Old Rag View Overlook

This Skyline Drive overlook, near mile 46.5, faces east-northeast toward Old Rag, about three miles away. At 3,585 feet, the overlook sits above the mountain’s 3,291-foot summit. It’s an easy stop if you’re already driving this stretch and want to put the peak in context.

This is a glimpse from the road, not a close view of Old Rag’s rock face. Some visitors find the angle limited; I’d stop for the broader mountain setting rather than make a special trip for a close-up. Old Rag’s strenuous circuit is a separate hike, a little over nine miles with 2,415 feet of elevation gain from the park boundary.

Old Rag is known for its ancient granite. The rock began as magma cooling deep underground, then heat and pressure reshaped it during mountain-building more than a billion years ago. From here you can look toward the wooded mountain and its rocky summit; the overlook is a distant vantage, not a place to inspect the granite up close.

The peak sits beyond an open meadow, with a low log rail along part of the foreground. Include some meadow with the mountain to show how far Old Rag stands across the valley. The overlook faces east-northeast, and a few visitors time the stop for sunrise, though the ridge stays distant from this viewpoint.