The Saddle Overlook
The Saddle Overlook sits at 3,362 feet on the Blue Ridge Parkway, facing 60 degrees with land dropping 544 feet within 600 meters of the pullout. The view opens toward the east-northeast to northeast, taking in Sugarloaf Mountain at 3.2 miles, Rakes Knob at 4.9 miles, Stockers Knob at 5.7 miles, Pocket Ridge at 5.7 miles, and The Haycocks at 5.8 miles. Farther out, One Clear View lies at 6.7 miles, Deep Run Camp Area at 8.0 miles, and Shortts Knob at 8.3 miles. The overlook faces close to sunrise direction, roughly 30 degrees off square, with sunrise ranging from about 6:03 in June to 7:31 in December. Blacksburg is 28.4 miles to the north, Cave Spring 33.6 miles north-northeast, and Roanoke 38.0 miles northeast. Smart View Overlook precedes this stop on the parkway, with Rock Castle Gorge next.
What you’re looking at
Named terrain inside the view from this overlook, nearest first.
- Sugarloaf Mountain2,932 fteast-northeast · 3.2 mi
- Rakes Knob2,928 ftnortheast · 4.9 mi
- Stockers Knob2,809 ftnorth-northeast · 5.7 mi
- Pocket Ridge3,220 fteast-northeast · 5.7 mi
- The Haycocks3,141 ftnortheast · 5.8 mi
- One Clear View2,496 ftnorth-northeast · 6.7 mi
- Deep Run Camp Area1,216 fteast · 8.0 mi
- Shortts Knob2,908 ftnortheast · 8.3 mi
Light
This overlook faces sunrise — 30° off square to it.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:26 | 19:33 | 18:59 |
| June solstice | 06:03 | 20:44 | 20:06 |
| September equinox | 07:10 | 19:20 | 18:46 |
| December solstice | 07:31 | 17:09 | 16:29 |
Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.
Where it is
- Blacksburg28.4 mi north
- Cave Spring33.6 mi north-northeast
- Roanoke38.0 mi northeast
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How high is The Saddle Overlook?
The Saddle Overlook sits at about 3,362 feet (1,025 m).
What can you see from The Saddle Overlook?
From The Saddle Overlook: Sugarloaf Mountain (ENE, 3.2 mi); Rakes Knob (NE, 4.9 mi); Stockers Knob (NNE, 5.7 mi); Pocket Ridge (ENE, 5.7 mi).
Is The Saddle Overlook better at sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. The land falls away from The Saddle 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 The Saddle Overlook?
Blacksburg, 28 miles N of The Saddle Overlook.
What is the next lookout after The Saddle Overlook?
Rock Castle Gorge is the next surfaced lookout along the same route after The Saddle Overlook.
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Byways with this lookout
Day trips start here
- Mount Airy · 27 mi
Locals make it Verified.
The Saddle 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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