Virginia trails · Prospector
Prospector
A 2.0-mile out-and-back in Virginia, with 376 ft of climbing. Reaches The Notches and other pass/viewpoint destinations. Managed by the state.
Elevation profile
The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route. It gives back about 1,069 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- The Notches (pass)
- Towers Tunnel Overlook (viewpoint)
- Clinchfield Overlook (viewpoint)
- State Line Overlook (viewpoint)
- Pinnacle Rock (viewpoint)
Getting there
Geological & Ridge access. About 1 h 13 min drive (45 mi) from Richlands. 37.29317, -82.30816 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 7:09 a.m., the sun rises at 7:36 a.m. and sets at 6:53 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:20 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 18 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 4.1-mile round trip takes roughly 1 h 53 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 9:29 a.m. — 9 h 25 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Ridge + Prospector + River — 3.0 mi loop, 2,705 ft gain
- Prospector + Laurel Branch + Geological — 0.9 mi loop, 606 ft gain
- Prospector + River + Grassy Creek — 3.0 mi loop, 2,805 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Haysi-Ridgeview Trail System — 5.5 mi
- Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail — 17.4 mi
- Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail - Highland Section — 25.4 mi