2022 Map of Flat Gap

About this map

Pine Mountain and Black Mtn dominate this rugged section of the Central Appalachians, where the state boundary between Kentucky and Virginia follows the high ridges. This landscape is defined by the Tennessee Valley Divide, a critical geographic boundary separating the headwaters of the Poor Fork Cumberland River from the Guest River and the Powell River systems. Within these deep valleys and gaps, small mountain settlements like Flat Gap, Dixiana, and Dewey are connected by a network of winding hollow roads. Family history is preserved in numerous scattered burial grounds, including Roberts Branch Cem and Bolling Cem, often located near former homesteads in the Jefferson National Forest. The map also details the Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, which traces the crest of the mountain along the Letcher and Wise County line.