Channels Natural Area Preserve

The Channels

The Great Channels is a hidden sandstone labyrinth that lies below the 4208ft. summit of Middle Knob on Clinch mountain. The 721-acre Channels Natural Area Preserve is part of a 4,836 acre State Forest that was purchased by the Department of Forestry from The Nature Conservancy in March 2008.

Parking is located off Highway 80 and limited to 10 vehicles at a time. Be wary of these limitations and think twice before parking on the side of the road. You will be ticketed and/or towed. About five hours from Richmond, I recommend driving down the day or evening before your planned hike and staying near Abingdon, Virginia. There’s a separate page (in progress) that features some of the sites in and about town.

The trail starts as a long gravel road with a clearly marked entrance. You’ll pass a series of private cabins on the way to the dirt trailhead. This is a newer and shorter route to the Channels, which has only just recently been established thanks to collaborative efforts between a private owner and the state.

According to the Abingdon, Virginia website, “Tackling the Great Channels on the Brumley Mountain Trail, beginning at the parking area on Route 80, requires hikers to traverse the easternmost 3-miles of the regional trail. From Route 80, trekkers have a 6.6-mile out-and-back trip featuring about 1,219-feet of elevation gain. Hikers are delivered to the portal into the Great Channels after about 3 miles of walking.”

Amid this hike is a precipice that contains its own manmade wonder – the soaring Hayters Knob Fire Tower, built by Franklin Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939. The fire tower was operational for just over three decades, finally retired in 1970. Now it remains as a remnant of a former time, unavailable for visitors to climb to the top as a vantagepoint for the surrounding mountainside. However, it remains as a beautiful memento of what once was and as a wayward sign for the next stop in the journey.

After a brief respite and a view of the towering structure that oversees the summit of Middle Knob, the trail continues toward the hidden alcove that contains the Channels. The Channels covers just over 20 acres, and once entering the area it’s recommended to mark a location near the entrance, for the mountain-entombed maze can confuse hikers trying to backtrack to the starting point of the route.

The Channels contains an awe-inspiring labyrinth. Stones stack upon stones with gargantuan boulders perched atop, letting in narrow streams of heavenly light. The caverns are vast and winding. There are narrow passageways to climb through and obstacles to crawl over. It’s a fantastical playground for any outdoors-person. This cavernous realm was created some 10,000 years ago by permafrost and ice wedging, and exploring the rocky formations will take your breath away.

It’s always recommended to leave extra time in your hike to explore this vast stone network. Overall, this hike takes approximately three hours. The hike itself isn’t terribly difficult, and though parking is tight, it is free and canine companions are welcome. It’s well worth the journey. While in the area, stay in Abingdon or find a nearby campsite. There’s so much beauty to see here.

Want to visit? Learn more here:
https://visitabingdonvirginia.com/landmarks/a-guide-to-the-great-channels-a-one-of-a-kind-maze-of-boulders-and-crevices-in-southwest-virginia

https://gohikevirginia.com/great-channels-virginia/

https://dwr.virginia.gov/vbwt/sites/channels-state-forest-and-natural-area-preserve/