Latest / Virginia Outdoor Adventures: Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Local Travel and more! / Virginia's Adventure Towns: Norton - High Knob Region Hikes, Waterfalls, and Travel Guide with Katie Dunn, Tourism Director (Ep 85, Part 1)

Transcript

Virginia's Adventure Towns: Norton - High Knob Region Hikes, Waterfalls, and Travel Guide with Katie Dunn, Tourism Director (Ep 85, Part 1) · Virginia Outdoor Adventures: Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Local Travel and more!

• 0:01
  Jessica Bowser: From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia is a mecca for outdoor travel and adventure. Virginia outdoor adventures Podcast is your local guide for hiking, camping, kayaking, travel and so much more. Get the information and the inspiration to plan your own adventure right here in Virginia. I'm your host. Jessica Bowser, we're heading deep into the mountains of southwest Virginia to explore Norton, a small city with a big reputation as an outdoor recreation hub in the heart of Appalachia, tucked into the high knob region and surrounded by the Jefferson National Forest Norton offers something truly special, easy immediate access to some of the most diverse and scenic outdoor experiences in the region, from panoramic overlooks and cascading waterfalls to miles of hiking and biking trails. This is a place where adventure starts just minutes from downtown, whether you're chasing spectacular views at flag rock or taking in a gorgeous sunset at high knob observation tower.
• 1:06
  Jessica Bowser: Norton delivers big outdoor experiences without the crowds Joining me is Katie Dunn, director of the high knob destination center and Norton's community engagement and tourism director. She's here to share what makes this mountain town so memorable, from its quaint Main Street to a little bit of local legend, let's go. Katie, welcome to Virginia outdoor adventures.
• 1:32
  Jessica Bowser: Well, thank you so much for having me. For listeners who may not be familiar, what makes Norton such a special hub for outdoor recreation in the heart of Appalachia,
• 1:41
  Unknown: Norton is the smallest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia population wise, and we are nestled sort of at the base of what we call high knob. So we have a lot of access to the outdoors, a lot of access to trails, and so it's a great place if you're looking to escape and get outdoors, and if you're an outdoor
• 1:58
  Jessica Bowser: adventurer, how would you describe the community's relationship with the outdoors? Yeah, we have a lot of trails.
• 2:05
  Unknown: We have people that mountain bike, that hike. Our city's reservoir is a great place for fishing, and then we also have a lot of hunters. So there's a variety of activities, no matter what you're looking for, that you can find here in Norton and the surrounding region.
• 2:17
  Jessica Bowser: I got to spend four days in Norton with you, Katie, and we had a blast. And one of the things that really stood out to me about Norton is how beautiful the outdoors are, but also there just weren't crowds to contend with. And I visited in October. It was during the peak leaf color season. And being from Northern Virginia, I expect that everywhere I go during peak leaf season, there's going to be people all over the place, and trailheads are going to be mobbed, and you're not going to get the experience with nature that's quiet and serene that you're used to. But in Norton, that was not the case at all.
• 2:51
  Jessica Bowser: There weren't very many people that we saw on the trails, and I felt like it was just such a hidden gem and a wonderful opportunity to experience a beautiful place without dealing with all of the crowds. I loved the easy access to the outdoors.
• 3:05
  Jessica Bowser: There were trails all around us.
• 3:08
  Jessica Bowser: It didn't take us long to get to and then there's like these must visit attractions, places like flag rock and high knob tower that were just really unique and fun to visit. So what do you Katie, think makes Norton memorable for first time visitors?
• 3:25
  Unknown: I'm not a Norton native. I moved up here from Georgia. When we first moved up here. I love the outdoors, and we used to have to drive, you know, an hour and a half to get to a trailhead. Now, where I work, I'm 10 minutes from a trailhead. So I think what makes sort of the city and the surrounding area unique is our access to the outdoors and also the variety. So we have, you know, trails that go straight up the mountain if you want to climb 2000 feet. We also have rail trails, so if you're looking for a more enjoyable flat stroll or something, we kind of have a variety of opportunities for people, which personally I like. And then, of course, I love being on the trail, almost by myself sometimes. So that tranquility and that you can get out there and not be in crowds, that's also something that's that's great, if you you're looking for that kind of adventure.
