Virginia trails · Prospector
A 1.9-mile out-and-back in Virginia, with 376 ft of climbing. Reaches The Notches and other pass/viewpoint destinations. Managed by the state.
The climbing leans toward the middle third: 54% of the ascent falls between mile 0.9 and mile 1.8. It gives back about 1,189 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
Geological & Ridge access. 37.29317, -82.30816 · directions
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:31 a.m., the sun rises at 6:58 a.m. and sets at 7:59 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:26 p.m. (EDT) — 13 h 01 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 3.8-mile round trip takes roughly 1 h 47 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 8:46 a.m. — 11 h 14 min before sunset.