Channels State Forest Coal Mining Heritage Loop

The sandstone formations that give Channels State Forest its name tower 200 feet above this forgotten corner of Appalachia, where narrow mining roads wind past collapsed tipples and overgrown company towns. This 12-mile loop climbs through virgin hemlock groves and across exposed ridgelines where strip mining once scarred the mountainsides, now healing under second-growth forest. The technical highlight comes at Devil’s Bathtub—a series of rock pools connected by waterfalls that requires careful navigation around loose sandstone ledges.

Difficult rating demands high-clearance 4WD with skid plates and recovery gear. The old mining roads turn treacherous after rain, with exposed rock and steep grades that have claimed more than a few oil pans. Spring through fall offers the best conditions, though winter provides stark beauty without the undergrowth. No facilities exist within the forest—carry water, fuel, and camping gear. The reward is solitude in Virginia’s wildest public land, where black bears outnumber visitors and the only sounds are wind through the channels.