The Great Falls of the Potomac, located on the boundary between Virginia and Maryland, is one of the highest waterfalls east of the Rockies with an elevation of ninety feet.
The Natural Chimneys located at Mt. Solon are seven large towers of stone carved by erosion out of a mountain. These rock strata are so straight and so symmetrical that they resemble a series of chimneys suggesting their name. Two of the chimneys have tunnels carved through the bases, and cedar trees appear to grow out of the rock.
The Great Dismal Swamp, approximately fifteen hundred square miles in area, is shared by Virginia and by North Carolina. It is noted for its dense tropical growth, its fur-bearing game (particularly, black bear), its massive timber varieties and its disorderly plant vegetation. Juniper trees, sometimes called red cedar, and cypress trees are abundant around Lake Drummond in the Great Dismal Swamp. The swamp is more easily accessible from Virginia than from North Carolina.
In addition to the above natural wonders, there are numerous mineral springs, canyons, mountain peaks and deep gorges. Virginia has nine State Parks including Douthat State Park (near Clifton Forge), Fairystone State Park (near Bassett and Martinsville), Hungry Mother State Park (near Marion), Seashore State Park (near Cape Henry), Staunton River State Park (near South Boston and Halifax), Westmoreland State Park (near Montross and Fredericksburg), Claytor Lake State Park (near Dublin and Radford), Prince Edward Lake State Park (near Burkeville) and Pocahontas Memorial State Park (near Richmond and Petersburg). The Breaks Interstate Park controlled by Virginia and Kentucky has scenery so similar to the Grand Canyon that it is often refered to as "The Grand Canyon of the South." The Virginia area of the Breaks is located in the northern part of Dickenson County. Virginia also has a prominent National Park, Shenandoah National Park, established in 1935, which consists of approximately 193,000 acres. This park includes the beautiful Skyline Drive. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee as well as in Virginia.
Rivers and Lakes
Because of the varied topography, there are many swift streams which are available (although not yet completely utilized) for water power. Virginia has parts of eight different river systems within its boundaries. They are the Potomac River (including its chief tributary, the Shenandoah), the Rappahannock River (including its chief tributary, the Rapidan), the York River, the James River (including its tributaries, the Chickahominy and the Appomattox), the Meherrin, Nottoway and Blackwater Rivers (the chief tributaries of the Chowan River in North Carolina), the Roanoke River (including its chief tributary, the Dan), the New River and the Holston, Clinch and Powell Rivers (the chief tributaries of the Tennessee River System). These rivers furnish excellent waterpower and drainage.
In addition to these important rivers, Virginia has several valuable lakes. Included among these are: Crystal Lake near Cape Henry, Lake Drummond (the largest body of fresh water in the state, approximately five square miles in area and twenty-two feet in altitude) in the heart of the Dismal Swamp and in the highest part of the Dismal Swamp, Lake Jackson near Centerville, Mountain Lake near Blacksburg (thirty-five hundred feet above sea level and noted for the clarity of its water), Pedlar Lake in Long Mountain Wayside Park, Claytor Lake near Pulaski, Bear Creek Lake near Richmond, Bedford Lake at Bedford and Prince Edward Lake in Prince Edward State Park. Some of these lakes are noted for their fish, especially bass and trout, while others contribute primarily to the scenic grandeur of Virginia.
Climate
The climate of Virginia is classified as continental—characterized by frequent moderate extremes in temperature and a medium length summer growing season. Since elevation generally affects climatic conditions, the temperature in the Piedmont Plateau and Appalachian Ridge sections varies according to the altitude. In the Piedmont and Appalachian areas, during the winter months the temperatures are lower than on the plains; likewise, in the former areas, greater seasonal contrasts occur. In general, the climate of the entire state is mild with few extremes in temperature. The average temperature is approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit, winter; 60 degrees Fahrenheit, spring and fall; and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, summer. The greatest ranges of temperature occur in the Piedmont and in the Great Valley. Snow falls very infrequently except in the mountain areas and usually is of short duration whenever it appears.