Description
Elevation: 2503 ft.
Located along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Smart View Recreational Area offers excellent views of the Virginia Piedmont. Various trails meander through moist deciduous woodlands, hardwood forests, and open fields. This site is great place to bird during spring migration, but summer also is productive with breeders such as hooded, Kentucky, and black-and white warblers, Acadian and great-crested flycatchers, blue-gray gnatcatcher, yellow-throated and red-eyed vireos, chipping sparrow, brown thrasher, and scarlet tanager. The big lure for most birders to this site is the breeding population of cerulean warbler. Moist forest floors lend themselves to other critters, as well. Look for red eft, the bright orange terrestrial form of the red-spotted newt, as well as eastern box turtle, and several species of colorful millipedes. Eastern chipmunk, red squirrel, red fox, and white-tailed deer are common throughout. Also watch for wild turkey roaming through these woods.
Wildlife Sightings
Birds Recently Seen at Smart View Recreational Area, Blue Ridge Parkway:
139 species have been reported at this site to date.
Recent Checklists:
| Date | # of Species | Submitted By |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Nov 2025 | 8 | valinda dyer |
| 25 Oct 2025 | 15 | Amiel Hopkins |
| 19 Oct 2025 | 10 | Kent Skaggs |
| 11 Oct 2025 | 7 | Jason hs |
| 11 Oct 2025 | 20 | Cathy Adair |
Amenities & Accessibility Considerations
Site Amenities
- On-site Parking
- Restrooms
- No Fee or Permit/Pass Requirement
Other Site Amenities: Hiking Trails
Maps & Directions
Location: Just past milemarker 154.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway
From the intersection of US 220 and the Blue Ridge Parkway south of Roanoke, go southwest on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 33.0 miles to the Smart View Recreation Area on the left.
From Floyd, travel southeast on State Route 615/Barberry Rd, then turn left onto State Route 637. Travel 1.5 miles. Turn right onto State Route 860, then turn left onto Blue Ridge Parkway. Travel 4.7 miles. The Recreation Area will be on the right.
Site Information
Managed By:
- National Park Service
Access Requirements:
Contact Information:
- Visit Website
Sites, or portions of sites, can be closed periodically for management activities. Please always check the site’s website for additional information prior to visiting.