Paved trail to the left leads to the Observation Deck

Roy Taylor Forest Overlook

This parking area is located at Flat Gap, which was used by loggers and hunters as a campsite during the 1800s. Below the overlook is Deep Ridge Creek, once the site of a Cherokee settlement until 1781, when it was destroyed because the Cherokee had allied with the British during the American Revolution. This spot also features a picnic table.

View of Double Top Mountain 

Licklog Gap Overlook

Below the overlook are the remains of a small mica mine that operated until around 1950. Mica is a silvery, brittle mineral that naturally forms in thin sheets and was once valued for its excellent insulating properties. It was widely used in electrical equipment before the development of plastics made it largely obsolete. The mine eventually closed after World War II as the value of mica declined.

Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook

View of Steestachee Bald

Cove Field Ridge Overlook

View of the Village of Saunook

Legend says the town of Waynesville was named after Revolutionary War hero "Mad" Anthony Wayne. This overlook also features a picnic table, making it a nice spot to stop and enjoy the area.

View of Waynesville

The Standing Rock is at the south end of the parking area of the overlook. The huge rock seems out of place among all of the trees.

Standing Rock Overlook

In 1776 General Griffith Rutherford led an attack that push Native Americans living along the Tuckasegee River back into what is now Cherokee and destroyed their cabins. 

Rabb Knob Overlook

This parking area with a picnic table is on a short loop off the Parkway. It is named for the apple orchards alongside Richland Creek in the valley below.

The Orchards Overlook

This overlook offers views of 6,240-foot Mt. Lyn Lowry, a picnic area, and Woodfin Cascades. The mountain was renamed in 1965 in memory of 15-year-old Lyn Lowry. Her parents later placed a 60-foot cross and memorial on the ridge, which can be seen from miles away on clear days. Across the overlook, Woodfin Cascades tumbles down the mountainside. The falls are best viewed in winter and early spring or after heavy rainfall.

All Overlooks