Facing northwest from an elevation of 3,070 ft (935 m), Fishers Gap Overlook provides a narrow window to view the Shenandoah Valley. Beyond the Shenandoah Valley is Massanutten Mountain. The small notch in Massanutten Mountain is New Market Gap, the location of a battle during the Civil War. On May 15, 1864 the Union Army fought Confederate forces in an attempt to gain control of the agricultural Shenandoah Valley. While the battle was a victory for the Confederate Army, it would be their last in the Shenandoah Valley.

Historic Views

The landscape architects and engineers who planned Skyline Drive did so with great attention to the sweeping views that visitors would see along the road and at overlooks. In 1937, Skyline Drive was still new, and the views from the overlooks were much clearer than they are today.