Breaks Interstate Park
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Trail Overview
Hungry Mother State Park offers eight hiking trails covering around 12 miles running along the lake, through woods, and up to park's 3,270 feet highpoint.
How to get there
From the TriCities area:
- Take I-81 up to Exit 44 (US-11/Marion).
- Turn right/NE on US-11/Lee Highway and proceed into town just over three miles.
- Turn left/NW onto VA-16 and continue another four miles.
- Turn right/NW into state park.
- Day parking for the main trails on right below dam - and back by the CCC cabins.
Route Description
The following trails are available in Hungry Mother State Park.
| Trail | Miles | Blaze | Difficulty | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Pond Trail | 0.4 | Purple | Easy | 
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| Campbranch Trail | 0.7 | White | Easy |
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| Center Creek Trail | 0.5 | Purple | Medium |
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| Cold Springs Trail | 0.5 | Yellow | Medium |
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| Deer Trail | 0.5 | Purple | Easy |
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| Geological Trail | 0.35 | White | Medium |
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| Grassy Creek Trail | 0.5 | Yellow | Medium |
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| Grassy Overlook Trail | 0.5 | Green | Medium |
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| Ladies Loop Trail | 0.9 | Royal Blue | Difficult | 
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An interesting loop hike through the forest with both summit and lake views could be created. Start by parking in the back by the cabins at the trailhead for Molly's Knob Trail (coordinates in infobox). After mile and quarter travel, take left and up 0.4 mile Molly's Vista Trail to the 3247 ft summit. Back down and left to finish out the one-third mile remaining on Molly's Knob Trail to the intersection with CCC Trail. Take a left for a mile until Lake Trail is reached. Following the winding Lake Trail back to parking lot. Roughly 6.5 miles in three and half hours.
Typical Conditions
Being a VA state park, the dirt and gravel trails are kept in excellent condition. Some of the trail sections do narrow to a tight single-track, but adequate use of switchbacks keeps the elevation change reasonably gradual. Most of the trails are in the forest, some with lake views.
Fees, Permits, etc.
Daily parking fee for passenger vehicles into VA state parks is $2 weekdays, $3 weekends.
Misc. Information
Maps
<googlemap version="0.9" lat="36.8818" lon="-81.5289" type="terrain" zoom="14" width="700" scale="yes" icons="http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/marker{label}.png"> http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HMSP_Mollys_Knob_Trail.kml http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HMSP_Lake_Trail.kml http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HMSP_Mollys_Vista_Trail.kml http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HMSP_CCC_Trail_partial.kml
(G) 36.88597,-81.5212 Molly's Knob Trailhead (G) 36.88243,-81.50953 Molly's Vista trailhead (E) 36.8839, -81.51027 Molly's Knob (G) 36.88117,-81.51055 Molly's Knob and CCC Trail intersection (G) 36.87365,-81.51063 CCC and Lake Trails intersection (A) 36.8853,-81.52175 Parking Area by cabins (A) 36.86922,-81.52559 Parking Area by spillway </googlemap>
Park Trail Map Note that this map does not have "Lake Loop" broken up into now Lake, Fisherman's Run, and Powder House trails sections.
Photos
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