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Points 13-17
13. Swift Run OverlookFrom this overlook you can gaze back over Swift Run Gap, one of many spots where Skyline Drive intersects the Appalachian Trail. Stretching some 2,000 miles from Maine to Georgia, the trail is the longest continuous footpath in North America. It roughly parallels the drive, following the mountain crest for 94 miles through the park. Numerous spurs branch off the main path, some leading up to high peaks, others winding down into deep ravines.
14. Big Run Overlook
The secret to Skyline Drive's appeal is its contrasting perspectives -- short-range views of forests juxtaposed with long-range vistas of the distant mountains and valleys. At this overlook, for example, nearby trees frame panoramas of far-off peaks, creating scenes that are postcard perfect. For the more adventurous, a steep trail descends into Big Run Valley, where a fish-filled stream leads to a small waterfall and several pools large enough for a dip.
15. Blackrock
This summit, and the talus slopes below it, may seem black from a distance, but they are actually dark brown -- the color of the coarse lichen that covers them. Since no trail leads to the top of Blackrock, visitors must clamber up a slope littered with fallen rocks. The view atop the summit is well worth the effort: a sweeping survey of forested mountains and the valley beyond.
16. Crimora Lake Overlook
Near mile 92.6 is Crimora Lake, one of the few lakes visible from the drive. Crimora is more notable for what stands beside it than for the lake itself: to its left is an abandoned manganese mine -- once the largest source of this rare mineral in America. The overlook also provides a scenic vista that includes several different mountains.
17. Sawmill Run Overlook
From the middle of this overlook, visitors can see several mountains stretching toward the horizon -- a farewell glimpse of Shenandoah's unforgettable beauty. The Skyline Drive comes to an end at Rockfish Gap, but still the magnificent scenery goes on. Picking up where the drive leaves off, the Blue Ridge Parkway continues southwest for another 469 miles all the way through the George Washington National Forest to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's a drive well worth taking on your own.
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