Breaks Interstate Park, Virginia
Breaks Interstate Park
Breaks Interstate Park is located Virginia/Kentucky border. It is one of only two Interstate Parks in the nation. The other interstate is located on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border and is made up of two parks both named Interstate Park.
Breaks Interstate Park preserves the gorge made by the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River on its way to the Ohio River. The gorge at Breaks is the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi.
Russell Fork of Big Sandy River
Flowers at Breaks Interstate Park
Farm Implements
Moonshine Still Breaks Interstate Park
We have always wanted to visit Breaks Interstate Park and finally had the chance in late April 2012 on our way back home from a visit to Indiana. We got there late in the afternoon and checked into the lodge. We pretty much had our pick of rooms and got a room with a great view of the gorge. The view was limited by low clouds or fog.
The next morning we toured the park. View distances were limited by the low clouds or fog but we could see enough to know that this is a special place. There is an exhibit of old farm equipment and a moonshine still. The design of the still here is different from the design of stills on exhibit in North Carolina. Unfortunately, the still is not a working one. We had to wait for a visit to Gatlinburg, TN to see a working (legal) moonshine still.
Sign for Breaks Interstate Park
Dickerson County Virginia is famous as the home of Ralph Stanley as well as being the home of Breaks Interstate Park. The John W. Flannagan Dam and Reservoir is also located in Dickerson County. We hope to get back here with Nessie and do some paddling. There appear to be several good places for quiet water paddling.
The State of Virginia is adding feature to Breaks Interstate Park that will make it a family destination. The major new attraction is a water park. They were working on it while we where there and expected it to be open in time for the 2012 season. It looked like something that kids would really enjoy. Nice to see states investing in things even in these hard times.