Above is a map from the Jack Kestner novel Fire Tower, published around 1960. Jack began hiking to the fire tower when it was first being built in 1938 (constructed by CCC, completed in 1939). He also published a memoir of his life A View from the Mountain, mostly relying on articles he had written as a newspaper columnist. His column was in the nearby Bristol Herald Courier. Although, he was quite familiar with the Great Channels, he wrote in 2004 when The Nature Conservancy bought the property, very few locals had visited or even knew of the Great Channels. The property later transferred to the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The former Jeep trail from Rt 80, was utilized to access the fire tower until is was decommissioned in 1970, is now used by hikers to make their way to the Great Channels. Jack Kestner served as a fire tower lookout briefly. Housing was in a one room Warden's cabin near the fire tower. A spring just down the Jeep road was utilized for water. It is shown on the Kestner's map. I found the trail to it but I'm told the spring box was destroyed when the area was timbered.
Our hike began early as we wanted to explore the Great Channels by ourselves. Walking Fern is one of my favorites. This one is growing in a crack in the sandstone.
Lots of Pipevine along the trail
After a 3 mile hike, we arrive at the fire tower. The tower sits on a sandstone outcrop, much like the Great Channels. There are fissures in the rock but only wide enough for litter to collect in. Just a few steps further, the fissures are wide and deep. The Great Channels have a lot more signage and the access is much better defined than when I last visited in 2016. The warden's cabin was still standing at that time. Take a walk through the maze below.
After 20 minutes wandering in the sandstone maze, we encountered another adventurer. She had just arrived, so was able to point the way out to us. Otherwise we would have roamed around a bit searching for the exit.
Witch Hazel in bloom
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