Southwest Highlands cover two distinct geological regions of the state: a southwest portion of the Valley & Ridge province, and the Appalachian Plateau of far southwest Virginia. This is the land of timber, iron ore, and coal—and more recently, natural gas production. The rugged terrain, coupled with its distance from metropolitan centers on the East Coast, gives the area a remoteness that adds to its allure as a destination.
Rivers shape and define this region as much as the mountains. The New River, the oldest flowing body of water on the North American continent, flows northwest out of the North Carolina hills. Moving in the opposite direction is the Roanoke River. Farther south, the Clinch and Powell Rivers flow along deep troughs between tall mountain ridges, their supply feeding the Tennessee River. Most spectacular of all is Russell Fork, viewed from atop the 1,000-foot cliff walls where it passes over the Virginia-Kentucky border.
The forces that wrought southwest Virginia’s mountains are inseparable from those elsewhere in the state: volcanic activity along the Blue Ridge, sedimentary rock in the valley and ridge, forged by periods of heat, pressure, folding, and faulting. Amid this, one area stands apart. Pine Mountain, along the Virginia-Kentucky border, is a stellar example of thrust plate movement: one piece of the earth’s crust ramped up onto another. This geologic borderline features a dramatic landscape where the mountain drops steeply into Kentucky, while to the east, the terrain rolls downhill.
For generations, southwest Virginia remained an isolated region, both from the state and the country as a whole. Even after timber and coal barons brought riches in the form of logging and mining, pockets of poverty persisted. The booms in economic and cultural life were grand times. Big Stone Gap lured vacationers from New York City and royalty from abroad. When busts hit, they hit hard. Throughout the 20th century, quality of life hinged on the price of coal. Since the 1970s, demand and price for Virginia coal have declined. That has forced leaders to find other economic stimuli; chief among them is outdoor recreation. Given the natural beauty of the region, this is a happy development for hikers and mountain bikers alike.
THE HIKES
31. Huckleberry Loop
32. Mountain Lake Wilderness
33. Crawfish/Channel Rock
34. Pine Mountain Trail
35. Chief Benge Scout Trail
36. Devils Fork Loop
37. Stone Mountain Trail
HONORABLE MENTIONS
EE. Fenwick Mines Recreation Area
FF. North Mountain–AT Loop
GG. The Rice Fields
HH. Hungry Mother State Park
II. Guest River Gorge Trail