• 4:09
  Jessica Bowser: I just thought it was such a wonderful experience. And I felt like it was really special that I got to spend it with you, Katie, because you know the area so well. So why don't we dive into some of the opportunities that are in around Norton that listeners might be interested in. And I think the first place to start is probably flag rock recreation area, which is right inside of Norton. So can you give us an overview of flag rock?
• 4:33
  Unknown: Flag rock recreation area is 1000 acre park that is owned and operated by the city of Norton. It's from downtown about three miles, three mile drive up. You can also hike from just outside downtown to get up into flag rock. We have about 13 plus miles of trails that are multi use, so they're open to mountain biking and foot travel.
• 4:50
  Unknown: And as I mentioned earlier, we do have a reservoir that's a state stock fishery, so you can fish. And then we also have some bouldering and rope climbing in.
• 5:00
  Unknown: Areas within the park as well, and then scenic overlooks and picnic areas and a campground.
• 5:03
  Unknown: So it's a really cool recreation area that's not far from downtown. So you don't have to drive, you know, 30 to 40 minutes to get to a variety of activities.
• 5:13
  Jessica Bowser: We drove up there from the destination center, and I think it took what, 10 or 15 minutes was that it? Am I remembering correctly?
• 5:21
  Unknown: Yeah, from the hideout destination center. It's only about two miles up the hill, I guess. So to say the mountain of the mountain, yeah. So it's a really quick drive, probably 10 minutes or less, depending on how much you love driving Kirby roads.
• 5:36
  Jessica Bowser: So I think it's fine, and I love that it was so close by. It makes it so easy and accessible. And then what about the flag rock overlook?
• 5:43
  Jessica Bowser: That's a popular destination.
• 5:46
  Jessica Bowser: What's special about that? It's only about
• 5:49
  Unknown: a 10th of a mile you can park basically right at the Overlook. So if you're not looking for a long hike, but it's a great view of downtown Norton. So at that point, you're about 1000 feet above the downtown area, so you can get a great look, kind of sweeping views of the city. You can also look toward Big Stone Gap and toward the town of wise. And then, actually, some of the distant mountains you can see are into Kentucky. And then, actually, before you get to the overlook, there is a statue of the what is called locally, the wood booger, which is our version of Bigfoot. So you can also snap a selfie with Bigfoot or wood booger, if you would like to do that
• 6:24
  Jessica Bowser: too, which we did. We took a lot of really goofy pictures with the wood booger. But that is definitely a destination that people want to go to. If you go to norton, you kind of have to go see the wood booger statue and take a selfie with that the wood booger is kind of a theme that is carried out all throughout Norton, everywhere you go on Main Streets or around the area, you're going to see some reference to the wood booger. So why don't we just go ahead and say, like, who is the wood booger and what is the story behind it?
• 6:57
  Unknown: So the wood booger is a variation of Bigfoot. It started out as sort of catching traction with, you know, tourism pursuits when there was a TV show on Animal Planet called Finding Bigfoot, and they came to the area and filmed in 2012 for their show. And so after that, it kind of took off. We had some businesses that started selling wood booger merchandise. We now have a restaurant called the wood booger Bar and Grill, and the statue was placed up in flag rock and then a festival. The Wood booger festival also started and is held in the fall and kind of celebrates with the wood booger is also a great fall festival, just to get people outside and into flag rock recreation area as well. What about the
• 7:41
  Jessica Bowser: wood burger trail? Because there is a wood burger trail that if you're driving up to flag rock you will drive by. And the first time I saw it, I pulled over, I was like, What is this? So, what is the wood burger trail?
• 7:53
  Unknown: So we do have a wood burger trail as part of the larger flag rock area trail system in flag rock recreation area. And so this is just one of the trails that our trails coordinator comes up with creative names all the time, and so he named that trail after the wood booger and it actually will take you out basically to the statue if you follow it.
