Powell Mountain

Powell Mountain (or "Powells Mountain") is a mountain ridge of the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians of the Appalachian Mountains. It is a long and narrow ridge, running northeast to southwest, from about Norton, Virginia to near Tazewell, Tennessee. It separates the Clinch River basin and the Powell River basin of Powell Valley. It was named for an 18th-century explorer.

Its elevation averages between 1,500 to 2,500 feet (460 to 760 meters), with its highest points above 3,000 feet (910 meters). The highest point is Bowling Knob (3,557 feet;1,084 meters), near the northern end of the mountain.

Powell Mountain is about 60 miles (97 km) long. It is broken by one stream only, the North Fork Clinch River. North of the river, the mountain is less well-defined as a ridge and merges with Stone Mountain and other mountains near the headwaters of Powell River.

The southern part of Powell Mountain is paralleled on the south by Newman Ridge and Stone Ridge. Between Powell Mountain and these ridges is Snake Hollow and the headwaters of Blackwater Creek. This area is known for its historic Melungeon population.

Powell Mountain is crossed by U.S. Route 58, called "Daniel Boone Trail Highway". The original Wilderness Road crossed the mountain nearby, at Kanes Gap.

Beside the large water gap of the North Fork Clinch River, there are numerous wind gaps. Some of the named gaps, from south to north, include: Fugate Gap, Gibson Gap, Mulberry Gap (used by State Route 63), Bryson Gap, Sally Gap, Hunter Gap (used by State Route 70), Kanes Gap, Elisha Lick Gap, and Beaverdam Gap.

Powell Mountain's southern end is in Claiborne County, Tennessee. On the north side of the mountain flows Little Sycamore Creek, and on the south side, Big Sycamore Creek. The two join just south of the end of Powell Mountain, then flowing into the Clinch River and Norris Lake (the reservoir behind Norris Dam).

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Wikipedia