Things To Do
Park Place Drive In
This is a great little drive in movie theater located five minutes from Hungry Mother State Park. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids, and concessions are very reasonably priced. They are cash only!
William King Museum of Art
The William King Museum of Art is an arts and cultural heritage museum for southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee. Admission is free.
Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace
Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace features arts and crafts from local artisans. Admission is free.
The Arts Depot
The Arts Depot is a local community art center and studio located in a civil war-era train depot. Visitors are able to interact with resident artists in their studios.
Abingdon Commons
The Abingdon Commons is a marketplace in downtown Abingdon with various local shops and restaurants.
Hike in Hungry Mother State Park
There are various hikes in Hungry Mother State Park ranging from easy to difficult. The easiest is the Clyburn Hollow trail, which is 0.5 miles long runs mostly through a shaded forest with several cute little creeks. For those looking for a challenge, we recommend taking Molly's Knob trail to the Vista trail, which takes you to the highest point of the park at 3,270 ft. For more information on the hikes at Hungry Mother State Park, see https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/document/data/trail-guide-hungrymother.pdf
Big Walker Lookout
Big Walker Lookout is a 100 ft tall former fire watch tower with spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. It is located outside of Wytheville, an approximately 30 minute drive from Marion. To get there you'll drive on a gorgeous winding mountain road up Big Walker Mountain, whose peak reaches 3,600 ft. Next to the tower is a little country store that sells gifts and tickets to climb the tower. Tickets are $9 for adults and $5 for children.
Museum Of The Middle Appalachians
The Museum of the Middle Appalachians highlights the history of Saltville, VA, and has many fossils and Civil War-era salt mining artifacts. Saltville is a small town on an inland marsh that provided most of the salt used by the confederates during the Civil War. It was also the site of several Civil War battles due to its abundant natural resources. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children 6-12 and adults 60+, and free for children under 6. Saltville is about a 25 minute drive from both Marion, VA and Abingdon, VA. If you are coming from Marion, you can take the scenic route by taking the "Back of the Dragon" road north, then taking a left on Valley road, which will take you through Rich Valley. See below for more information on these drives.
Drive the "Back of the Dragon" Road
This is a 32 mile stretch of road between Hungry Mother State Park and Tazewell, VA famous among motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts for sharp switchbacks, dramatic elevation changes, and stunning views. This ~50 minute drive is a great way to experience the mountain scenery without hiking. To access from Hungry Mother State Park, stay on Virginia Route 16 (B F Buchanan Highway). You'll end up in Tazewell, VA, which is a charming little rural town. The Back of the Dragon restaurant at the end of the road has fabulous pizza! Skip this drive if there is heavy rain or snow, or if you get carsick easily.
Drive Valley Road through Rich Valley
This stretch of road between Saltville, VA and the "Back of the Dragon" road has jaw-droppingly stunning scenery of farms and mountains. The first time we drove down this road we instantly fell in love with it. While narrow with some elevation changes, it is not nearly as dramatically twisty as the "Back of the Dragon." You can access two ways: if driving north on the "Back of the Dragon," take a left on Valley rd. Alternatively, take highway 81 to the small town of Chilhowie and take route 107 north to Valley rd. Valley rd. will take you to the "Back of the Dragon" road, which you can take south back to Marion.