Facing northwest from an elevation of 2,985 ft (909 m), Crimora Lake Overlook is a good place to contemplate the industrial history of the Shenandoah Valley. Nestled between two ridges straight ahead is the location of a former manganese mine. Mining operations began in 1867 and at one point this area was home to one of the largest manganese deposits in the United States. The mine shut down in 1946, and all that is left are the small man-made lakes once constructed to process ore.