• 8:11
  Jessica Bowser: It's a short loop, right? Like, I haven't actually hiked the wood booger trail, but isn't it kind of a short loop?
• 8:17
  Unknown: You can make it a loop.
• 8:17
  Unknown: It's a it's sort of a short segment that you can take from our lower campground and then wind your way out to the Overlook in the wood booger statue.
• 8:27
  Jessica Bowser: And it's family friendly, right?
• 8:29
  Unknown: Yes, there's no crazy hills or anything like that. So yeah, it's good for families.
• 8:36
  Jessica Bowser: Spring adventures are calling, and the latest Virginia outdoor adventures merch is ready to come along with the fresh, bold, seasonal design. These Ultra comfy hoodies and tees are perfect for life on the trail, around the campfire or wherever you roam, whether you're heading out for a hike, planning a weekend trip, or showing your love for Virginia's outdoors.
• 8:54
  Jessica Bowser: This gear was made for you. Grab yours now and join the community behind the podcast. Every purchase helps keep New episodes coming. So you can keep exploring. Find it by clicking on shop the Virginia outdoor adventures merch store in your show notes, there is an area called the flag rock area trails, or frat trails, and you and I hiked a section of it, which was called the Pick 'em loop, and I think that's a popular area. But do you want to give an overview of the frat
• 9:27
  Unknown: trails the city started the the frat trail system back in 2016 was when the first trail opened, and since then, our trails coordinator has been slowly building out an entire trail system with the goal, hopefully of having 30 to 40 miles one day. We probably have 13 plus miles in there now and and they go around the reservoir, they go through some really scenic forest types, past the Overlook. And then, like you mentioned, the pick a mountain loop is probably my favorite.
• 9:53
  Unknown: And that's about a five mile loop that travels part of the flag rock area trail system, and then goes on to the Jefferson National Forest. Um. Um, and that's something really cool. Is flag rock actually joins the Jefferson National Forest. So if you like old forest roads, you can walk from flag rock and get on to the national forest without ever having to drive. So yeah, that loop is really scenic no matter the time of the year.
• 10:15
  Unknown: So you have great views in the winter. The fall leaf colors is awesome if you come that time of year, and then it's just really vibrant in the in the spring and summer months as well. I thought it was
• 10:25
  Jessica Bowser: really pretty.
• 10:25
  Jessica Bowser: There were interesting rock formations. There were views of the reservoir. I mean, it was just a really lovely Scenic Loop. Is that the hike we were doing, where you were pointing out like the bears had chewed the trail markers? Or was that a different hike we did?
• 10:40
  Unknown: No, that was that that hike. We do have a healthy black bear population here, and they do love our trail signs. So if you are hiking some of the trails, you may see some teeth or potentially claw marks, just where they've shown some love for our signs.
• 10:55
  Jessica Bowser: Yeah, and we did not see any bears. And of course, if you do see a bear, it's not a big deal, right?
• 11:00
  Jessica Bowser: Like, just give it some space.
• 11:00
  Jessica Bowser: And, you know, don't get too close and be smart about it. But it was just really fun to see the teeth marks and the chew marks in the trail signs, which I would not have guessed that that's what it was, but you pointed it out to me, and I thought that was really neat.
• 11:15
  Jessica Bowser: Then also we mentioned the reservoir. So I think we need to talk about the upper and the lower reservoirs and what those
• 11:21
  Unknown: have to offer? Yeah, sure. So the reservoirs are the city's drinking water source, of course, but you can also get on them and paddle or kayak. We have people that have done Stand Up Paddle Boards. It is a state stocked fishery, which I think I mentioned. We have a lot of people that come out and fish there as well, especially when they after they stock. And the upper reservoir is actually stocked, the lower reservoir is not but both are open to fishing, so it's popular for that reason. And then the trails, of course, go around them, and so it's really pretty just to see the reservoir from the trails. And we do have a resident bald eagle too, so you might catch a glimpse of him if you're if you're hiking or fishing
• 11:55
  Jessica Bowser: while you're up there. I've only been to the reservoir a few times, but in the times that I have been there, not only have I seen birds, and I think I saw beaver.
