Scenic viewpoint

Viewing points may also be found on hill or mountain tops or on rocky spurs overlooking a valley and reached via a hiking trail.

Overlooks are frequently found in national parks and in the U.S. along national parkways such as the Blue Ridge Parkway, which has numerous individually named overlooks for viewing the Blue Ridge Mountains and their valleys.

Many overlooks are accessible only by trails and wooden walkways and stairs, especially in ecologically sensitive areas.

These overlooks are often wooden decks, which minimize the impact on the land by reducing the need to disturb it for construction.

From time on, many scenic viewpoints have since become tourist attractions, with numerous vistas inscribed as world heritage-listed natural sites.