East930 ftnortheast · 3.8 mi
- Goode Park1,124 fteast-northeast · 4.0 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunrise — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:24 | 19:32 | 18:57 |
| June solstice | 06:00 | 20:44 | 20:05 |
| September equinox | 07:08 | 19:18 | 18:44 |
| December solstice | 07:31 | 17:06 | 16:26 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Roanoke1.5 mi north-northwest
- Cave Spring4.4 mi west-southwest
- Blacksburg26.5 mi west
Take the scenic way to Mill Mountain Star Overlook.
Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.
How high is Mill Mountain Star Overlook?
Mill Mountain Star Overlook sits at about 1,731 feet (528 m).
What can you see from Mill Mountain Star Overlook?
From Mill Mountain Star Overlook: Belmont Park (NNE, 1.0 mi); Southeast Recreation Center (NNE, 1.0 mi); Golden Park (ENE, 1.4 mi); Thrasher Park (NNE, 2.8 mi).
Is Mill Mountain Star Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. The land falls away from Mill Mountain Star Overlook toward the sunrise, so at sunset the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.
What is the nearest town to Mill Mountain Star Overlook?
Roanoke, 1.5 miles NNW of Mill Mountain Star Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Mill Mountain Star Overlook?
Afton Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Mill Mountain Star Overlook.
Drive to Mill Mountain Star Overlook with Byway
Byway plans the scenic way there — real places along Blue Ridge Parkway, real weather, zero hallucinations — and hands the turns to the navigation you already use.
Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Roanoke · 1 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Mill Mountain Star 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.
Confirmed by locals
No local confirmations yet. Stood here? Yours is the one that upgrades this lookout to Verified.
Ratings
No ratings yet. Stood at this lookout? Be the first to rate it.
No written reviews yet.
Field notes
No field notes yet. Know the gate hours or the best pull-in? Leave the note you wish you'd had.
Photos
No photos yet.
Sign in to confirm this lookout, rate it, add photos, and leave field notes.