The bridge was looking a little wind damaged at rickety this morning so we opted not to make the…read moreclimb. However, the view from the ground here is still fantastic looking out at the mountains of Virginia. On a clear day, you can see quite some distance. There is a small gift shop here if you're looking for snacks or mementoes. A shaded picnic area is also nearby. The view is free. The climb up the 100 foot tower is not. It was built in 1947 and is still looking good. [Review 530 of 2025 - 1470 in Virginia - 24091 overall]

This place is the perfect example of how important location is in a business. The Big Walker…read moreLookout is located away from everything else in a gorgeous spot on the side of a mountain. The views are fantastic. I stopped for a drink and a snack before an off-roading trip. The inside of the store is full of souvenirs, knick-knacks, etc. I was able to pickup a drink and a snack and move on. The cashier was friendly. The outside is kind of run-down. There is a bridge from the tower over the parking lot that ends in broken boards and potential serious injury. I wouldn't walk on it. Overall, meh. It's in a great spot, but they could invest in their business a little more.

The more northern of the two tunnels on I-77 between Charlotte and Cleveland (yeah, the highway…read morestarts in Columbia and it has several other cities along the way but I'm uncaring about those facts), the East River Mountain Tunnel goes under the border of West Virginia and Virginia. At 5,412 feel long, it joins the cities of Bluefield WV and Rocky Gap VA. It took five years to build and was completed in 1974. It has saved travelers the difficult journey of going up and down the mountain on US-52. If you're headed northbound, exit one is immediately after the end of the tunnel. If your eyes take more than a moment to adjust from darkness to light, you may have some trouble. There is no toll to use the tunnel. [Review 20387 overall - 1446 in Virginia - 1365 of 2023.]

A tunnel that runs literally through East River Mountain, instead of a road and us literally…read moredriving up the mountain. Since the elevation for the mountain is more than 3,000 feet, the logical solution was a tunnel through both mountains, so they built this tunnel for us to drive through the mountain. There are actually two of these similar tunnels along I77, but this particular tunnel starts in Virginia and ends in West Virginia, or vice versa. The state line falls almost exactly across the midpoint of the tunnel, with 51% of the tunnel residing in West Virginia and the remaining 49% on the Virginia side. Because of that, both states antied up the 40 million for the project, that started in 1969 and completed in 1974.

The New River is apparently quite long, because this is nowhere near the more reputed New River…read moreGorge National Park. However, even in Virginia it is quite majestic. The main park office lies in a historic hamlet surrounded by farms. A parking charge applied, and if you parked somewhere else along the extensive trail perhaps you could get by without it, but the sights were certainly well worth seeing. I made it maybe a mile down the trail to a riverbend overlooked by a bluff ideally suited for sunsets, but there was a lot more to explore. Some boating was available, and a horse seemed interested to meet me as I departed.

See my Review for Shot Tower. It's the same. I wish I was a cyclist. But I am a hiker and I can't…read morehike a gravel road for miles. All good. Beautiful area!! River is so nice.

If you're just looking to check out the shot tower, this is a quick in and out. There is an honor…read morebox for parking, so be sure to respect that. The tower stands 75 feet tall and includes a 75-foot vertical shaft beneath which is what's needed to achieve a perfect 150 foot drop. Completed in 1807 by English immigrant Thomas Jackson, who brought with him the secret of the "drop shot" method where one melts lead and drops it from a height through sieves to form perfectly round pellets for use in firearms. Production ceased in 1839. There are markers that give the story. It's interesting and once you've seen that, there is a full park for walking and enjoying nature. [Review 525 of 2025 - 1465 in Virginia - 24086 overall]

My 28th Va State Park. My 3 star review is selfish. Here's why. I don't bike. It hurts my bottom…read more I've tried it. Then, my tire goes flat. What a giant pain. So, I don't bike, and that what this place is for. Sure you can hike it, but it's a 57 mile path. Similar to tje va Creeper trail at 34 miles and the W & OD trail that's 45 miles. Also, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic trail at 900 miles!!! Plus the C & O Canal trail at and amazing 184.5 miles!!! I truly wish I could bike it but I could never hike it. So.. no go for me here. *also note The New River Va State Park is similar. So much so, they don't allow a Trail Guide check in here. Your Trail Guide check in at The New River State Park counts for for New River and Shot tower. There are numerous entrances. This one is at Austinville.