Clinch River State Park

General Information

The park is currently under development, with the Sugar Hill Unit in St. Paul (Wise County) open for hiking, biking and fishing. The Sugar Hill Unit currently has 8 miles of hiking trails, a picnic shelter, over 2 miles of river frontage, and significant cultural and historical attributes. The property contains remnants of an 18th-century French settlement. There are four day-use boat launches available for boat access to the Clinch River at Artrip, Carbo and Old Castlewood (Russell County) and the Retch near Fort Blackmore (Scott County)..

Once developed, Clinch River State Park will highlight the Clinch River’s natural, historical and recreational resources. It will be the first blueway state park in Virginia. It will consist of several smaller (250-400 acres) anchor properties connected by multiple canoe/kayak access points along a 100-mile stretch of the Clinch River. Some of the access points will be part of the state park, while other partner agencies and localities will own additional launch access points. These properties will comprise a “string of pearls,” or a collection of properties along the Clinch River for outdoor enthusiasts to access the river, participate in educational programming about the river’s ecological diversity, and enjoy the beauty of what The Nature Conservancy has deemed “One of the Last, Great Places.”

Hours

Trails on the Sugar Hill Unit and day use boat launches at Artrip, Carbo, Old Castlewood and Retch are open to the public from 6 a.m. to dusk daily. Office hours at the UVA Wise Oxbow Center are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. then 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. To ensure availability during your visit call us at (276) 762-5076 or email clinchriver@dcr.virginia.gov

Location

SUGAR HILL UNIT: Clinch River State Park’s Sugar Hill Unit (Wise County) is located in St. Paul, about 35 miles northwest of Abingdon, VA., 45 miles north of Bristol, VA/TN, and 21 miles east of Norton, VA on US ALT. 58.
From I-81 S, take Abingdon Exit 14 onto US-19/SR140. Turn right onto Old Johnsboro Rd. toward Abingdon. Slight right at the light onto W Main. Turn left at the light onto Porterfield SW. Turn left onto Alt. US-58 W. Sugar Hill Tract: Latitude, 36.900977. Longitude, -82.319412.

ARTRIP BOAT LAUNCH: (Russell County) 3084 Artrip Road, Cleveland, VA. 4 miles east of the town of Cleveland on Artrip Road/SR661. Latitude, 36.963254. Longitude, -82.1200061.

OLD CASTLEWOOD BOAT LAUNCH: (Russell County) 206 Luttie Banner Drive, Castlewood, VA. 3.2 miles east of St. Paul. Latitude, 36.892888. Longitude, -82.277572.

CARBO BOAT LAUNCH: (Russell County) 92 Carbo Church Ave. Cleveland, VA. 2.8 mi west of Cleveland, VA. Latitude, 36.926656. Longitude, -82.194133.

RETCH BOAT LAUNCH: (Scott County) 3115 Riverbluff Road, Fort Blackmore, VA

Drive Time: Roanoke, Virginia, two and a half hours; Knoxville, TN, two and a half hours; Charleston, WV, three and a half hours; Pikeville, KY, an hour and a half.

Park Size

1,342 acres spread across various units in Russell, Wise and Scott counties.

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Cabins, camping

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES

Clinch River has no cabins or camping. The park is under construction. 

For information on the availability of other parks' overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Click here for park fees.

Recreation

TRAILS

SUGAR HILL UNIT: The Sugar Hill Unit in St. Paul has nine miles of trails open to the public. These trails are open from 6 a.m. to dusk daily. Clinch River State Park allows hiking/biking on the Sugar Hill Loop trail. The AmeriCorps, Riverside, Hillside, Cliff and Rock Bluff Trails are hiking only. The trail system is moderate to difficult in trail rating. 

BIKING

SUGAR HILL UNIT: Biking is allowed on the Sugar Hill Loop Trail only.

SWIMMING

There are no designated swimming areas.

FISHING, BOATING

The Clinch flows some 135 miles through Southwest Virginia before it reaches the Tennessee line from its origin in Tazewell County. According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources fisheries management studies, the Clinch River contains more fish species than any other river in Virginia. The river supports smallmouth bass, spotted bass, rock bass, sunfish, crappie, walleye, musky, freshwater drum, longnose gar, channel catfish and more! The river is also home to nearly 50 species of mussels and hundreds of non-game fish as well. Boating and fishing along the river follow Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources rules and regulations. 

SUGAR HILL UNIT: The Riverside Trail offers access to bank fishing on the Clinch River.

ARTRIP BOAT LAUNCH: 3084 Artrip Road Cleveland, VA (Russell County)- There is a public day-use boat launch with parking and porta-john available at this access to the Clinch River.

CARBO BOAT LAUNCH: 92 Carbo Church Avenue Cleveland, VA (Russell County)- There is a public day-use boat launch with parking, porta-john, picnic tables and fishing area available at this access to the Clinch River.

OLD CASTLEWOOD LAUNCH: 206 Luttie Banner Drive Castlewood, VA (Russell County)- There is a public day-use boat launch with parking, porta-john, picnic tables, and a first come first serve picnic shelter at this access to the Clinch River.

