The Breaks Interstate Park lies both in Virginia and Kentucky and is the largest park in Southwest Virginia and is home to the “Grand Canyon of the South,” the Russell Fork Gorge, which is a five-mile gorge with plunging depths of 1650 feet.
Open year-round, The Breaks is an outdoor adventurers paradise, featuring 25 miles of hiking trails, mountain biking, horseback riding, Geocaching, rock climbing, birding, pedal boats/canoes for Laurel Lake, and fishing to your heart’s content.
The park even features a zip line for quick, spectacular views of the gorge. (Currently closed due to COVID restrictions.) Opening within the next year is a swinging bridge, which at 725-feet is set to be the longest swinging bridge in the country. When completed in 2022, the bridge will not only connect the Virginia side of the park with Kentucky, but it will also serve as a connector between the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, the Pine Mountain Trail in Kentucky and also a section of the TransAmerica Bike Trail.
With its strategic location to the John W. Flannagan Dam, during October, the Breaks draws an international crowd to the park and the Russell Fork River. Each Saturday and Sunday during the first four full weekends in October, the Army Corps of Engineers manages a series of scheduled water releases from the Flannagan Dam, located on the Pound River, which is a tributary to the Russell Fork River. These releases create ideal whitewater conditions for kayakers and rafting enthusiasts of differing skill and experience levels.
The Breaks features accommodations of all varieties to fit any budget. The Lodge has 76 rooms, and a two-room suite, which comes complete with a kitchenette, cookware and dishes. Depending upon a visitor’s desired view, the Breaks has both lakefront and woodland cabins, with the lakefront offering three bedrooms while woodland cabins have two.
For the campers, Breaks Interstate Park has 138 sites, ranging from primitive to full RV hook-ups. Most sites are wooded, but grassy areas are also available. And for the nomads, Breaks now has one Yurt, conveniently located to Campground D’s bathhouse.
The spacious Rhododendron Restaurant serves lunch and dinner and has the ability to host banquet or meeting needs.
Open hours of Breaks Interstate Park depend upon the season. For detailed information, visit https://www.breakspark.com
