Richland Balsam Overlook

About this overlook

Richland Balsam, near Waynesville, North Carolina, rises to 6,410 feet and is the highest peak along the Blue Ridge Parkway. A 1.5-mile self-guided loop trail leads through a spruce-fir forest to the summit. The mountain gets its name from the Fraser fir and red spruce, commonly known as “balsam.” Windstorms have created openings in the forest where plants such as blackberry and elderberry thrive. From the overlook at Milepost 431, visitors can enjoy views of the southern Appalachians, including the Cowee, Nantahala, and Plott Balsam ranges.