Powell Mountain

This article is about the Appalachian ridge. For the mountain in Nevada, seePowell Mountain (Mineral County, Nevada).For other uses, seeMount Powell (disambiguation).

Powell Mountain(or "Powells Mountain" ) is amountainridgeof theRidge-and-valley Appalachiansof theAppalachian Mountains.It is a long and narrow ridge, running northeast to southwest, from aboutNorton, Virginia,to nearTazewell, Tennessee.It separates theClinch Riverbasin and thePowell Riverbasin ofPowell Valley.It was named for an 18th-century explorer.

Geography

Powell Mountain from Route 19

Powell Mountain's elevation averages between 1,500 to 2,500 feet (460 to 760 meters), with its highest points above 3,000 feet (910 meters). The highest point is Bowling Knob (3,557 feet; 1,084 meters), near the northern end of the mountain. Powell Mountain is about 60 miles (97 km) long. It is broken by one stream only, theNorth Fork Clinch River.North of the river, the mountain is less well-defined as a ridge and merges withStone Mountainand other mountains near the headwaters of Powell River. The southern part of Powell Mountain is paralleled on the south byNewman Ridgeand Stone Ridge. Between Powell Mountain and these ridges is Snake Hollow and the headwaters of Blackwater Creek. This area is known for its historicMelungeonpopulation. Powell Mountain is crossed byU.S. Route 58,called "Daniel Boone Trail Highway". The originalWilderness Roadcrossed the mountain nearby at Kanes Gap. Besides the largewater gapof the North Fork Clinch River, there are numerouswind gaps.Some of the named gaps, from south to north, include Fugate Gap, Gibson Gap, Mulberry Gap (used by State Route 63), Bryson Gap, Sally Gap, Hunter Gap (used by State Route 70), Kanes Gap, Elisha Lick Gap, and Beaverdam Gap.

Powell Mountain in Scott County, Virginia

Powell Mountain's southern end is inClaiborne County, Tennessee.On the north side of the mountain flows Little Sycamore Creek, and on the south side, Big Sycamore Creek. The two join just south of the end of Powell Mountain, then flowing into the Clinch River and Norris Lake (the reservoir behindNorris Dam). To the northeast, Powell Mountain crossesHancock County, Tennessee,where Newman Ridge runs closely along the south side. Big Sycamore Creek flows between the two ridges to its headwaters. Its valley is called Snake Hollow. Northeast of that, Blackwater Creek flows northeastward between Powell Mountain and Newman Ridge. In Hancock County, Powell Mountain reaches heights around 2,300 to 2,400 feet (about 700 to 730 meters), with the highest point, 2,501 feet (762 m)), on the Tennessee-Virginia state line. On the north side of Powell Mountain, Mulberry Creek flows southwestward to join the Powell River.

Continuing northeast, Powell Mountain crosses intoLee County, Virginia.Wallen Creek, a tributary of the Powell River, flows along the north side, while Blackwater Creek and its tributaries (themselves all branches of the Clinch River) flow on the south side. TheWilderness Roadfollowed part of Wallen Creek, between Powell Mountain and Wallen Ridge.State Route 70crosses Powell Mountain at Hunter Gap. North of Hunter Gap, Newman Ridge continues along the south side of Powell Mountain, but its name changes to Stone Ridge. Northeast of Hunter Gap, Powell Mountain's elevation increases to 2,500 feet (760 m) and above. The mountain becomes the boundary between Lee County andScott County, Virginia.It is crossed byU.S. Route 58,"Daniel Boone Trail Highway". Daniel Boone's Wilderness Road route crossed Powell Mountain at Kanes Gap, just northeast of where the modern highway crosses.

The North Fork Clinch River breaks northeast of Kanes Gap, Powell Mountain. The mountain curves north and then west along the southwest side of the river, ending at a summit called "Butt of Powell Mountain" (elevation 2,859 feet (871 m)).US Route 23and crosses Powell Mountain by following the North Fork Clinch River, as does railroad tracks owned by theNorfolk Southern Railway.Powell Mountain continues on the other side of the North Fork Clinch River, but is less well-defined as a ridge. It blends somewhat with Cliff Mountain, Little Mountain, and Stone Mountain. Near Cliff Mountain is the high summit of Bowling Knob (3,557 feet (1,084 m)). Nearby this section of Powell Mountain is Virginia'sNatural Tunnel State Park.Also nearby is a section of the old Wilderness Road known as "Devil's Racepath". The crossing of Powell Mountain at Kanes Gap and the difficult Devil's Racepath made this one of the more difficult segments of the Wilderness Road.

The northernmost section of Powell Mountain crosses intoWise County, Virginia,where there is another high summit called Morris Butt (2,940 feet (900 m)). Northeast of that, the headwaters of the Powell River cut a valley into Powell Mountain near the community of Cracker Neck. Northeast of that, Powell Mountain becomes increasingly merged with Little Mountain, Stone Mountain, and Grindstone Ridge. In this section, the highest summit occurs,High Knob(4,223 feet (1,287 m)), but it is defined as the summit of Stone Mountain rather than Powell Mountain. Finally, Powell Mountain ends nearNorton, Virginia.The northern terminus of Powell Mountain is inJefferson National Forest.