4 Scenic Drive Photo Ops Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful and scenic roads in the U.S. Take a drive along the the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, North Carolina and make a stop at these scenic photo spots along the way.

If you’re visiting Asheville, North Carolina, take a day out of your busy schedule to drive along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway Photo Spots

The Parkway has tons of overlooks and hiking trails (both short and long) that make for the perfect photo op. And you don’t have to travel far from Asheville for some of the best spots! This region of the Parkway is known as the Pisgah Region, and the spots on this list are all located just north of Asheville.

Check out these amazing scenic photo spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville.

Tanbark Ridge Overlook

Milepost 376.7

The Tanbark Ridge Overlook is a popular scenic spot along the Blue Ridge Parkway. With a wide space for parking and a 180-degree view facing east, this overlook makes for a great picnic spot.

Enjoy the incredible views overlooking High Swan, High Knob, and Lane Pinnacle mountains.

Craggy Pinnacle Hike

Milepost 364.1

Craggy Pinnacle is just a short, but steep 0.6 mile one-way hike to 360-degree views. The trail is located just past the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center at the Craggy Dome Overlook parking lot. Your hike takes you through patches of rhododendron, whose blooms make the trail popular during June, to a summit overlook surrounded by rock wall.

With these incredible summit views, you’ll be able to see Mount Mitchell to the north, Tennessee to the west, the Blue Ridge Parkway as it continues to the south, and Asheville’s North Fork water reservoir to the east.

Read more about hiking the Craggy Pinnacle Trail here.

View Glassmine Falls Overlook

Milepost 361.2

If you’re lucky, the View Glassmine Falls Overlook gives you a view across the valley to the tall, skinny Glassmine Falls waterfall. But that’s only if the weather has been wet. If you’re stopping here during a dry period, there may only be a trickle or no falls at all. Then, all you’ll see is a rocky bald spot amidst the trees where the falls would be.

There is a nice-sized parking lot. You can view the falls from the parking lot, but there is also a snort paved path that leads up to a viewing platform as well.

Mount Mitchell Summit Hike

Milepost 355.4

Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet. It’s a must-stop point for a scenic drive along this portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

You can drive all the way up to the Mount Mitchell State Park summit parking lot, and then take a short, but steep, paved 0.15 one-way trail to the observation platform at the top. From the summit, you’ll get incredible 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. On a clear day, you may be able to see up to 85 miles out.

Read more about hiking the Mount Mitchell Summit Trail here.

Blue Ridge Parkway Tours

Experience the beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway with a guided day trip from Asheville. If you want to learn more while you drive this scenic by-way, check out these top tours of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

• Blue Ridge Parkway Waterfalls Hiking Tour from Asheville
• Scenic Driving Tour of the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Explore The Blue Ridge Mountains: Private Day Trip from Asheville
• Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Read next: How to Spend 2 Days in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina

Cheers!

Paige

What are your favorite scenic photo spots along the Blue Ridge Parkway? Let me know in the comments!