Mountain Art Works, LLC
Our Part of Earth!
Nestled in the mountains of Southwest Virginia
        Dickenson County (Virginia's Baby)
                        in the Heart of Appalachia, in God's Country.
Russell Fork River
Russell Prater Creek, the Russell Fork River and the McClure
River  merge behind the Town of Haysi.  These three streams
continue to wind through the mountains of Southwest Virginia as
the Russell Fork River.  
These three day releases  are popular with locals and visitors alike as
the level of the river is raised enhancing rafting and kayaking
conditions. As a result the sometimes Class V+ river has become
nationally known to the whitewater community.

Beginning and intermediate paddlers can enjoy portions of the river
and develop their skills.  Other sections are somewhat treacherous
and offers class V rapids for the experienced enthusiasts.  

Anglers have the opportunity to pursue channel and flathead catfish,
rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass. If you're in the area from out of
town and you'd like to try your luck against some of the area's
toughest game fish, we'll find you a local angler who can get you to
the fish and show you what they're biting.
Stone faced cliff in Breaks Gorge.
Kayaking the Russell Fork
Paddling!
Wow!
What a run.

Appalachia
How do you pronounce it?

Best described by
Kate and Andrea from Illinois.
Apple-Atcha!

These mountains are rich with
history and recreational
opportunities.  If you're an
outdoors enthusiast there's
something here for you. Hiking
and biking trails offer
picturesque scenery and a
mountain challenge that can
range from beginner to expert.

Pine Mountain Trail

You may even want to search
for the lost Swift Silver Mine!

Paddling the Russell Fork  
is a popular local sport.  Folks
from around the world come to
visit
for a ride down the river!

Into Bluegrass Music?

The Ralph Stanley Museum

The Crooked Road

Mountain Folks live off the land.
 
We love the outdoors.

Local luthiers' custom build
banjos, fiddles, mandolins and
guitars.

Visit the Breaks Interstate Park
The Grand Canyon of the South

Dickenson County Chamber of
Commerce

Official Dickenson County Site

Virginia Tourism Corporation

Reedy Railroad & Coal Museum
Friends of the Russell Fork  
(FORF)

FORF is a watershed group
based in the town of Haysi with
an office on the campus of Haysi
High School.  The Friends Of the
Russell Fork is comprised of  
local citizens who want to
improve the quality of the
waterways in the Russell Fork
watershed, restore the diversity
of aquatic life, and promote
economic development in their
community.  The
FORF partners
with schools, businesses,
government agencies, and
non-profits to clean illegal dump
sites, monitor streams and raise
public awareness about
environmental issues.


Lonesome Pine Soil and
Water  Conservation District


The Appalachian Coal
Country Watershed Team

Founded in response to requests
from watershed groups throughout
coal country, the work of the
Appalachian Coal Country
Watershed Team (
ACCWT)
supports a growing movement that
is quietly bringing new strength and
new hope to the Appalachian
region. The Watershed Team arms
community organizations and
watershed-based projects with the
training, tools, and volunteer
support necessary to help local
citizens become effective
environmental stewards, community
leaders, and accelerators of
change in places indelibly marked
by the environmental legacy of
pre-regulatory coal mining.
Together, the Team and its local
partners are propelling a new
Appalachian economy based on
conservation and development
Mountain Art Works, LLC - All Rights Reserved
Pound River/Russell Fork River at Bartlick photo by Chris Eberly.
Paddlers in John W. Flannagan Spillway. Photo by Chris Eberly.
At Bartlick the Pound
River out of the John W.
Flannagan Reservoir
empties into the stream.
 The Russell Fork
carved it's way through
the mountainous region
many years ago
forming the Breaks
Gorge known as the
"Grand Canyon of the
South."  The Russell
Fork empties into The
Big Sandy in Kentucky
before flowing into the
Ohio and finally the
Mississippi River.
The river offers many forms of recreation.
White water
enthusiasts travel
from around the
world to run the
Russell Fork.  
Through out the
month of October,
water is released
as the Corps of
Engineers draws
down John W.
Flannagan
Reservoir from
it's summer to
winter pool.
Pound River at Barlick Bridge.
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