Raven Rock Overlook
Raven Rock Overlook sits at 3,844 feet along the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 270 degrees with land dropping 489 feet within 600 meters of the edge. Thunder Hill rises southwest at half a mile, reaching 3,899 feet. To the west-northwest, at roughly 2.7 to 2.8 miles, are Flat Top Tower at 4,551 feet, Flat Top Mountain at 4,547 feet, and Moses Cone Overlook at 3,969 feet. The overlook faces directly toward the setting sun, with sunset falling at 19:39 near the March equinox, 20:48 near the June solstice, 19:25 near the September equinox, and 17:16 near the December solstice. Boone lies 5.9 miles north-northwest, Hickory 32.7 miles south-southeast, and Bristol 43.8 miles northwest. Yadkin Valley Overlook precedes this stop on the byway, and Grandview Overlook follows it.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Thunder Hill3,899 ftsouthwest · 0.5 mi
- Flat Top Tower4,551 ftwest-northwest · 2.7 mi
- Flat Top Mountain4,547 ftwest-northwest · 2.8 mi
- Moses Cone Overlook3,969 ftwest-northwest · 2.8 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:31 | 19:39 | 19:05 |
| June solstice | 06:10 | 20:48 | 20:10 |
| September equinox | 07:15 | 19:25 | 18:51 |
| December solstice | 07:35 | 17:16 | 16:36 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Boone5.9 mi north-northwest
- Hickory32.7 mi south-southeast
- Bristol43.8 mi northwest
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How high is Raven Rock Overlook?
Raven Rock Overlook sits at about 3,844 feet (1,172 m).
What can you see from Raven Rock Overlook?
From Raven Rock Overlook: Thunder Hill (SW, 0.5 mi); Flat Top Tower (WNW, 2.7 mi); Flat Top Mountain (WNW, 2.8 mi); Moses Cone Overlook (WNW, 2.8 mi).
Is Raven Rock Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Raven Rock 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 Raven Rock Overlook?
Boone, 5.9 miles NNW of Raven Rock Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Raven Rock Overlook?
Grandview Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Raven Rock Overlook.
Drive to Raven Rock Overlook with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
Locals make it Verified.
Raven Rock 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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