Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway
Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway is a State Scenic Byway in Virginia. Within Virginia it covers roughly 22 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Virginia's Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway runs 16.2 miles through Bland and Wythe Counties, over the mountain instead of through the modern I-77 tunnel. The mountain is named for Dr. Thomas Walker, who passed through in 1749 while searching for a route into Kentucky, going on to discover the Cumberland Gap and build the first cabin in that state. During the Civil War, a young woman named Molly Tynes made a famous midnight ride over this mountain to warn Wytheville that Toland's Union raiders were approaching to destroy the railroad. The byway runs from Interstate 77's Exit 47 to Exit 52 in Bland, past historic farm homesteads and tree-lined forest overlooks. At the summit, the 100-foot Big Walker Lookout tower, open since 1947, has been the route's signature attraction for generations, offering sweeping views over the surrounding mountains and valleys.
- Big Walker Lookout
- Dr. Thomas Walker
- 16.2 miles
- Molly Tynes's ride
- Bland and Wythe Counties
- Cumberland Gap discovery
- I-77 original route
Plan a drive on Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway
2 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway.
Campsite and lodging links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.