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Welcome to

Norton, Virginia

From outdoor adventures to old-time jams at Country Cabin II, Norton and the surrounding High Knob Region offer year-round adventures for everyone. The city and surrounding region boast more than 100 miles of non-motorized trails for hiking and mountain biking, waterways ripe for fishing and paddling, music venues and festivals highlighting old-time, Americana, and bluegrass music, art galleries and museums highlighting Appalachian artists and history, and more. We invite you to Get Outside in Norton! See the links below to help plan your visit.

Discover Norton

Flag Rock

Searching for outdoor adventures? Look no further than Norton’s Flag Rock Recreation Area. Located three miles (and a thousand feet) above downtown Norton, the recreation area boasts more than 10 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, scenic overlooks, picnic shelters, a campground, reservoirs for fishing and paddling, bouldering and rock climbing routes, and sanctuaries for both the green salamander and Woodbooger.

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High Knob Tower

High Knob Region

Make the High Knob Region your basecamp for outdoor adventures in Southwest Virginia! Named for High Knob – the highest point in the Cumberland Mountains – the region is home to three state parks, the more than 90,000-acre Clinch Ranger District on the Jefferson National Forest and other community parks and trails. The variety of recreation sites and activities make the region a great outdoor escape. Check out the High Knob Adventure Guide to help plan your trip!

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High Knob Tower

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Current Month

25apr10:00 am3:02 pmHigh Knob Destination Center Grand Opening10:00 am - 3:02 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Municipal Parking Lot, 765 Park Ave. NW

26apr9:00 am2:00 pmGreat American Cleanup9:00 am - 2:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Municipal Parking Lot, 765 Park Ave. NW

26apr10:00 am12:00 pmSpring Wildflower Group Hike10:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Reservoir Trailhead

01may6:00 pm7:00 pmFarmers Market Vendor Interest Meeting6:00 pm - 7:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Expo Center, 115 8th St. SW

10may9:00 am10:00 amMorning Yoga Flow Classes9:00 am - 10:00 am(GMT-04:00) High Knob Destination Center, 1147 Laurel Avenue SW

13may5:00 pm7:00 pmTrash Treasures Workshops5:00 pm - 7:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Community Center, 201 Park Ave. NE

17may9:00 am12:00 pmFit Farmer 12K Trail Run9:00 am - 12:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Reservoir Trailhead

19may10:00 am2:00 pmOil Painting Class10:00 am - 2:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Community Center, 201 Park Ave. NE

30may6:00 pm7:00 pmOutdoor Chat: Snakes of Southwest Virginia6:00 pm - 7:00 pm(GMT-04:00) High Knob Destination Center, 1147 Laurel Avenue SW

02junAll Day07Best Friend Festival(All Day)(GMT-04:00)

02jun(jun 2)9:00 am04(jun 4)2:00 pmSummer Camp: Cheerleading9:00 am - 2:00 pm (4)(GMT-04:00) Norton Elementary School Gym, 205 Park Avenue NE

03jun4:00 pm6:00 pmNorton Friends and Farmers Market4:00 pm - 6:00 pm(GMT-04:00) Norton Expo Center, 115 8th St. SW

09jun(jun 9)9:00 am11(jun 11)12:00 pmSummer Camp: Tennis9:00 am - 12:00 pm (11)(GMT-04:00) Norton City Park, 1033 Pine Street NW

16junAll Day20Camp High Knob(All Day)(GMT-04:00)

23junAll Day26Summer Camp: Outdoor Adventure(All Day)(GMT-04:00) Flag Rock Recreation Area, 1348 Flag Rock Road Norton, VA 24273

