Ridge Junction Overlook
Ridge Junction Overlook sits along the Blue Ridge Parkway at 5,160 feet, facing 240 degrees toward the southwest. The terrain drops 830 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. Greybeard Peak and Graybeard Mountain are both visible to the south-southwest at a distance of 2.5 miles, each reaching 5,398 feet. The facing direction is angled 30 degrees off due sunset, putting the view generally toward the evening sky; on the June solstice the sun sets at 20:49, while on the December solstice it sets at 17:20. Asheville lies 17.5 miles to the west-southwest, Morganton is 33.2 miles east, and Boone is 48.0 miles to the northeast. Walker Knob Overlook precedes this stop along the parkway, with Green Knob Overlook following it.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Greybeard Peak5,398 ftsouth-southwest · 2.5 mi
- Graybeard Mountain5,398 ftsouth-southwest · 2.5 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunset — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:34 | 19:41 | 19:07 |
| June solstice | 06:14 | 20:49 | 20:11 |
| September equinox | 07:18 | 19:28 | 18:54 |
| December solstice | 07:36 | 17:20 | 16:40 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Asheville17.5 mi west-southwest
- Morganton33.2 mi east
- Boone48.0 mi northeast
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How high is Ridge Junction Overlook?
Ridge Junction Overlook sits at about 5,160 feet (1,573 m).
What can you see from Ridge Junction Overlook?
From Ridge Junction Overlook: Greybeard Peak (SSW, 2.5 mi); Graybeard Mountain (SSW, 2.5 mi).
Is Ridge Junction Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunset. The land falls away from Ridge Junction 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 Ridge Junction Overlook?
Asheville, 18 miles WSW of Ridge Junction Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Ridge Junction Overlook?
Green Knob Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Ridge Junction Overlook.
Drive to Ridge Junction Overlook with Byway
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Asheville · 18 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Ridge Junction 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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