• 12:04
  Jessica Bowser: The first time I was there, I walked over to one of the fishing docks and just like, peered over the edge, and here were all of these, I guess, salamanders or something that looked like salamanders. It actually really had me really fascinated. I was taking pictures and thinking, I need to post this on one of the wildlife groups and ask people what this is. And each time that I'm there, I'm always seeing families that are fishing or picnicking or just hiking or relaxing. And it's nice to see that, it's nice to see that it's a community place where people go to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
• 12:35
  Unknown: So it's a popular place for residents and for visitors alike. And you mentioned, I think those were potentially newts that you saw, because we do have a very healthy new population too, and you can see them there and up at high knob Lake and other places too. And that's one interesting thing is, you know, we're located in the coal fields of Virginia, and a lot of people might think, well, there's nothing there because it's coal mining, but we are a hot spot for biological diversity within the central Appalachian so we do have a lot of wildlife, a lot of impressing flora and fauna that you can find if
• 13:04
  Jessica Bowser: you do come over here. So that's what it is. They were newts. You're right, because I was looking at them thinking, these are baby salamanders. Isn't that what a newt is?
• 13:13
  Unknown: They are really cool, and they're little, they're a little like fire red or orange, and they're called Red F's when they're younger. And then they they're terrestrial at that point, and then they become fully aquatic as they get to their adult phase. So yeah, they're really
• 13:27
  Jessica Bowser: cool critters.
• 13:27
  Jessica Bowser: Yeah, I feel very lucky to have spotted them. Those are sort of like the trails in the Norton area. But then there's just trails that expand beyond Norton. Anybody who's listening to this episode and wants to know what the main takeaway is, it's just trails, trails, trails like if you like hiking or mountain biking or climbing or fishing or any of those things, this region is fantastic, but especially if you love trails, because there's no shortage of trails in the area. I would
• 13:53
  Unknown: definitely agree. I'm biased, but I would definitely agree with you there.
• 13:57
  Jessica Bowser: So let's discuss some of the trails that are sort of just beyond the city of Norton. And I think we should start with high knob observation tower, because this is a place that people if they are looking to go to norton, or if they're even looking online for places to go in southwest Virginia or in the heart of Appalachia, chances are like you're going to stumble across a photo of high knob observation tower.
• 14:22
  Unknown: So it is actually the highest point in the Cumberland mountains. That point is about 4200 feet in elevation. And from the observation tower, you can see five states. And I'm probably going to mess these up, because I always get one wrong, but you can see Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky from the platform. And that tower itself has actually been there since 2014 the there have been fire towers up there previously, and one that was well loved, but a lot of people in the community actually was burned down. And I think 2007 2008 and so there was a grassroots effort here in the region to raise I think one.
• 14:58
  Unknown: Than $500,000 to work with the Forest Service to rebuild that tower up there. So it's definitely been a labor of love to have that tower put back by the community. And it's just a really, really pretty spot. You know, for sunset, sunrise, you kind of have some really, really lovely views up there. And it is on national forest land, so it's on the Jefferson National
• 15:19
  Jessica Bowser: Forest that site is absolutely stunning. The views are amazing. You and I were up there trying to get our bearings and pointing out, like, okay, Big Stone Gap is over here, and the city of Norton's over here, and here's this state and that state. And we were just like, trying to look around and take in everything that we were seeing, because you can see for so far, it's incredible. And we were up there at sunset. Oh my gosh, it is so pretty at sunset.
• 15:41
  Jessica Bowser: Like, I've been up there different times of the day, but if, if you're really gonna go up there, I really think that, like, sunset is the best time to go. It's just, it's beautiful.
• 15:51
  Jessica Bowser: It's a great way
• 15:55
  Unknown: to end the day, you know, just kind of resets you in a way, and that kind of hush comes over and the the sun gets below, the the mountains and the clouds. It's just a it's a really nice way to end your day, for sure,
• 16:04
  Jessica Bowser: I've never seen it crowded, but every time I'm up there, there's somebody else enjoying the sunset. The ridge lines in the distance are beautiful. And actually, I was so, like, engrossed in the sunset that I didn't even notice that there was a marriage proposal going on right behind us. It was you who was like, Wait, are they getting engaged?
