Scenic Virginia Adds Lover's Leap, Mabry Mill

Two Virginia landmarks join six new selections on the state's 2026 Treasured Views Register.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in National Parks

Scenic Virginia Adds Lover's Leap, Mabry Mill

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Scenic Virginia added Lover's Leap in Patrick County and Mabry Mill in Floyd County to its 2026 Treasured Views Register. The additions are part of six new selections announced this year from more than 40 nominations.

Why it matters

The register documents significant Virginia landscapes, and its inventory can inform conservation and land-use planning across the state. The statewide expansion, supported by a partnership with the Piedmont Environmental Council, extends that work beyond individual communities.

Scenic Virginia received more than 40 nominations this year and selected six, including a 19-mile stretch of the James River. Lover's Leap Scenic Overlook sits at 2,930 feet, and the stub does not describe how the selections were ranked.

The players

Scenic Virginia

Scenic Virginia is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and promote the scenic landscapes of Virginia.

Piedmont Environmental Council

The Piedmont Environmental Council is a Virginia-based nonprofit focused on land conservation and environmental advocacy in the Piedmont region.

The details

The six new selections are Natural Bridge, New River Palisades, James Madison's Montpelier, Lover's Leap, Mabry Mill, and a 19-mile stretch of the James River. Mabry Mill, at milepost 176 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, was operated for three decades by Ed Mabry and his wife, Lizzy, who ground corn, sawed lumber and ran a blacksmith shop there.

Scenic Virginia will formally recognize the six selections at an event on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 110 Gallery in Hampton.

Travel Outlook

The Treasured Views program now operates statewide after its expansion through a partnership with the Piedmont Environmental Council. The 2026 additions of Lover's Leap and Mabry Mill extend a register that documents significant Virginia landscapes for travelers and planners alike.

Travelers planning visits to Lover's Leap and Mabry Mill can use the register as a guide to these sites. The Route 58 widening over Lovers Leap Mountain, a $300 million VDOT project covering 7.4 miles, is expected to be finished in fall 2026.

The takeaway

Landmarks like Lover's Leap and Mabry Mill can be seen in person, and the Treasured Views Register offers a way to find other significant Virginia scenery. Visitors may want to check road conditions on Route 58 while the widening project is underway.

What happens next

Scenic Virginia will formally recognize the six new selections at an event on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 110 Gallery in Hampton. The Route 58 widening project over Lovers Leap Mountain is estimated for completion in fall 2026.