EXPLORE

NORTON, VIRGINIA'S

FLAG ROCK OVERLOOK

SERVICES

ABOUT THE ROCK

AN ICONIC VIEW

Flag Rock Overlook is the centerpiece of Flag Rock Recreation Area, a 1,000-acre park owned and managed by the City of Norton, Virginia.The story of how an American flag came to be posted atop the rock pillar visible at the overlook dates back to the 1920s, when a German immigrant is said to have climbed atop the rock and erected the flag as a symbol of love for his newfound home.

The view from Flag Rock is scenic, but what exactly are you looking at in the distance? This guide, developed by
students at The University of Virginia's College at Wise, provides an introduction into how the overlook also provides a window into southwest Virginia's natural and cultural history. Continue scrolling down to learn more.

Don't know where the overlook is? You can see its location and get directions from your current location here.

Header photo above courtesy of the City of Norton, originally photographed by Will Bouton.

Flag Rock and surrounding High Knob are part of the Cumberland Mountains, a subsection of the Appalachian Plateau that stretches from northeast Tennessee through southwest Virginia and eastern Kentucky into southern West Virginia. High Knob, located a couple of miles south of Flag Rock and 1,000 feet higher in elevation, is the highest point in the Cumberland Mountains at 4,223 feet above sea level. High Knob and Flag Rock are also part of Cumberland Mountain, a 97 mile-long ridgeline that runs southwest, through Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, and all the way to Caryville, Tennessee.

The Cumberlands are made up of predominantly sandstone, limestone, and coal, three rock types that are vastly important to the central Appalachians. Flag Rock itself and the overlook you're standing on are made up of sandstone, a type of sedimentary rock formed millions of years ago when the ancient Appalachians were a vast, inland sea. Sediment, such as silt and sand, would run from the land into the water, layering on top of one another. Eventually, these sediments experienced intense pressure and became mineralized into the sandstone you see at Flag Rock today.

However, the Cumberland Mountains' story doesn't stop there. Around 300 million years ago, the continental plates containing modern-day North America and Africa collided, and the resulting orogeny (or mountain-building event) lifted up the Appalachian Mountains. During that event, some rock layers folded and formed ridges and valleys, while others faulted (or fractured), creating unique features across the landscape. One of those features is the Cumberland Overthrust Block - a 120 mile-long by 25 mile-wide mass of rocks fractured, uplifted, and moved northward by the intense force of a continental collision. Pine Mountain (detailed later in this guide) is visible on the horizon from Flag Rock and makes up this block's northern edge, while Flag Rock is near its southern end. This action helped create the steeply-sloped ridges visible from the overlook and is what makes the Cumberland Mountains region so unique.

Check out some of the key features of the Cumberland Mountains visible from Flag Rock Overlook in the photo below.

PEAKS AND VALLEYS

Just out of sight and in the V-shaped notch west of the overlook is the head of Powell Valley and the high gap that US Highway 23 passes through between the City of Norton and the town of Big Stone Gap. Powell Valley is most famous for its scenic view from US-23 just outside of Norton, but the view from Flag Rock provides a unique look at the valley - and a clue about how the valley first formed.

Earlier, we discussed how the Cumberland Mountains are made predominantly of sandstone, limestone, and coal. The higher elevations near Flag Rock are mostly sandstone, coal, and related rock layers, but Powell Valley is different, being made up of mostly limestone. This is important because limestone erodes much easier than sandstone, dissolving in the presence of water to form a landscape known as karst.

When the Appalachians were most recently uplifted during the continental collision described above, an anticline (or an arched, upward fold in rock layers) was created where Powell Valley is today. This upward fold eventually breached, allowing water to work its way into the dome's limestone heart and creating the wide valley you see today. Powell Valley, in fact, is considered unique in that is it an anticlinal valley - a low valley created from what once was an upward-folded ridge of rock.

Imagine the deep valley visible to the left side of the western view from the Flag Rock Overlook being a rounded ridge of rock to get a feel for how important geologic forces have been in shaping the southwest Virginia landscape. Next, we'll move to the sweeping view north of the overlook, over downtown Norton.

DISTANT MOUNTAINS

GALLERY

A "GREEN STRIP" THROUGH THE CUMBERLANDS

The most distant point visible from Flag Rock Overlook is Pine Mountain, the far ridgeline forming the horizon to the right of the view. Pine Mountain extends 124 mi from Jellico, TN to Elkhorn City, KY and is the northern edge of the Cumberland Overthrust Block described above. As a result, Pine Mountain has steep cliffs on its northwest side, with the Virginia side of the mountain visible here having gentler slopes.

