Photograph Sugarland Overlook

Mouth of Wilson, Virginia

Description

Sugarland Overlook provides an outstanding northeast to east view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, it makes this location ideal to photograph the sun rising behind the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Located just inside the park entrance of Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia, Sugarland Overlook provides an outstanding easterly view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Sugarland Overlook is located about a mile up from the ranger station and is on the righthand side of the road. Sugarland Overlook is easy to access and has a lot of parking spots for visitors to enjoy the amazing view. There is a small park fee to enter the park, but the views and hiking trails make it worth it. The overlook is large, which will allow photographers to spread out. Since it provides an outstanding northeast to east view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, it makes this location ideal to photograph the sun rising behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Outlook is named Sugarland because of the many sugar maple trees that are visible from the outlook. The view to the east has multiple valleys and mountains ridges, which will help add depth to your images. After photographing the sunset, make sure you check out some of the amazing trails in the park. Click here for some photography tips.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Photography

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Scenic

Wildflowers

Wildlife

ADA Accessible

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Twin Pinnacles Loop

Park at the Visitor Center; don't stress when you get to the parking lot and can't see it, it's up the hill. From the parking lot hike across the road and find the staircase. Follow this up to the Visitor Center. If you're standing in front of the Visitor Center, the trailhead will be to the left and is marked by a post that says "Twin Pinnacles." Follow this trail and you'll quickly summit the...

Stamper's Branch Trail

Mount Rogers via Appalachian Trail

First of all, who doesn't love wild ponies! There are tons of ponies here, and although they are wild, they are not afraid of people and you can get pretty close (just don't feed them!). Once you enter Grayson Highlands State Park, you will see a parking lot for Massie Gap a few miles in, park here. There is an obvious trail, the Rhododendron Trail, that you will follow for about .5 mile u...

Backpack the Grayson Highlands

Spanning roughly 4500 acres, located in a portion of Jefferson National Forest, looming under the highest peak in Virginia lies the Grayson Highlands. A part of Virginia’s State Parks system and a United States National Landmark, located in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, the Highlands are home to wild mountain ponies, rolling mountain balds with rocky outcroppings, densely spruce-fir covered Mt. Ro...

Photograph Wild Horses at Grayson Highlands State Park

The wild horses gather on top of the bald at the end of Horse Trail North located in Grayson Highlands State Park. Because they are wild, it is important to remember not to touch or feed the horses. The horses are accustomed to hikers and will allow you in their near proximity, but bring a zoom lens and keep a reasonable distance from the horses while photographing and observing. Park in the M...

Rhododendron Trail to Rock Croppings

In order to go when the Rhododendron are blooming you'll need to aim for the first three weeks of June. Starting from the Massies Gap parking area in the Grayson Highlands State Park, follow the trail through the field and towards the base of a large hill. You will see a fence that runs along the base of the hill with a gate right in the center. Go through this gate and follow the winding tra...