The overlooks of the Blue Ridge Parkway going north from Spruce Pine provide some of the best views of mountains and fall colors in the area.  Personally, it is one of my favorite stretches of road in the country.  This guide will review all the overlooks beginning at the Spruce Pine exit on the Blue Ridge Parkway, going north, and ending at the Chestoa Overlook.

Gillespie Gap / Spruce Pine / Museum of North Carolina Minerals Exit
Milepost 331

We begin our journey from Spruce Pine, at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals.  The Mineral Museum is a great introduction to this area of the Parkway, and you should definitely stop and have a look.  There are also maps and other information about the Parkway and areas near Spruce Pine.

The entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway is directly across the museum itself, on NC Highway 226, north of the Grassy Creek area.  Enter the Blue Ridge Parkway exit and turn left at the top of the ramp, which is the Parkway North.

Table Rock Overlook
Milepost 330 

A nice view of Table Rock Mountain from this overlook.  In my opinion, though, the view of Table Rock from Chestoa Overlook is much better.  Still, Table Rock is a distinctive rectangular-top mountain (with a bit of a higher edge on the left side), and is quite photogenic.  You'll see several views of Table Rock from overlooks and even from the road during this journey.

The Loops Overlook
Milepost 329

The Loops Overlook provides a great view of the mountain ranges of the Blue Ridge.  You can also see the tracks of the historic Clinchfield railroad as they wind around and through tunnels to reach the top of the mountains.  This is also a great place to see (and visit) the Orchard at Altapass, a local crafts, food, and music pavilion.  We will see The Orchard from many of the overlooks on this trip, but this view is by far the closest.