- Pine Mountain Trail
This 125-mile-long mountain teamed up with the parallel ridge of Cumberland
Mountain to the east to bar early explorers and pioneers from traveling
west. Together, the two mountains, like side-by-side folds in a blanket,
march northeast from east Tennessee into east Kentucky and southwest Virginia
in a duo jointly called the Cumberland Mountains.
Near Jellico, in east Tennessee, a stream called Clear Fork breaks through
the ridge to define the southern end of Pine Mountain. About 35 miles northeast,
the Cumberland River only briefly interrupts the ridgeline where it breaks
through at Pineville, Kentucky. The Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River
in Virginia defines the northern end of Pine Mountain in dramatic fashion
as the river circles 600 feet below a pyramidal sandstone formation called
The Towers. The Russell Fork almost comes back to touch itself as it carves
its way through the mountains, then takes off for the Kentucky border to
the west. Through the same gorge passes the CSX Railroad, visible testimony
to the Herculean task engineers and work crews faced in the early 1900s.
In a feat that involved cutting four tunnels and two bridges through the
nearly impenetrable sandstone, they opened the mountains to coal mining
and connected the Ohio Valley and Midwest to the Atlantic seaboard.
Pine Mountain was formed when tremendous pressure from sliding plates
beneath the earth's crust forced the rocks on the Virginia side up over
those on the Kentucky side along the Pine Mountain fault. Though the mountain
was formed at the same time as the rest of the Plateau province, its long,
linear shape is more characteristic of the mountains of the Valley and Ridge
province to the east. The Pennsylvanian sandstone of its upper layer, however,
gives its origin away.
When hiking the trails on the southeast slope, visitors may come abruptly
to harsh fields of sandstone boulders, where plant life claims a tenuous
foothold. Where piles of these rocks form caves, Indians and wildlife found
shelter. Mixed Appalachian hardwoods interspersed with pines cover the mountain.
Private landowners on the steeper Kentucky side, however, are familiar with
the large patches of exposed Greenbrier limestone. This Mississippian Greenbrier
limestone is younger than the Cambrian-age limestone of the Valley and Ridge
by at least 140 million years.
The public land on the Virginia side of Pine Mountain in Wise and Dickenson
counties is a well-kept secret. In this remote section of southwest Virginia
are thousands of acres of national forest, an interstate park, drives with
incredible scenery, and two immense lakes inviting those who enjoy water
sports.
Whether they're speaking of the hiking trail, the scenic drive, or the
mountain itself, many local residents refer to Pine Mountain as Cumberland
Mountain. Indeed, Pine Mountain resembles the long, parallel ridge of Cumberland
Mountain. Pine Mountain also defines the Virginia border with Kentucky in
Wise and Dickenson counties, just as Cumberland Mountain defines the Virginia/Kentucky
border in Lee County in Virginia's southwest corner.
With modern maps and satellite photographs, it's easy to see that Cumberland
and Pine mountains are distinct and separate. But early settlers in Wise
and Dickenson counties had little way of knowing the ridge between themselves
and Kentucky was not Cumberland Mountain, but was actually a parallel ridge
25 miles west of Cumberland. Once a name is used for centuries, it sticks.
Pine Mountain/Cumberland Mountain Trail
Whether it's called Pine Mountain Trail (official U.S. Forest Service name)
or Cumberland Mountain Trail (used by local residents), the 22.8-mile scenic
path along the rugged spine of Pine Mountain attracts hikers who enjoy solitude
and a challenge. The trail connects Pound Gap where US 23 crosses Pine Mountain
in Wise County with Breaks Interstate Park in northern Dickenson County.
The hiker will travel beneath a hardwood forest canopy, passing many
rocky outcroppings with panoramic views of Kentucky and Virginia. In fall,
not only is the foliage spectacular, but this ridge is a fine vantage point
for watching the annual migration of hawks and other birds of prey. Horseback
riders can use the trail, but there are rocky sections on both ends too
treacherous for a horse. Many riders make a 9.5-mile loop hike by combining
VA 611, FR 2071, and FR 616 with Pine Mountain Trail. A newly developed
parking area at Counts Cabin (junction of VA 611 and FR 2071) has room for
horse trailers. To find the parking area, from Clintwood in northwestern
Dickenson County, go 2.5 miles north on VA 631 to Isom. Then go northeast
on VA 611 about 4 miles to parking area.
All of the loop is public property. However, many other parts of Pine
Mountain Trail pass through private tracts, often with no posted signs or
boundary markers. Hikers should respect the rights of property owners and
carry trail maps, which can be obtained at the Clinch Ranger District office.
Also, because of the isolation of the area, be sure to carry adequate water,
extra clothing, and a first aid kit.
For more information: Clinch Ranger District, 9416 Darden Drive, Wise,
VA 24293. Phone (540) 328-2931.
Trail: 22.8-mile linear path along the crest of Pine Mountain.
Elevation: 870 feet at Russell Fork River at north trailhead to 3,137 feet
near Dutton Gap.
Degree of difficulty: Moderate, with difficult and strenuous sections.
Surface: Natural forest floor and rocky sections.
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