Important Notices
| COVID-19 & the VBWTBefore heading out to visit a site on the Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail, be sure to check if that site has any COVID-19 policies or closures in place. This information is typically posted on a site's own website. |
Sites On This Loop
Description
Sites along the Clinch Mountain Loop include parts of four counties, Washington, Tazewell, Russell and Smyth, with elevation ranges that span over 3000 feet. Each of the sites offers unusual features likely to please nature enthusiasts, starting just off the interstate at Hungry Mother State Park. Here, the sandy beach entices visitors to the clear cool waters of Hungry Mother Lake, and the area’s deep woods echo with the music of singing warblers. Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area, which includes Laurel Bed Lake, is the largest and most biologically diverse wildlife management area in Virginia. Saltville Well Fields is a haven for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, with ecology unique to inland saline watersheds. Hayter’s Gap, a private site, offers additional incentives to visitors, such as educational workshops and guided tours. The site of two Civil War battles, nearby Saltville is on the Virginia Civil War Trails and provides access to the North Holston River where visitors can view a great blue heron rookery and possibly bald eagle.
Loop Map
Services
Blue Ridge Highlands
276.619.5003
[email protected]
Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority
276-762-0011
[email protected]
Russell County Chamber of Commerce
276.889.8041
[email protected]
Saltville Tourism
276.496.5342
[email protected]
Smyth County Chamber of Commerce
276.783.3161
[email protected]
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
276.628.8141
[email protected]