Lee County High Point Trip Report

Date: April 13, 2001
Author: Ken Oeser

From the KY/VA state line on Highway 160, I parked at a large pullover on the south side of the highway on the Virginia side. This is the same place that one drives up to Black Mountain, KY. I hiked along the contour southwest 0.8 mile and hit a saddle on the ridge below The Doubles. (One could park near The Doubles and hike down, but the road is posted by the coal company.). I then hiked on an old logging road southeast for 0.5 mile, then southwest again for 0.8 mile to the tri-county point and Lee county highpoint. The road dips west of the 3800+ ft points, then regains the ridge headed south. The cohp seems to be at the ridge crest just before the logging road heads steeply downhill. Potato Hill is visible to the southwest, and The Doubles are visible due north from the trail around the final contours and cohp. The Delorme map book shows the Virginia side is all Jefferson National Forest, so ridge access on the east side of the logging road should be a legal hike. The west side of the road/ridge could be coal mine land.