The wildflowers were in full bloom, their vibrant petals lining our trail when Andy and I took to The Channels State Forest and Natural Area Preserve in May.
This place is remarkable (truthfully, one of our favorite hikes thus far), and I cannot wait to tell you why …
The Great Channels State Forest and Natural Area Preserve is a hidden geological secret located near the border of three states — Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Here, a unique and unexpected large grouping of sandstone boulders can be found. These massive rocks were likely split after permafrost and ice wedging during the last Ice Age 400 million years ago so that today, slot canyons and gorges of varying depths can be found.
Essentially, this is the East Coast’s version of Antelope Canyon in Arizona, which is why the area has been touted as a natural wonder and one of Virginia’s best kept secrets.
What is also amazing is that the Channels is located in the middle of a forest. Here’s this quick history …
In 2004, 4,836-acres of land was purchased by the Nature Conservancy from a private owner. This move created the 53rd natural area preserve in Virginia. Four years later in 2008, a collaboration was made between the Nature Conservancy and the state to form the Channels State Forest and Natural Area Preserve. Technically, that area only spans 721-acres, but there are two trails inside — one is the older 11-mile trail; the other is a trail that has only been accessible to the public for less than a decade, and that’s the one we walked …
- 6.6 mile trail
- 1,219-foot elevation gain
- Level Three of Five difficulty
The Great Channels has been at the top of list since I first took to trails in 2016.
We began by climbing Middle Knob’s Brumley Mountain Trail …
which was quickly illuminated by the brightest green …
Soon, we got a peek at our rock formations …
From here, we passed through thick rhododendrons that would be stunning in bloom …
Then our trail turned rockier and steeper …
Soon, we arrived at the summit where an abandoned fire tower still stood tall …
This tower was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corporation, which was a program created by Franklin D. Roosevelt in an effort to pull America out of the Great Depression. To do that, public forests, lands, and parks were improved by young men. Those enlisted were between the ages of 18 to 25, and many had not graduated high school. Being that jobs and incomes were scarce both during this time and without a high school education, this program offered many men hope. For several, the the CCC or Three Cs (the nickname for the Civilian Conservation Corporation) was their first jobs — All men were paid $30 a month with $25 of that amount sent home to their families while the the remaining $5 was kept by the men. Along with this, the program gave the men three meals a day, beds to sleep on in a military-camp style setting, academic opportunities, and even leadership advancement positions that came with raises.
Overall, the Civilian Conservation Corporation constructed many fire towers in America during this time. However, this tower was only operational for about thirty years until it retired in 1970. (PS–For a bit more information on the Civilian Conservation Corporation, visit my Woodstock Tower post too!) When Andy and I visited, the last levels of stairs were gone making it not suggested to climb up, but that was alright because it meant continuing on to the Great Channels …
Immediately, the entrance reminded me of one that would be found in Indonesia where tree roots wrap and twist in intricate swirling patterns around gigantic rocks.
Here, Andy lead the way as we squeezed into the slot canyons to begin exploring …
In some places, the crevasses were so tight that we had to drop our packs to squeeze through the other side …
On and on we went, and with each step we found it harder to believe we had the place to ourselves. In fact, during our entire hike up and back, we never saw another soul.
Our camera did not do this area justice — At the time, I was being stubborn about replacing my stolen DSLR so Andy let me use his cellphone (as his was newer than mine). Unfortunately, his cellphone’s camera struggled in darker places where few beams of light filtered through the cracks. In fact, the drop inside are anywhere from 30 to 40-feet deep.
The moss-covered rocks with deep drops, maze-like crevasses, and sandy ground made me often struggle to remember this secret spot was simply tucked in the middle of a Virginia forest; and because of that the best word to describe the Great Channels is ‘otherworldly.’
With Andy still leading the way, we moved through the labyrinth of rocks towards the summit of Middle Knob mountain …
At the peak, the sun and blue sky were now fully visible as Andy and I moved closer to the cliff’s edge to look out.
The summit overlooks Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area’s 6,400, Jefferson National Forest, and Clinch Valley Wildlife Management Area’s 25,477 acres. On clear days, like this one, the view is said to span as far as North Carolina …
Even more rewarding, I learned the flora is rare here …
The Southern Appalachian Mixed Heath Bald is a globally uncommon, fragile plant. It is comprised of highbrush blueberry, black huckleberry, mountain laurel, and Catawba rhododendron.
Along with this, there are various lichen here, which are remarkable in and of themselves — Bare with me because here is why …
Because lichen do not produce seeds, they are actually not a plant. Instead, lichen is a symbiosis of two separate organisms — fungus and algae, with fungus being dominant. Lichen — like the ones at the Great Channels — take thousands of years to develop and grow. Lichen benefit the environment in many ways; and one way I find most interesting is that lichen absorb toxins such as metals, carbon, sulfur, and other pollutants from the atmosphere.
Back to our hike: Due to the lichen and plants rooting in the thin layers soil at the Channels, much of the summit was chained off to decrease lichen and plant damage.
We had more than enough room to gaze out and pose with full smiles though …
so with a last look at the blue mountains, we headed back down where we came. The sandy ground soon disappeared leaving us to say another goodbye to the abandoned fire tower.
This hike made me proud to be from Virginia, which is an odd feeling as I’ve spent my entire life trying to leave this state. However, exploring this special slot canyon reminded me once more that I’m from a state that is intertwined with both extraordinary beauty and history.
* * * * *
Advice if you plan to head out to The Channels State Forest and Natural Area Preserve:
- In 2020, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation limited the parking area to 10 vehicles, which means if there are no spaces, they encourage you to come back another time because parking on the neighboring highway is illegal.
- If you are able to park, this is a perfect hike to walk during the high heat and humidity found in a Virginian summer due to the shade and cooler temperatures found in the Great Channels.
