Panoramic view from the Big Spy Mountain Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway (click to enlarge)
View: ♦ ♦ / 5
Trails: Big Spy Mountain Trail
Picnic Tables: None
The advertised view from the Big Spy Mountain Overlook is actually on the other side of the Blue Ridge Parkway from the parking area. The Overlook has two small hills from which you can get a more elevated view into Shenandoah Valley, for trees block much of the scene from the parking lot. Short-but-steep trails, one grass and one paved, lead to the top, and from there you can go left or right to whichever hill suits your fancy. However, the view from the hill on the left (when looking at the overlook identification sign) has the better view, so take the grass path to the top.
Two paths to the top of the Big Spy Mountain Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway Outdoor Guide (pick one up at any visitor center) lists a Big Spy Mountain Trail at this stop, but there is no trail other than these two paths to the top. If that is what the publication is referring to, the two paths do connect at the top to form a loop, and the total distance is a tenth of a mile.
Path to the viewing area at Big Spy Mountain Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Next Stop South | Next Stop North | Scenic Overlooks
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on October 12, 2024
