High Knob, Mountain summit in Wise County and Scott County, Virginia, United States
High Knob is a mountain summit in southwestern Virginia, sitting on the border between Wise County and Scott County. A fire observation tower stands at the top, giving visitors an elevated viewpoint over the surrounding forested ridges.
A lookout tower was built on the summit in the late 1930s to help detect forest fires across the region. The original structure was eventually replaced by a newer tower, which is the one visitors see today.
High Knob sits within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, and local communities treat the trails around the summit as a regular outdoor destination. Hikers from nearby towns come here on weekends to walk through the forested slopes and reach the open views at the top.
The summit is reached by a marked hiking trail that leads up to the observation tower at the top. Visiting on a clear day makes the most of the views, since the forested ridges around the peak can be seen stretching far into the distance.
High Knob holds one of the highest single-season snowfall totals ever recorded in Virginia, a record set during one particularly severe winter. This makes the summit one of the snowiest spots in the entire state, even though it sits far from the areas more commonly associated with heavy snow.
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