Beaver Dam Gap Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway
View: ♦ ♦ ♦ / 5
Trails: Mountains to Sea Trail, Shut-In Trail
Picnic Tables: None
I’m not exactly sure what the view at Beaver Dam Gap is supposed to be, but at most overlooks if you are looking at the identification sign in the parking area, the view is in that direction. In this case, you’ll see nothing but forest when looking at the sign. However, there is a clear view of layer after layer of mountains on the other side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The only problem is that the shoulder of the road is very narrow, so I don’t suggest walking across the Parkway and standing there to take in the view if there is a lot of traffic on the day of your visit.
This is an eastward facing view, so for the best photos be sure to visit in the afternoon or early evening.
View on the other side of the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Beaver Dam Gap Overlook parking area
You can pick up the Mountains to Sea / Shut-In Trail from here. The Shut-In Trail runs 16.3 miles from the Buck Springs Gap Overlook parking lot to Bent Creek near North Carolina Highway 191 (near Blue Ridge Parkway Mile Post 393). For its entire length, it and the Mountains to Sea Trail are the same (the trails stick closely to the Parkway route).
The Mountains to Sea Trail is a 1,150-mile trail that stretches from Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the North Carolina Outer Banks. However, only about half of the miles are on original trails, with the rest following the paths of existing trails such as the Shut-In Trail. The MTS is not part of the National Park system, so I do not review it, but you can find more information on the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail website.
Next Stop South | Next Stop North | Scenic Overlooks
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Last updated on November 5, 2023
