Russell: Waterfalls, Hiking Trails and Milling History

Russell County offers a wide range of ways to shape your trip: waterfalls and hiking trails, historic milling technology, crafts and art. You can plan your stay around whether you mainly want to spend time outdoors or discover traces of the area’s culture. These different themes can also help you choose a vacation rental and the right base for your activities.

Water, Trails and Landscape

Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve contains numerous waterfalls and cave formations. A trail in the preserve follows Big Cedar Creek and climbs toward The Pinnacle. The preserve thus combines distinctive landscape features with a named hiking route. It may be temporarily closed for management work, so check current access before your visit.

There are also hiking opportunities along Big Cedar Creek beyond this trail. Another named hike is the Sugar Hill Loop, which offers views over Clinch River State Park. When planning, you can choose between a creekside trail that climbs toward The Pinnacle and a hike with views of the state park.

Laurel Bed Lake is a 330-acre reservoir in the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Russell County. The lake is a distinct landscape feature alongside the region’s streams and hiking trails.

Get Active

For cyclists, a section of the TransAmerican Bike Trail runs along Russell County’s scenic roads. The Spearhead Trails offer opportunities for ATV riding there; the larger trail system extends across several counties. You can choose between different kinds of activities: a cycling route on roads or ATV riding on the Spearhead Trails.

On the grounds of Big Cedar Creek Farm, birdwatching, photography and general wildlife observation are permitted without a license, permit or Restore-the-Wild membership. Access conditions may change, so check them before your visit. This offers a different way to spend your time observing wildlife than going on a hike or following one of the routes described above.

Milling History, Buildings and Crafts

Jessees Mill began around 1851 as a water-powered grain-processing mill using traditional millstones. Its water power, grain processing and millstones bring the site’s historic work to life.

The Old Russell County Courthouse is among the earliest public buildings in southwest Virginia. Self-guided tours of the courthouse are recommended. On its grounds, the Dickenson Bundy Log House offers local crafts for sale. History and crafts come together here at one site, though they are distinct experiences.

The Clinch River Artisan Trail runs through Russell and Tazewell Counties. Along the trail, outdoor murals and artistically designed brick sculpture walls depict coal mining and the storytelling traditions of the Jack Tales. The LOVEwork in Russell County also has a local connection: students at the local vocational-technical high school designed and built it.

Market Life and Choosing Your Accommodation

The Clinch River Farmer's Market offers weekly live entertainment, children’s projects, recipe swaps, demonstrations and tips. Its program brings together entertainment, activities and opportunities to connect. If you’re traveling with children, the children’s projects are a specific feature to consider when choosing what you’d like to do on your trip.

When looking for a vacation rental, you can start by considering which aspect of your stay matters most: hiking and scenery, milling history and buildings, art and crafts, or the market program. Choose your base according to the experiences you plan to enjoy.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Castlewood, Honaker, Giles County, York County, Portsmouth, Bath, Washington County, Culpeper County.

For the main travel overview: Virginia.