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The Rough Ridge Lookout is a quick hike from the parking area to amazing views over the valley. This is a great trail for sunrise and sunset and is dog and family friendly.
The trailhead for Rough Ridge will be on your righthand side when driving the Blue Ridge Parkway from Boone, NC. This trail gets busy in the warmer months, but parking usually is not too much of an issue. This trail is not open in the winter.
Rough Ridge will take you around 30-45 minutes to reach the top, at an average pace. About halfway up the trail turns to wooden platforms, where you can walk out onto the rock face if you wish to do so. On the last leg of the trail, there will be a massive rock sticking outward that is known as the "Lion King Rock," which makes for a pretty wild photo.
The endpoint of the trail will be a rock face, which can get windy. It's a perfect location for both the sunrise and the sunset - you can experience a full sunrise, as the sun will set behind the trail peak.
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