Legion Park Trail

Description

Elevation: 2410 ft., Legion Park Trail is a several-mile long trail that can either form a loop that returns to the park or continues toward Flag Rock Recreation Area. The trail meanders through mixed deciduous woodlands, interspersed with stands of eastern hemlock. In some places, a lush understory of rhododendron and mountain laurel decorates this landscape. This is a good venue for seeing neotropical songbirds that are expected to breed at high elevations. Black-throated green, Canada, and black-throated blue warblers can be found along this trail, as well as dark-eyed junco, scarlet tanager, and blue-headed vireo. Great horned and barred owls are common, and keep in company the hoots of their smaller counterpart, the eastern screech-owl. In spring and fall, this should be a good venue for migrants. This site’s proximity to the city is probably one of its greatest lures; many typically high-elevation birds can be found here, a location that is rather close and easily accessible to visitors in Norton.

Directions

From High Knob Observation Tower, turn left onto Rt. 619 and follow it north 3.5 miles to the park entrance on the left.

To return to a major road, return to Rt. 619 and turn left. Follow it north to US 23. From here, follow US 23 South to the Big Stone Gap Loop