Photograph Jewell Hollow Overlook

One of Shenandoah National Park’s 72 overlooks, Jewell Hollow is a great place for people to stop while they are traveling through the park along Skyline Drive.  Skyline Drive is the road that winds through the heart of Shenandoah National Park, starting at Front Royal in the north and ending at Rockfish Gap in the south. This 105-mile long road offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and valleys while simultaneously offering photographers the chance to glimpse the outstanding scenery of Shenandoah.  Jewell Hollow Overlook is located at mile marker 35.6 along Skyline Drive.  Located in the Central District of Shenandoah five miles south of the Thornton Gap Park Entrance, Jewell Overlook allows viewers to enjoy the amazing sunsets while in Shenandoah National Park.  The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211.

At an elevation of 3320 feet, Jewell Hollow Overlook is one of the biggest overlooks in Shenandoah National Park and has a gorgeous view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley.  This large overlook forms an “L” with views to the west and northwest on the side that parallels Skyline Drive and views to the north on the side that is perpendicular to Skyline Drive.  On the long side of the overlook that parallels Skyline Drive, there are rocks that you can climb on and use in your foreground, but there is also a small grassy knoll overlooking the valley that is great to photograph during the spring when it is full of flowers. The other side of the overlook that is perpendicular to Skyline Drive, visitors will find the traditional stonewall found at almost every overlook in the park.  The views from this angle are to the north, but photographers will be able to capture multiple mountain ridges. I believe the best part of this view is from the rocks looking northwest, making it ideal to photograph during the late spring and summer around the summer solstice, June 21, when the sun sets in the Northwest. During this period, the sun will set directly behind the Blue Ridge Mountains ridges as they lead down to the Shenandoah Valley, which will add depth to your photograph.