• 16:24
  Jessica Bowser: And I was like, What are you talking about? Like, look at the amazing views. And yeah, that is exactly what was happening. And I was just completely oblivious.
• 16:33
  Unknown: Oh, yeah, it's a Yeah.
• 16:33
  Unknown: I'm sure there have been a lot of marriage proposals up there.
• 16:35
  Unknown: And then you were nice enough to get photos of them too, which I think they thought we were stalking them. But it was, it was, it was a cool thing to see, too.
• 16:44
  Jessica Bowser: It was exciting.
• 16:44
  Jessica Bowser: You know, it was really cute.
• 16:47
  Jessica Bowser: And I think we were just like, waiting for them to come down so we could be like, congratulations and offer to take their picture. But, yeah, I can totally see why somebody would propose up there, because it's just so pretty. Like, of all the places to all the scenic places to go in the area. I think the high knob observation tower, is it? So, you know, why not propose
• 17:07
  Unknown: up there? Yeah, it is.
• 17:07
  Unknown: Definitely got one of the best scenic views in our area. I would, I would argue, moving
• 17:13
  Jessica Bowser: on, I could talk about high knob tower all day.
• 17:15
  Jessica Bowser: But we've got other places to hike too. So what about little stony falls? That's a regional favorite. What makes it so popular?
• 17:22
  Unknown: So there is a really cool waterfall. If you hike it from the upper trail head, you get to it in about a quarter mile hike. So if you're not looking for a long hike, you can just pop down there, see the waterfall, and then hike back, and then it actually follows little stony all the way down.
• 17:38
  Unknown: So about a three mile hike one way, so you can get out and back six miles. Or you can do a shuttle, because there are two trail heads for it. It's just really pretty. It's a great place to go hike, whether you're looking for a short, little hike or a longer trek. And that's also on the Jefferson National Forest as well. When it actually floods, we get a flood. We have kayakers, whitewater kayakers, that have come up and actually go over the waterfall, which is insane, and I've never seen it in person, but I've seen photos, and would love to see it when they do come up.
• 18:07
  Jessica Bowser: Yeah, that's something that I would like to see one day. I mean, you were telling me that I was trying to picture them launching off the top of this waterfall and landing in, I don't know it's not even I mean, it's a pool at the bottom, but it's not that big, and it can't be that deep.
• 18:21
  Jessica Bowser: So I was just trying to comprehend how they could actually do this. It's a beautiful place to go. It's not that difficult to get to the actual waterfall itself. So you and I were short on time because we were trying to hit all these different places. So it made sense for us to just hike down and see the waterfall and not do the entire trail, although I think we both wanted to, because it just looked like such an inviting hike, but we were just too short on time. I think if I go back, I would love to do this entire round trip hike, but it follows the creek down. And what a beautiful hike that is through the mountains next to the water.
• 18:57
  Unknown: And if you walk further down, there are a couple more waterfalls, and then it's just kind of very scenic. And it is pretty rocky too. So it's, it's not crazy steep, but yeah, if you're into rocky terrain and rooty terrain that that is a trail for you, for sure, and the the parking area is smaller, but yeah, if you get get there and there's no one there, it's a it's a good place to go and kind of escape, too.
• 19:19
  Jessica Bowser: And then we also have the high knob Lake Trail, which I think is also another short loop trail
• 19:26
  Unknown: around the lake that is closer back up to high knob tower. And you can actually hike down from the tower too. To get to this loop. It's about a mile down from the tower, but if you park it's high knob recreation area where the this hike is. The recreation area itself is really cool because it was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s and so there's a bath house and an old cabin that are still there that were built, built by the CCC, which is really cool. And then the trail itself. Think it's, I don't know if it shrunk or not, but it's supposed to be about a four acre lake, but it kind of circles the lake. There's evidence of like beaver. Activity. There's a I've seen a very chunky northern water snake before, and he was a little grumpy, but it was really cool to see. So you have a lot of wildlife viewing opportunities there too. And there are tons of newts. So good place if you love newts, to see them, but that's another one, just not too difficult or anything, so good for families, or if you're just looking for kind of a afternoon or evening stroll and don't want to do anything too crazy. And the rec area is also Forest Service, and it is typically open late May to late September, and then they do gate it. So you would have to hike in, if you're coming outside of those periods to get to that trail.