THE RETCH LAUNCH: 3115 Riverbluff Road Fort Blackmore, VA (Scott County)- There is a public day-use boat launch with parking, porta-john, picnic tables and fishing area available at this access to the Clinch River.

HORSES

None.

Park Trail Guide

Download (external link for use with Avenza App) the geo-referenced map

Download the geo-referenced map for this park

Nearby Attractions

Head off-site to the Town of St. Paul for various activities. Clinch Life Outfitters or Clinch River Adventures staff will get you started on a kayaking, guided fishing or tubing expedition. Go fast and kick up some dirt on the Spearhead Trails with over 60 miles of ATV trails to enjoy. ATVs may be rented at the Western Front Hotel in St. Paul. Check out the area’s rich cultural history when you visit the Mountain Heritage Museum (by appointment only). Follow along with the St. Paul Railroad Museum’s track history that is housed in an 1890s Norfolk & Western Railway office and dormitory. Engage in local history at the Old Courthouse and The Dickenson/Bundy Log House near the community of Copper Creek. Local breweries and vineyards from the surrounding areas, including Lonesome Pine Brewery in Lebanon, VA, MountainRose Vineyard in Wise, VA or Vincent’s Vineyard in Lebanon, VA.

Clinch River State Park is also within an hour’s drive from Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park in Big Stone Gap and Natural Tunnel State Park in Duffield. Just a little further drive is the Breaks Interstate Park in Breaks, VA. Nearby Natural Area Preserves include the Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve in Lebanon and the Cleveland Barrens Natural Area Preserve in Cleveland.

Picnic Shelters

The park has one trail shelter located on the Sugar Hill Loop Trail. This shelter is a two-mile hike from the Town of St. Paul Oxbow Lake area. The park has a second picnic shelter located at the Old Castlewood Launch that is first-come first-served.

Meeting Space and Facilities

MEETING FACILITIES

None.

VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP

The park’s office is in the Oxbow Center in St. Paul, VA. Park office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - noon, then 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Park merchandise sales are available at the Oxbow Center during these times.

RESTAURANT

None.

LAUNDRY

None.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

None.

Other Info

ACCESSIBILITY

The trails are not ADA accessible.

SUGAR HILL UNIT: Parking is located just east of the low water dam in the town of St. Paul. There is currently no parking fee to access the trail system. The Sugar Hill trail system is accessible by crossing the low water dam at the town on St. Paul’s Oxbow Lake. Once across the dam, go left past the green gate to access the Clinch River State Park: Sugar Hill Unit trail system.

NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS

The park plans to launch public nature and history programs in the future.

CONCESSIONS

None.

HISTORY

Starting in 2005, several studies evaluated potential locations and benefits of creating a new state park in the Clinch River Valley of far Southwest Virginia.  In 2010, The Clinch River Valley Initiative (CRVI) was established to further this goal. CRVI is a grassroots effort to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities, downtown revitalization, entrepreneurship, environmental education, and water quality in the Clinch River Valley. CRVI is supported by a diverse array of local, regional, and state partners, including government entities and private organizations such as The Nature Conservancy. 

The establishment of a new state park and increased public access points across Southwestern Virginia counties along the Clinch River represented an opportunity for the conservation, recreation, and economic development for the coalfields region. The Clinch River is a tremendous natural asset with globally significant biodiversity.  The Clinch is also an untapped recreational amenity with outstanding opportunities for fishing, paddling, and other activities enjoyed by Virginians and tourists.  The creation of Clinch River State Park will significantly raise awareness of the river’s ecological diversity, increase public use and enjoyment, have a positive economic impact on the region, and improve the local quality of life. 

In the 2015 General Assembly session, authorization for park pre-planning was provided. The 2016 session of the General Assembly approved the development of the Clinch River State Park by DCR and appropriated monies for land acquisition. The acquisition of two anchor properties of the park is complete. The Artrip Bent Unit consists of approximately 232 acres in Russell County (currently undeveloped) the Sugar Hill Unit consists of approximately 400 acres in Wise County. The Sugar Hill Unit currently has nearly 9 miles of hiking trails, a picnic shelter, over 2 miles of river frontage, and significant cultural and historical attributes. The property contains remnants of an 18th-century French settlement. This area, marked by standing chimneys, was once called St. Marie on the Clinch. Later owners farmed the land, and in the 1930s, created a maple syrup and sugar operation known as Sugar Hill.  The Sugar Hill Unit had a soft opening in the fall of 2019 and is open to the public for use. 

FRIENDS GROUP

Clinch River State Park is currently working to form a friends group. The first public meeting is scheduled for January 2027.

MASTER PLAN

Master plans must be written for parks before they are built. The plans are updated at least once every ten years thereafter. The plans cover the size, types, infrastructure and locations of facilities, as well as the site's special features and resources. Multiple public meetings are held during the initial development of each plan. Click here for this park's master plan.