Scenic pullout · Shenandoah National Park
Morning Star Lake sits just left of layered Blue Ridge ridges.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
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
Jewell Hollow Overlook: Ridges and Morning Star Lake“Jewell Hollow Overlook is coming up, with a north-northwest view across layered ridges. Leading Ridge is nearest, with Jewell Hollow behind it and Morning Star Lake to the left.”
Plays as you drive up to Jewell Hollow 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
This roadside scenic pullout sits at 3,320 feet on Skyline Drive, looking north-northwest over the Blue Ridge. It is a short stop for layered ridges and valley scenery; the view is the main event, and similar overlooks along the drive make this an easy one to pass if you are short on time.
Leading Ridge is nearest, with Jewell Hollow behind it. The slopes descend toward the valley, and Morning Star Lake appears on the left. For a photo with depth, keep the nearer ridge in front of the farther layers; the lake is a small landmark at the edge of the view.
A geology road log identifies the sharp-crested ridges as rocks of the Chilhowee Group. Look for their repeating ridge line as the Blue Ridge steps down toward the valley.
Jewell Hollow lies behind Leading Ridge. Morning Star Lake was formed by Dry Run Dam and is used for flood control in the valley below.
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
ChallengingLeading Ridge Trail2.7 mi · 2.8 hr · At the trailheadA short ridge hike with a punishing climb and steep return
ModerateThe Pinnacle via Appalachian Trail2.4 mi · 1.8 hr · 0.3 mi awayA short AT climb to a broad summit and valley views.
ChallengingHannah, Hot-Short, and Catlett Loop9.1 mi · 7.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA strenuous loop past cascades, stone walls, and mining traces.
ModerateCorbin Cabin and Nicholson Hollow Loop4.2 mi · 3.5 hr · 1 mi awayA steep hollow loop to a historic cabin and river crossings.
ModerateCorbin Cabin via Corbin Cabin Cutoff2.8 mi · 2.5 hr · 1 mi awayA steep, wooded walk to a historic hollow cabin.
ChallengingNicholson Hollow - Corbin Mountain Loop11.6 mi · 9 hr · 1.5 mi awayA hard 11.6-mile loop through Nicholson Hollow and Corbin Mountain.
ChallengingCrusher Ridge Trail4.7 mi · 4.5 hr · 1.5 mi awayA wooded ridge hike with a steep climb back to the AT.
ChallengingNicholson and Hazel Wilderness Circuit25.2 mi · 20 hr · 1.5 mi awayFour days of river valleys, cabin history, and backcountry miles.
Picnic area · 0.2 mi awayPinnacles Picnic GroundsA historic picnic loop with Appalachian Trail access.
Sight · 0.5 mi awayThe PinnacleA short AT climb opens onto views across Shenandoah Valley.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayPinnacles OverlookA roadside view puts Old Rag across Hannah Run.Lodging · 1.8 mi awayCorbin CabinA restored farm cabin at the end of a river-valley hike.
Sight · 1.8 mi awayStony Man Mountain OverlookA roadside pause for a broad north-facing ridge view.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayHazel Mountain OverlookA tree-topped rock anchors this layered Blue Ridge view.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayMarys RockA boulder summit rewards the hike with a sweeping valley-and-ridge view.
Scenic pullout · 2.1 mi awayBuck Hollow OverlookA sunrise stop above layered ridges and Sperryville.Parkwolf’s Shenandoah ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
