High Knob facts for kids

Quick facts for kids High Knob
High Knob Tower
Highest point
Elevation	4,223 ft (1,287 m)
Prominence	2,043 ft (623 m)
Geography
Location	Wise County, Virginia, U.S.
Parent range	Cumberland Mountains
Topo map	USGS Norton
Climbing
Easiest route	Hike, or drive from Route 619 to near the summit

High Knob is a tall mountain peak in Virginia. It stands at 4,223 feet (1,287 meters) high. This peak is part of Stone Mountain and helps form the border between Scott County and Wise County. It's located close to the city of Norton.

Where is High Knob?

High Knob is in the western part of the Appalachian Mountains. It sits on the edge of the Cumberland Plateau in Southwest Virginia. This area is special because it has two types of landforms. It shows features of both the Appalachian Plateau and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. Much of it is a karst landform, meaning it has caves and sinkholes.

High Knob stretches across parts of southern Wise County and northern Scott County. It also touches the northeastern tip of Lee County. This mountain is very wide, more than 13 miles (21 km) across at its base. It is also quite long, stretching over 26 miles (42 km). High Knob is a key point in a large geological feature called the Cumberland Mountain Overthrust Block.

Even though High Knob is lower than Mount Rogers to the east, it is still a very high area. Mount Rogers is the tallest peak in Virginia. High Knob forms a true "high country" for the western slopes of the Appalachians.

Cool Features of High Knob

The area around High Knob is important for its geology. It's part of a large rock structure called the Powell Valley Anticline. This area has the most significant caves in Virginia.

The top of High Knob greatly affects the weather in Southwest Virginia. It is one of the rainiest and snowiest places in Virginia. It's also one of the wettest spots in the southern Appalachians.

This special weather, along with the geology, has created a very diverse landscape. This means it has many different kinds of plants and animals.

High Knob holds an unofficial record for the most snow in Virginia. During the winter of 1995–96, it received 200.5 inches (509 cm) of snow!

In a normal year, High Knob gets 60 to 70 inches (152 to 178 cm) of rain and snow. This makes it one of the wettest places north of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is the wettest place in Virginia where we have records. Extra moisture also comes from fog drip and rime on trees. Many days, the upper parts of the mountain are covered in clouds.

On a clear day, you can see four other states from the summit. These are West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina.

High Knob Lookout Tower

At the very top of High Knob, there used to be a fire tower. This was one of the few remaining fire towers in the Appalachian Mountains. The first tower was built in 1938–39 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was a program that helped young men find work during the Great Depression. This first tower was a wooden house.

A new, three-story lookout tower was built in 1978–79. It was built by the Flatwoods Job Corps. The Job Corps is a program that helps young people learn job skills. High Knob's fire tower was listed in the National Historic Lookout Registry. This means it was an important historical structure.

Sadly, on October 31, 2007, the High Knob Lookout Tower was destroyed. Someone set it on fire early on Halloween morning. Firefighters arrived, but the tower was already completely burned. They managed to stop the fire from spreading to the rest of the mountain. The area was very dry at the time.

In 2009, work began to replace the destroyed tower. A group called The High Knob Enhancement Corporation led this project. They raised money from donations. Architects designed the new tower, which now stands where the old one was. DOT Construction built the tower. It was finished on August 22, 2014. The new tower has a special trail and bridge. This makes it easier for visitors with physical disabilities to reach the tower.