Scenic pullout · Shenandoah National Park
An east-facing Piedmont view and a place to scan for fall hawks.
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The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Shenandoah Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Shenandoah National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Shenandoah audio tourRecorded for this place
Beagle Gap Overlook: Watch for Fall Hawks“Up ahead is Beagle Gap Overlook, an east-facing roadside view across the Piedmont. In fall, I'd stop and scan the open sky for migrating hawks, especially broad-winged hawks heading south.”
Plays as you drive up to Beagle Gap Overlook in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Beagle Gap Overlook is a roadside viewpoint on Skyline Drive at mile 99.8, facing east across the park's southern ridges to Virginia's Piedmont. Calf Mountain's long ridge slopes down from the left toward the center of the view, with lower ridges beyond. It's a quick pullout for a broad landscape; there's no hike before the view.
Fall is the best time to scan the open sky for southbound raptors, especially broad-winged hawks. Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and red-tailed hawks are among the other birds recorded here, and the site's list includes 112 reported bird species. Binoculars or a spotting scope can help you look over the surrounding forest, though sightings depend on conditions.
Include Calf Mountain's ridge on the left to give the layered Piedmont view a foreground. The outlook faces east, so sunrise can bring changing light across the distant ridges.
Beagle Gap trailhead is a separate stop at mile 99.5; its small parking area and portable toilets are not at this overlook. For the east-facing view, use Beagle Gap Overlook at mile 99.8.
Wildlife
325 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
21 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
1,036 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
167 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
93 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Shenandoah. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateCalf Mountain via Appalachian Trail3.2 mi · 1.8 hr · 0.3 mi awayA meadow view before the Appalachian Trail’s wooded summit.
EasyBear Den Mountain via Appalachian Trail1.2 mi · 45 min · 0.3 mi awayA short climb to radio towers, tractor seats, and broad ridge views.
EasyLittle Calf Mountain via Appalachian Trail1.7 mi · 1 hr · 0.3 mi awayA short Appalachian Trail climb to a grassy meadow with ridge views
ModerateTurk Branch Loop7.9 mi · 5 hr · 2 mi awayRiver crossings lead to cascades and one broad ridge overlook.
ModerateTurk Mountain Hike2.2 mi · 2.3 hr · 4.1 mi awayA rocky summit and a wide valley view reward this short hike.
Sight · 0.6 mi awayLittle Calf MountainA meadow summit rewards a short walk on the Appalachian Trail.
Scenic pullout · 0.9 mi awayCalf Mountain OverlookA west-facing pullout above Waynesboro and Jarman’s Gap.
Scenic pullout · 1.8 mi awayMcCormick Gap OverlookA quick pullout for wide views toward the southern Shenandoah Valley.
Scenic pullout · 2.6 mi awaySawmill Ridge OverlookFour named ridges and mountains line up in this quick roadside view.
Sight · 3.1 mi awaySawmill Run OverlookA small southwest window toward Sawmill Ridge and Turk Mountain
Sight · 3.9 mi awayTurk MountainA broad westward view waits beyond the last rocky climb.
Entrance station · 4.2 mi awayRockfish Gap EntranceStart at mile 105 for Skyline Drive's quieter southern stretch.
Scenic pullout · 4.5 mi awayTurk Mountain OverlookA quick roadside view of Turk Mountain and Shenandoah Valley.Parkwolf’s Shenandoah ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
