Smart View Overlook
Smart View Overlook sits at 2,568 feet along the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 120 degrees with land dropping 282 feet within 600 meters of the edge. The view extends southeast toward Calico Rock at 6.6 miles, Mines Branch Recreation Area at 7.6 miles, Jamison Mill Park at 8.5 miles, and Horseshoe Point Recreation Area at 9.3 miles. Higher terrain appears to the south-southeast and east-southeast, including Poor Mountain at 7.8 miles and 1,392 feet, Stuarts Knob at 9.9 miles and 1,382 feet, and Brown Hill at 9.7 miles and 1,823 feet. The facing direction points roughly toward sunrise, offset by 30 degrees. Sunrise times vary through the year, from 06:02 at the June solstice to 07:31 at the December solstice, with sunset ranging from 20:44 in June to 17:08 in December. The nearest towns are Cave Spring, 22.7 miles north-northeast, Blacksburg, 24.0 miles north-northwest, and Roanoke, 26.9 miles north-northeast. Pine Spur Overlook lies before this stop along the route, with The Saddle Overlook next.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Calico Rock1,232 ftsoutheast · 6.6 mi
- Mines Branch Recreation Area1,116 ftsoutheast · 7.6 mi
- Poor Mountain1,392 ftsouth-southeast · 7.8 mi
- Jamison Mill Park1,131 ftsoutheast · 8.5 mi
- Horseshoe Point Recreation Area1,106 ftsoutheast · 9.3 mi
- Brown Hill1,823 fteast-southeast · 9.7 mi
- Stuarts Knob1,382 ftsouth-southeast · 9.9 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunrise — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:25 | 19:33 | 18:59 |
| June solstice | 06:02 | 20:44 | 20:06 |
| September equinox | 07:09 | 19:19 | 18:45 |
| December solstice | 07:31 | 17:08 | 16:28 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Cave Spring22.7 mi north-northeast
- Blacksburg24.0 mi north-northwest
- Roanoke26.9 mi north-northeast
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How high is Smart View Overlook?
Smart View Overlook sits at about 2,568 feet (783 m).
What can you see from Smart View Overlook?
From Smart View Overlook: Calico Rock (SE, 6.6 mi); Mines Branch Recreation Area (SE, 7.6 mi); Poor Mountain (SSE, 7.8 mi); Jamison Mill Park (SE, 8.5 mi).
Is Smart View Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. The land falls away from Smart View 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 Smart View Overlook?
Cave Spring, 23 miles NNE of Smart View Overlook.
What is the next lookout after Smart View Overlook?
The Saddle Overlook is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after Smart View Overlook.
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Roanoke · 27 mi
Locals make it Verified.
Smart View 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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