10 Hidden Gem Mountain Towns in Virginia Nobody Knows About!

A town of 86 people with one of America's most celebrated restaurants. Hot spring pools where Thomas Jefferson soaked three times a day and still called it "so dull a place." A valley that made salt for an entire army. And a coal mine where more than a hundred men died in one explosion, which you can still walk into today. Virginia's mountains are full of small towns most people drive right past. In this video we count down 10 hidden gem mountain towns in Virginia: how each one started, what happened there, and why it's worth the drive today. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:01 #10 Little Washington 02:55 #9 Fincastle 04:47 #8 Buchanan 06:39 #7 Monterey 08:21 #6 Warm Springs 10:24 #5 Floyd 12:02 #4 Damascus 13:48 #3 Big Stone Gap 15:30 #2 Saltville 17:18 #1 Pocahontas 19:16 Which one would you visit? Which of these mountain towns would you most like to visit? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe to Timeless Virginia for more stories of Virginia's history, one place at a time. Note: the Virginia Creeper Trail between Damascus and Whitetop is closed for Hurricane Helene repairs until 2027. Check before you go. SOURCES Virginia Department of Historic Resources, National Park Service, Encyclopedia Virginia, Virginia Tech Civil War driving tour, U.S. Census Bureau, Cardinal News, official town and county websites, and local historical societies. CREDITS Historic images: Library of Congress, National Archives, National Gallery of Art, New York Public Library (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons. Creative Commons photos via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY / CC BY-SA): Harriswoodville, Doug Kerr, AlbertHerring, Warren In the Weeds, reivax, Kubigula, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Rudi Riet, Famartin, Chris M Morris, Jarek Tuszyński, Bruce Tuten, ForestWander, Pfolmsbee, Donnie Nunley, Skye Marthaler, Waldo Jaquith, Virginia Office of the Governor, Jason Riedy, Kat Rowland, KJPurscell, Blackoffee, Virginia State Parks staff, Jerrye & Roy Klotz MD, Erinod333, Aplomado, Magnolia677, Coal town guy, Brian M. Powell, Virginia Hillbilly, JodyMBrumage. Video: Pixabay. Music: CapCut audio library. #Virginia #VirginiaHistory #SmallTowns