• 20:36
  Jessica Bowser: That's good to know, because you and I were there in October, and the gates were down already, so we didn't do this hike, but another time of year, I think it would be wonderful. And they do
• 20:45
  Unknown: have a more primitive campground here, so I think it has 13 sites, and it's more like, I would say, for like tent campers. So if you do like the tent camp and don't want to be next to RVs, which, you know, we seem to there are a lot of RVs out there nowadays, but if you want that kind of tent camping vibe, this is a good place for you
• 21:00
  Jessica Bowser: to go. So you and I did do the bark camp Lakeshore trail.
• 21:04
  Unknown: Though that's probably one of my favorite hikes, because it's it's really pretty too, and chance to see a lot of wildlife on that one. This is about a 3.7 to four mile hike, depending on your GPS unit, and it goes around the 45 acre lake.
• 21:17
  Unknown: So Bart camp Lake, and you kind of get really nice views of the lake. The back end of the trail goes through some really cool wetland complexes. So you can kind of see those two types of ecosystems, and then it comes back around and crosses the dam.
• 21:31
  Unknown: People have seen river otters there, there's beavers, there's bald eagles. So you can kind of see a variety of things. And it also has a campground too, so you can actually camp there if you want as well. And this is also forest service site. Is the trail in the campground or Forest Service. And then the Department of Wildlife Resources actually manages the lake itself, so it's state stocked
• 21:51
  Jessica Bowser: as well. This was the first hike that you and I did together. And I remember thinking, This is so beautiful.
• 21:56
  Jessica Bowser: Like, I'm so excited to be here in Norton and be doing this.
• 21:59
  Jessica Bowser: Like, how does it get any better than this? And then every trail we did after that got more and more exciting, yeah, but it was just really, really pretty, and to go all the way around the lake. And then we had lunch when we got back, because there's a picnic area there and a covered picnic area as well. So we sat right on the edge of the lake and had our lunch while we looked at
• 22:19
  Unknown: the water. It's really pretty. And I would say, if you're visiting fall time too, it's probably one of my favorite places to go look at the fall colors. It gets, usually get some pretty vibrant colors depending on the year, so it's probably one of the better places for that.
• 22:31
  Jessica Bowser: Yes, we did get some really stunning photos, especially that one of you on the dock that goes out onto the water and like you're surrounded by water, but then also there's mountains right in front of you, and you're sort of looking off into the distance. I'm going to put that on social that was really that was really pretty, but people should see what it looks like, because all of these things that we did, I took photos and videos of, and I'm going to put them on the social so that people can get an idea of what these things look like.
• 22:58
  Jessica Bowser: They're really gorgeous. I mean, you and I could sit here and talk about how beautiful they are all day, but people really need to see it. So I would encourage listeners to go to the podcast social media pages and and check it out after this episode comes out, join us next week as we continue exploring Norton and the surrounding area, hitting a scenic Rails to Trails bike route, diving into even more national forest trails and taking a closer look at one of Virginia's most talked about and controversial hikes. We'll also round things out with the best places to stay and eat so you can start planning your own Norton adventure. Virginia Outdoor Adventures is inspired by and supported by listeners like you, which is why your messages and feedback means so much to me. You can text me directly by clicking on Send Jessica a text message in your show notes. I answer questions, respond to comments and share your feedback on the show. Never miss a new episode. Sign up for my email newsletter and receive my listener resource guide with the top podcast episodes, a Virginia outdoor bucket list and exclusive brand discounts for my listeners. Click on newsletter.
• 24:10
  Jessica Bowser: Sign up in your show notes or visit Virginia outdoor adventures.com thanks for listening until next time, adventure on foreign you.