Get the inside scoop

🎉We’re excited to officially celebrate the opening of the @hkdestinationcenter with a Grand Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. next Friday, April 25! 🎉 If interested in attending, please park at the Norton Municipal Parking Lot, located at 765 Park Ave. NW. Due to limited parking, we will be shuttling people from the Municipal Lot to the Center. The event schedule will be as follows: 10 a.m. - Ribbon Cutting 11 a.m. - Building Tours & Refreshments 1-3 p.m. - Guided hike in Flag Rock Recreation Area and self-guided driving tours on High Knob Questions? Please contact us at (276) 679-3103. (Photo of people at High Knob Tower courtesy Kyle LaFerriere)
Thanks to everyone that joined us on our group hike on High Knob this morning! ❄️🥶
Check out a sneak peek of the eighth annual Fit Farmer 12K Trail Run race shirt featuring the green salamander! Earn yours Saturday, May 17! Still haven’t registered? Online registration will remain open until midnight on Wednesday, May 14: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=120181. Race day registration will also be available. Also see www.fitfarmertrailrun.wordpress.com for more race info and mail-in registration forms. The deadline to register and guarantee you get a shirt is Wednesday, April 30. For more information on the green salamander, please visit https://explorenortonva.com/green-salamander-sanctuary/ about Flag Rock Recreation Area being a green salamander sanctuary.
It’s almost April! Check out these upcoming events happening in Norton during the month of April. Also, be sure to follow @hkdestinationcenter and Norton Parks & Recreation (@nortonparks on Facebook) to stay up-to-date on upcoming events and news at these locations. See the 2025 Norton Events Calendar at https://nortonva.gov/9/Explore for more details on the below events.
Join Norton Parks & Recreation and the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable at 5 p.m. tomorrow, March 4, at the Norton Community Center (201 Park Ave. NE) for this month’s Trash To Treasures craft workshop! See below flyer for more info. Pre-registration is not required. Cost per person: $7. Questions? Contact Rebecca Kilgore, rmkilgore@nortonva.org or (276) 679-0754. #crafting #spring #easter
Happy Friday! Check out these upcoming events happening in March. Also, be sure to follow Norton Parks & Recreation (@nortonparks) on Facebook and the @hkdestinationcenter to stay up-to-date on upcoming events and news at these locations. #march #events #nortonva #getoutsidenorton #explorenortonva #crafting #butterflies #yoga #scavengerhunt
We’re excited to announce the winners of the Norton Birding Photography Contest! Thanks to the 8 talented photographers that submitted images. Winners are: 📸First Place: Thomas Aistrop of Big Stone Gap (Photo: Great Blue Heron) 📸Second Place: Peggy Markham of Coeburn (Photo: Tree Swallow) 📸Third Place: José Martín Magaña Nuñez of Charlotte, NC (Photo: American Goldfinch) Check out the winners’ photos below, as well as all other photo contest submissions. We’ll hold another Outdoor Photography Contest in July/August as part of this year’s High Knob Outdoor Fest. Stay tuned for details! #nortonva #getoutsidenortonva #explorenortonva #birding #photography #loveva #vaoutdoors #swva #iheartappy @hkdestinationcenter @highknoboutdoorfest
Thanks to everyone that joined us at the @hkdestinationcenter for our morning yoga session! The next class will be held at 9 a.m. next Saturday, Jan. 25. The center is open until 2 p.m. today. Stop by and check it out!
Did you know Black Bears and humans have a lot of similarities with their diets? Bring the whole family to join rangers from Natural Tunnel State Park as they discuss the American Black Bear's diet and other adaptations. 🐻Guests will also have the opportunity to see and touch a real Black Bear pelt and enjoy snacks that our bear buddies would be jealous of. 🐻This event will start at 11 AM at the @hkdestinationcenter on Jan. 25th. 🐻Cost: Free 🐻Registration encouraged, call 276-679-3103, or email destinationcenter@nortonva.org
Due to inclement weather, tomorrow's Yoga Flow Class at the @hkdestinationcenter is canceled. The next class (weather-permitting) will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Attention: Due to inclement weather, Norton City Offices will close at 4 p.m. today, Jan. 10, 2025. Please see image for more details.
We’re excited to announce the High Knob Destination Center’s opening day will be next Thursday, Jan. 16! The center will initially be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. More days and hours will be added as the year progresses. The center, located at 1147 Laurel Ave. SW in Norton, serves as a gateway to the High Knob Region, offering information and programming that highlight the recreational, ecological, historic, and cultural sites and opportunities in the region. At this time, the center’s visitor information and exhibit spaces will be open. Retail will be added soon. Be sure to follow the center on Facebook (@hkdestinationcenter) and Instagram (@hkdestinationcenter) for up-to-date news and events. Questions? Contact us at (276) 679-3103 or email highknobdestinationcenter@nortonva.org.
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