Elliott Knob is one of the highest

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

s in the northern portions of the U.S. state of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. At , the peak is located on the ridge known as Great North Mountain. A subpeak known simply as "Hogback" () is located to the southwest. A small, naturally growing stand of red spruce trees is on the summit, and the upper slopes also have yellow birch and sugar maple, indicating that the

altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...

is just high enough to support tree species normally found hundreds of miles to the north. Otherwise

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

and

hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mexi ...

trees are the most common types found on the mountain. The mountain is entirely within George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The area around the mountain is inhabited by a wide array of

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

including black bears,

white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

and the elusive

bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...

. A primitive jeep

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

ascends the mountain from the east but it is also closed to public vehicles. The jeep trail is used by the Forest Service to gain access to a (closed) fire lookout on the summit and is very steep, rising over in less than . Just to the south of the mountain lies the town of

Augusta Springs, Virginia Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brasil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Suess ...

, which is below the summit. The only access for the public is on foot and along with the jeep trail, several other trails can be used to ascend to the top, each averaging in length and climbing up to from the trailheads. A small grassy cove is on the top and there is a

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

below the summit which flows year round as well as a small man-made pond not far from the spring. Right beside the base of the fire tower there is a

National Geodetic Survey The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) is a List of federal agencies in the United States, United States federal agency that defines and manages a national coordinate system, providing the foundation for transportation and communication; mapping an ...

triangulation station disk. The entire firetower structure is enclosed within a fence with barbed wire at the top. However, there is evidence of people gaining entry in the form of holes under the fence and loose sections where the fence can be pulled up high enough for a person to crawl under, since the ground is only covered with grass in that area of the summit.

Recreation

Elliott Knob is a popular day hike of for Boy Scouts who attend

Camp Shenandoah The Virginia Headwaters Council (VAHC) is the local council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) that serves Scouts in areas of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and West Virginia and areas of central Virginia. History The first council in the area ...

. The route for the Grindstone 100 Miler ultramarathon includes the summit of Elliot Knob.

Gallery

Elliott Knob.jpg, Elliott Knob in winter Elliott Knob radio towers.JPG, Radio towers below summit

References

{{Mountains of Virginia Mountains of Virginia Mountains of Augusta County, Virginia