Best time to go
- Views open up when the trees are bare. Taller trees can block the overlooks, so late fall through early spring generally gives the clearest sightlines. In full leaf, expect a greener, more enclosed drive with more limited long views.
- Early morning or late afternoon brings softer light for photos from the overlooks.
- Allow enough daylight for the full 2.5-mile one-way drive, since the road runs in one direction only and you cannot turn around and backtrack once you commit. Budget time to stop at each overlook and read the interpretive information rather than rushing through.
