Patio View of MacRae Peak
This overlook sits at 5,377 feet along the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 50 degrees toward the east-northeast. The terrain drops 837 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. Two named viewpoints are visible from here: Grandmother View lies east-southeast at 0.7 miles and 4,872 feet elevation, and Rough Ridge Lookout - Grandfather Mountain, NC. is visible to the east at 1.6 miles and 4,477 feet. The facing direction points roughly toward sunrise, about 40 degrees off square with it. Sunrise and sunset times vary through the year, with sunrise around 06:11 near the June solstice and closer to 07:35 near the December solstice, while sunset ranges from about 17:17 in December to 20:48 in June. The nearest towns are Johnson City, 32.9 miles to the west-northwest, Hickory, 37.0 miles to the southeast, and Bristol, 39.7 miles to the north-northwest. Along the parkway, this stop follows Grandfather Mountain Overlook and precedes Stack Rock Parking Area.

What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Grandmother View4,872 fteast-southeast · 0.7 mi
- Rough Ridge Lookout - Grandfather Mountain, NC.4,477 fteast · 1.6 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunrise — 40° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:32 | 19:39 | 19:05 |
| June solstice | 06:11 | 20:48 | 20:10 |
| September equinox | 07:16 | 19:26 | 18:52 |
| December solstice | 07:35 | 17:17 | 16:37 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Johnson City32.9 mi west-northwest
- Hickory37.0 mi southeast
- Bristol39.7 mi north-northwest
Take the scenic way to Patio View of MacRae Peak.
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How high is Patio View of MacRae Peak?
Patio View of MacRae Peak sits at about 5,377 feet (1,639 m).
What can you see from Patio View of MacRae Peak?
From Patio View of MacRae Peak: Grandmother View (ESE, 0.7 mi); Rough Ridge Lookout - Grandfather Mountain, NC. (E, 1.6 mi).
Is Patio View of MacRae Peak better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. The land falls away from Patio View of MacRae Peak 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 Patio View of MacRae Peak?
Johnson City, 33 miles WNW of Patio View of MacRae Peak.
What is the next lookout after Patio View of MacRae Peak?
Stack Rock Parking Area is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Patio View of MacRae Peak.
Drive to Patio View of MacRae Peak with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Elizabethton · 28 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Patio View of MacRae Peak — 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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