Waterrock Knob is a mountain peak in the state of North Carolina, U. S. This peak must be reached by travelling on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is located at mile marker 451.2.

Waterrock Knob Overlook signWaterrock Knob Overlook sign says elevation is 5820 feet. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Wikipedia states this is the highest peak in the Plott Balsams and is the 16^th-highest mountain in the eastern United States. The Plott Balsams are a mountain range in western North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

View from Waterrock knob overlookView from Waterrock knob overlook parking area.

We entered the Blue Ridge Parkway off of US 74 to the east of Sylva, North Carolina, just a short distance past Balsam, North Carolina.  This entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway will take you passed several different overlooks and many different trails for those looking to do some hiking. 

This location is dog friendly - please make sure you have your fur kids on leashes (or voice command) as there are others that are taking their dogs out too.  We saw quite a few dogs up there enjoying the view (or maybe it was just the smells).

Ollie, our dog, at the Waterrock Knob Overlook.Waterrock Knob Overlook is dog-friendly.

Here is Ollie taking a few minutes break from riding on the curvy roads up here!  (She was on a leash - removed in photoshop).

The girls (our dogs) at Waterrock Knob overlook.View from Waterrock knob overlook parking lot.

Yep - most people make their children pose, I make the dogs pose!  Ollie (left), Rue (her sister), Abby (adopted sister?).

One of the pull offs from the Blue Ridge Parkway is Glassmine Falls.  If you look across the mountains to the far side, you can see a small amount of water flowing down the mountain.  There is a small trail at this overlook for those looking for additional views or just a short walk to get outside the car.  Google lists the address as “Black Mountain, NC”. 

Glassmine Falls view from Blue Ridge ParkwayGlassmine Falls view from Blue Ridge Parkway

Once you drive up to the parking lot for this view, there is a ranger station and restrooms.  For those that are up to a hike, you can hike up a trail that is about 1.2 miles in length to view the actual ‘Waterrock knob’.  There is a steep climb that goes up 412 feet in elevation – but on a beautiful day, this hike is probably worth the effort.  The first ¼ mile of the trail is paved.

Since the clouds were moving in, the trail was a bit steep and the view limited, I decided that perhaps today wasn’t the best day to try this hike.  The elevation at the parking lot is 5820’.  There is a map that you can look at and it tells you about the various mountains that you are viewing. 

Map at Waterrock Knob OverlookMap at Waterrock Knob Overlook

The hiking trail takes you up a little further in elevation, 6292’.

If you happen to have a clear view, the casino in Cherokee, North Carolina can be seen – that’s quite a way from where you’re currently standing.  The white 'spot' in the middle of this photograph is the casino.

Casino in Cherokee, NC from Waterrock Knob overlook.Casino in Cherokee, NC from the Waterrock Knob parking lot.

For more photographs visit: https://www.vpshoots.com/waterrockknob
 

For more information and photographs visit:

https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/waterrock-knob-mp-451-2.htm

https://www.romanticasheville.com/waterrock_knob.htm