About Rough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4)
The name draws a smile and then a question. In Southern Appalachian use, a butt is the blunt, rounded end of a ridge, and a bald is a summit without trees. Rough Butt Bald is a rounded summit on the Pisgah side of the ridge, and this overlook looks toward it.
The view
The pull-off looks out over the upper Pisgah National Forest, with Rough Butt Bald ahead and layered ridges behind. It is a quiet view with no single dramatic feature, and the pleasure is the sense of depth.
Where it is
The overlook is at milepost 425.4, about 3 miles south of Devil's Courthouse and 6 miles north of Richland Balsam. It is a small pull-off that holds a handful of cars. Wolf Mountain Overlook, at milepost 424.8, and Herrin Knob Overlook (milepost 424.4) are close by, so you can string three stops together in half an hour.
Visiting
- Road status: the Parkway road-status page listed the section from milepost 423.2 to 443.0 as open on October 22, 2026. Check the closures page before driving, because ice and snow close high sections from November.
- Time to allow: 5 to 10 minutes.
- Facilities: none.
- Weather: fog is frequent; temperatures here run 15 degrees below Asheville.
- Info line: 828-298-0398.
Why stop
If the larger overlooks are packed, this one gives you the same quality of view in quiet. For an overview of the Parkway's high country, see the Blue Ridge Parkway site. The stretch from here to Richland Balsam is the highest part of the road, so the temperature drop is real.