Overlook at the old Mendota Fire Tower
N 36° 43.851 W 082° 18.036
17S E 383868 N 4065803
A short hiking trail to the Remains of the old Mendota Fire Tower. Excellant view of Big Moccasin Valley and High Knob area in Virginia, as well as Bays and Holston mountains in Tennessee. A popular hiking destination and Raptor watching area.
Waymark Code: WM9CCZ
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 07/31/2010
Views: 4
Mendota, meaning "bend in the river," is located on the north fork of the Holston River in the eastern section of Scott County along Rte 58. The river is a great spot for paddlers seeking solitude or trophy-caliber smallmouth bass.
Not far outside town, up a scenic mountain road, visitors also flock to the Mendota Fire Tower on the peak of the Clinch Mountain every fall to view birds of prey. Mendota is widely recognized as the Hawk Capitol of the World, and it lives up to its name.
More than 16 species of raptors (hawks) soar down the spine of the Clinch Mountain every autumn, heading south for the winter along the Appalachian Flyway. The Mendota Fire Tower is a great location to view these hawks, especially at the peak of migration in mid September when up to 1,000 birds per day can be seen soaring past. Broad-winged Hawks are the most common raptors sighted, but the sharp-eyed birder will notice Sharp-shinned, Red-shouldered, and Coopers Hawks, Osprey, Bald and Golden Eagles, American Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Merlins, Peregrine Falcons, and Swallow-tailed Kites.
Source: explorescottcountyvirginia.org
Type of overlook: trail
Picnic tables: no
Benches: no
Water/restrooms: no
Overlook designation: not designated
Elevation: 2,955.00
View:
From here you can see 4 States.
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Visit Instructions:
You will need a picture with your GPS of the view and the area. It can't be the same picture as the listing has.