Headed up 81 this AM to a beautiful farming area north of Abingdon to visit the Great Channels of Virginia. We had a bit of a drive but we were rewarded with a fantastic day for a hike. It was perfect! The trail was one of the better ones we have hiked. It began as a gravel road and gradually narrowed as we climbed 1200 feet during the 3 mile trek to the Channels. The still naked trees afforded us views along the way, and the vistas from the top were magnificent. We could see for miles. When we reached the top, we had lots to explore. There was the old firetower and shack, views from a couple of outcroppings, and of course the Channels themselves. We decided to have lunch in the sun on some huge rocks at the site of the firetower before entering the Channels. There were several hikers there as well. We became acquainted with a pair of couples from Wise County, a former UPS delivery man, and several others. It seemed to be a popular hike today. After our lunch we headed down into the Channels, which were refreshingly cool with shafts of light entering the maze as if we were in a slot canyon. There was lots of exploring to do. Room after room of unusual weathering patterns, variations of colors, etc.. It was pretty large maze and we were advised to mark arrows in the dirt with our hiking sticks to help navigate out. This hike was quite was quite unique and anyone who gets a chance should go.
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| View from one of the outcroppings at 4,200 ft. |
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| Abandoned Firetower and Shack Built 1939 |
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| The Channels |
