Brumley Mountain Trail

Brumley Mountain Trail is a 14.6-mile hiking route through Channels State Forest and nearby Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Virginia Department of Forestry. It’s the common approach for hikers heading to The Great Channels on Middle Knob, a 400-million-year-old sandstone labyrinth of crevasses and narrow passages.

The trail follows “Brumley Mountain Trail” route markings that include white diamond markers. On foot, expect a long dirt-route day that can vary from wide forest roads to narrower hiking tread as you work your way toward the Channels area.

For most parties, the practical use is an access-and-return hike: the direct trip from the eastern end on VA-80 to the point where the route connects with Channels Trail is about a 6.6-mile round trip, and many people don’t continue the full 14.6 miles.

Route access is from the Hayters Gap area along VA-80 near the Washington/Russell County line. A parking area at the Channels Natural Area Preserve is limited to 10 vehicles, Highway 80 parking is prohibited, and camping is not allowed in the state forest system.

Trailhead logistics and route choice matter for timing and pacing. The east-end portion is frequently used as a shorter out-and-back to The Great Channels, while the full Brumley Mountain Trail route extends farther into the surrounding forest and Hidden Valley WMA connections.

Seasonal and surface considerations are part of the plan: trail conditions can get muddy in wet periods, and the Channels area can hold snow into spring. The white-diamond route layout is also the basis for route-finding when the hiking tread narrows or conditions obscure forest-road intersections.

More information: Map, Channels State Forest | Virginia Department of Forestry, Take a Hike - Channels State Forest