Pine Mountain is named for the clifftop pine trees found along its summit, and much of the mountain is made up of mixed mesophytic forest, the most diverse temperate forest type in the world. Other communities on Pine Mountain include Appalachian oak forests, pine barrens, mountaintop bogs, caves, and streams that form the headwaters of the Kentucky, Cumberland, and Big Sandy Rivers. Many rare plant and animal species are found on the mountain, including some that are endemic, meaning that they cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. Pine Mountain also acts as a migratory route for species such as black bears and is an important nesting site and migratory route for birds such as raptors.

Only nine roads cross Pine Mountain along its entire length, including US-23 at Pound Gap, a low spot on the ridgeline visible from Flag Rock Overlook. If you have binoculars, it is even possible to see the twin gas stations situated in Pound Gap at the Virginia-Kentucky state line. Pound Gap is also famous for its massive road cut on the Kentucky side that provides a wonderful example of thrust-faulting, a type of fault where older rocks are pushed on top of younger rocks. Thrust-faulting was key to forming the large block of rock that extends from Flag Rock all the way to Pine Mountain's northern end. Pound Gap was also used by both the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War.

Beyond having a lack of road crossings, Pine Mountain has largely been left undisturbed due to its lack of merchantable coal, making it an important undisturbed landscape in the heart of the Appalachian coalfields. Organizations have been in the process of identifying land on the mountain that needs to be preserved by purchasing land from willing landowners, creating destinations like The Narrows Preserve, Kingdom Come State Park, the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, and Breaks Interstate Park. The Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, specifically, stretches 42 miles across the ridgetops visible from the overlook. It and the aforementioned outdoor destinations help create a diverse mix of recreation options surrounding Flag Rock here in the Heart of Appalachia.

RIVERS AND COAL

A CHANGING HERITAGE

Much of downtown Norton and the surrounding valley visible from Flag Rock Overlook encompasses the headwaters of the Guest River watershed. The river itself specifically originates near the surface mining visible to the north of the City and flows through the eastern part of town. The Guest River is part of the larger Clinch and Upper Tennessee River watersheds and was named after Christopher Gist, an early explorer in the Appalachian region. Historically, the river and its companion valley were used by Native Americans for hunting and fishing and, much later, for transporting coal via railroads that ran from Norton south to the famous Clinchfield line. Such railroads, in fact, are visible from the overlook today as they run from Norton to the town of Coeburn. An abandoned line in the scenic Guest River Gorge (about 20 minutes from downtown Norton) has been converted into a multi-use hiking and biking trail along the river. The video above shows the Guest River deep within its gorge.

Coal mining has been an important part of the City of Norton's economy for well over a century. While most people think of underground mining (using shafts below ground to reach coal seams) when they consider coal, most of the present-day coal extraction in the region is taking the form of surface mining. Here, rock layers above the coal seam, called overburden, are removed from the surface, exposing the coal aboveground for removal. The large surface mines visible beyond downtown from the overlook are one example of this practice.

Today, southwest Virginia is undergoing another key transition. While coal mining still forms an important part of the region's economy, communities like Norton are increasingly looking to alternative strategies, such as tourism, for new economic opportunities. In addition, many former surface mines are being restored to address issues related to water quality and wildlife habitat. The Guest River, for example, has been home to one such area of concern due to high levels of sediment and bacteria. Groups like the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, however, are currently working with multiple partners to improve the river's water quality and enhance its ability to fit into southwest Virginia's growing recreation landscape. The City of Norton, for example, has plans to develop its own multi-use trail along the river and provide opportunities for residents to get outside while also learning about the region's unique natural and cultural history.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

While you're in the area, make sure to do more than just enjoy the view from Flag Rock Overlook. Behind you, the City of Norton's Flag Rock Area Trails System fans out over the recreation area, while fishing opportunities - including stocked trout -exist just up the road at the Norton Reservoir. Higher up the mountain, the High Knob Observation Tower and Jefferson National Forest provide recreation opportunities galore.

Check out the City of Norton website to learn more about these and other opportunities on the mountain and in downtown, including dining, lodging, and shopping options. The City's Facebook page also has real-time updates about activities, festivals, and other opportunities in and around Flag Rock Recreation Area.