Harman Patil (Editor)

Breaks Interstate Park

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Nearest city
  
Visitors
  
286,401 (in 2014)

Phone
  
+1 276-865-4413

Established
  
1954

Area
  
18.21 km²

Breaks Interstate Park

Location
  
Kentucky and Virginia, United States

Governing body
  
Breaks Interstate Park Compact

Address
  
627 Commission Cir, Breaks, VA 24607, USA

Hours
  
Open today · 7AM–9PMThursday7AM–9PMFriday7AM–10PMSaturday7AM–10PMSunday7AM–10PMMonday7AM–9PMTuesday7AM–9PMWednesday7AM–9PM

Management
  
Breaks Interstate Park Compact

Profiles

Go local season 1 episode 7 breaks interstate park


Breaks Interstate Park is a bi-state state park located partly in southeastern Kentucky and mostly in southwestern Virginia, in the Jefferson National Forest, at the northeastern terminus of Pine Mountain. Rather than their respective state park systems, it is instead administered by an interstate compact between the states of Virginia and Kentucky. It is one of several interstate parks in the United States, but only one of two operated jointly under a compact rather than as two separate state park units. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Kentucky Department of Parks are still major partner organizations, however.

Contents

The Breaks, also referred as the "Grand Canyon of the South", is the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, through which the Russell Fork river and Clinchfield Railroad (now the CSX Transportation Kingsport Subdivision) run. It is accessed via highway 80 (Virginia 80 and Kentucky 80), between Haysi, Virginia and Elkhorn City, Kentucky, and passes through the community of Breaks, Virginia east of the park.

American frontiersman Daniel Boone is credited with being the first person of European descent to discover the Breaks, which he first saw in 1767.

Breaks interstate park aerial drone footage


GeographyEdit

Breaks Interstate Park is located about 5 miles (8 km) east of Elkhorn City, Kentucky. The park covers 4,500 acres (1,800 ha). The park's main feature, Breaks Canyon, is five miles long and ranges from 830 to 1,600 feet (250 to 490 m) deep. The canyon was formed by the Russell Fork river through millions of years of erosion.

Activities and amenitiesEdit

  • Trails: The park has trails for hiking [25 miles (40 km)], mountain biking [12 miles (19 km)], and horseback riding.
  • Water-based: The park has a water park with five waterslides, a current channel, and splash pad for small children, in the summer of 2014 the park also added a regulation sized volleyball court. The park also offers fishing, paddle boating, canoeing, and hydro biking on Laurel Lake, and white-water rafting on the Russell Fork.
  • Rock Climbing: The Breaks offers world-class rock climbing with sandstone similar to the nearby New River Gorge.
  • Accommodations: The park offers a lodge with 82 guest rooms, four cottages near Beaver Pond, five cabins overlooking Laurel Lake, and a 122-site campground and a group camping area with 16 sites.
  • In addition the park has a visitor center with exhibits on the area's historical and natural features, a 6,000-square-foot (560 m2) conference center with restaurant, and an amphitheater.
  • References

    Breaks Interstate Park Wikipedia


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