Maintop Mountain
Encyclopedia
Maintop Mountain is a mountain
in Nelson County
, Virginia
.
The mountain is a peak on a spur off the main Blue Ridge Mountains
, about 2 miles (3 km) east of Elk Pond Mountain
, and about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) west of The Priest
.
The mountain is located in the George Washington National Forest.
Maintop Mountain stands within the watershed
of the Tye River
, which drains into the James River
. The northwest side of Maintop Mountain drains into Mill Creek, thence into the South Fork of the Tye River. The northeast side of the mountain drains into the Maidenhead Branch of the South Fork. The southeast side drains into Shoe Creek, thence into the Piney River and the Tye River. The southwest side drains into the Louisa Spring Branch of the North Fork of the Piney River.
The Appalachian Trail
, a 2,170-mile (3,500-km) National Scenic Trail
from Georgia
to Maine
, currently runs across the summit of Maintop Mountain. After a trail relocation scheduled to start May 2009, the AT will follow a less steep route and pass below the summit.
Maintop is a popular local destination because of the view from Spy Rock, a spur located about a quarter mile from the summit. Spy Rock can be reached by a steep mile and a half hike from a state fish hatchery in Montebello, Virginia
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in Nelson County
Nelson County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,445 people, 5,887 households, and 4,144 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 8,554 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
The mountain is a peak on a spur off the main Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
, about 2 miles (3 km) east of Elk Pond Mountain
Elk Pond Mountain
Elk Pond Mountain is a peak of the Blue Ridge Mountains, on the border of Nelson and Rockbridge counties in Virginia.Elk Pond Mountain is flanked to the east by Maintop Mountain, and to the southwest by Rocky Mountain....
, and about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) west of The Priest
The Priest
The Priest is a mountain in Nelson County, Virginia. The peak of the mountain is the highest point in the county.The mountain is on a spur off the main Blue Ridge Mountains, about 3.5 miles east of Maintop Mountain, located in the Priest Wilderness of the George Washington National...
.
The mountain is located in the George Washington National Forest.
Maintop Mountain stands within the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Tye River
Tye River
The Tye River is a tributary of the James River in central Virginia in the United States. Originating on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Nelson County, and fed by the Piney and Buffalo rivers, by way of the James River it is part of the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay.Although...
, which drains into the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
. The northwest side of Maintop Mountain drains into Mill Creek, thence into the South Fork of the Tye River. The northeast side of the mountain drains into the Maidenhead Branch of the South Fork. The southeast side drains into Shoe Creek, thence into the Piney River and the Tye River. The southwest side drains into the Louisa Spring Branch of the North Fork of the Piney River.
The Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, a 2,170-mile (3,500-km) National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail is a designation for protected areas in the United States that consist of trails of particular natural beauty.National Scenic Trails were authorized under the National Trails System Act of 1968 along with National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails...
from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, currently runs across the summit of Maintop Mountain. After a trail relocation scheduled to start May 2009, the AT will follow a less steep route and pass below the summit.
Maintop is a popular local destination because of the view from Spy Rock, a spur located about a quarter mile from the summit. Spy Rock can be reached by a steep mile and a half hike from a state fish hatchery in Montebello, Virginia
Montebello, Virginia
Montebello is an unincorporated community in Nelson County, Virginia, United States. It was among the communities severely affected by flash flooding from Hurricane Camille in 1969.-References:*...