Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 36.89300°N / 82.63°W
Activities Activities: Hiking
Additional Information Elevation: 4233 ft / 1290 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

High Knob is the tallest mountain in Wise county Virginia. The knob is the intersection of Stone Mountain and Powell Mountain, with Powell mountain running ENE and WSW parallel and adjacent to the Powell River Valley to its north. It like Black Mountain KY some miles to the west in in coal mining country. However the current dispute seems to involve federal sale of timber. The nature conservancy regards High Knob as an imprortant area of naural diversity and is therefore interested in the area. High Knob stands above Big Stone Gap and Pennington Virginia. I climbed this many a year ago because we had stayed at Cumberland Gap and I wanted to climb one of the higher peaks. I had traversed route US 119 in Kentucky alongside Black Mountain but thought that my wife might draw the line at exploring Harlan County Kentucky. So we drove over into SW Virginia where I was pleased to find this somewhat higher Knob. From the top you can see into the states of Kentucky, Tennessee and possibly West Virginia. High Knob Rises 2300 feet above the Powel River Valley to the north. Camp Rock is south 1.5 miles from the summit and is a popular overlook from rt 619. Continuing south for about 8 miles as the crow flies, one will be at the Clinch river valley 3000 feet below High Knob. The Nature Conservency is making an effort to protect the biodiversity of the Clinch and Powell Rivers along with High Knob. This the highpointers goal for Wise County Virginia. It has been noted by e-doc, that High Knob is the location of the Omega Cave System which has been mapped to about 23 miles. As of 2006 it is considered the deepest known cave this side of the Mississippi being 1263 feet deep.

Getting There

Driving directions for an ENE drive from Middlesboro Kentucky
Summary: 78.4 miles (1 hour, 37 minutes)
9:00 AM 0.0 Depart 798 Lothbury Ave, Middlesboro, KY 40965 on 15th St (South) 0.2 mi
9:00 AM 0.2 Turn LEFT (East) onto SR-74 [Cumberland Ave] 0.3 mi
9:01 AM 0.4 Turn RIGHT (South) onto US-25 [S 12th St] 2.2 mi
9:04 AM 2.6 Entering Virginia
9:04 AM 2.6 Continue (East) on US-58 [Old Wilderness Rd] 35.3 mi
9:46 AM 37.9 Continue (East) on US-58 Alt [Main St] 131 yds
9:47 AM 38.0 Turn LEFT (North) onto Church St 65 yds
9:47 AM 38.1 At Church St, Jonesville, VA 24263, stay on Church St (South) 54 yds
9:48 AM 38.1 Turn LEFT (East) onto US-58 Alt [Main St] 7.6 mi
9:57 AM 45.7 At US-58 Alt, stay on US-58 Alt [W Morgan Ave] (East) 0.7 mi
9:58 AM 46.4 Continue (East) on US-421 [Trail of the Lonesome Pines] 0.4 mi
Road widening between Dryden and Pennington Gap from 2/4/2004 to 4/28/2006
9:58 AM 46.8 Bear LEFT (East) onto US-58 Alt [Trail of the Lonesome Pines] 17.5 mi
Road widening between Dryden and Pennington Gap from 2/4/2004 to 4/28/2006
10:19 AM 64.3 Turn RIGHT (South) onto US-23 Bus [E 5th St S] 0.7 mi
10:21 AM 65.0 At US-23 Bus, stay on US-23 Bus [Maple Ave E] (East) 0.6 mi
10:22 AM 65.6 Turn RIGHT (South) onto Ramp 0.2 mi
10:22 AM 65.8 Continue (South) on US-23 [Orby Cantrell Hwy] 8.8 mi
10:31 AM 74.6 Bear RIGHT (East) onto Ramp 76 yds
10:31 AM 74.6 Merge onto SR-619 [12th St SW] (North) 54 yds
10:31 AM 74.6 At 384 12th St SW, Norton, VA 24273, return South on SR-619 [12th St SW] 3.8 mi
10:37 AM 78.4 Arrive Forest Rd, Coeburn, VA 24230

SUMMARY
Driving distance: 78.4 miles
Trip duration: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Driving time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

From the parking lot there is a short hike to the top walking easterly

Camping

George Washington and Jefferson National Forest: Clinch Ranger District
9416 Darden Drive
Wise, VA 24293
Phone: (276)328-2931
Campgrounds open mid-May to mid-October. Call for Additional

* High Knob Lake Campground
Located in Wise County 7 miles South of Norton. 1 double and 13 single sites,
no hookups, waste disposal station, flush toilets, central water hydrants and
garbage containers, 300' swimming beach on 4 acre cold water lake.

Prominence

HIgh Knob has 2043 feet of prominence. Thus the lowest contour loop that contains High Knob and no higher peak is 2043 feet below the top of High Knob.

Links

Trail Links

Caveat hiker: I think the hike from the recreation area to the summit is not as hard as suggested in the link. My opinion though is 32 years old.


Ornithology


Birders, nature lovers, hikers includes a map of the region.

Weather








Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.