2022 Map of Tiptop

About this map

The Norfolk Southern railroad follows the natural corridor of the N Fork Clinch River and Wrights Valley, connecting a string of highland settlements including Wittens Mills, Five Oaks, and Tiptop. This topography is defined by the sharp parallel ridges of Stony Ridge, East River Mtn, and Buckhorn Mtn, with the Tennessee Valley Divide slicing through the center. The landscape is dotted with family-named burial grounds such as French Cem, Wilburn Cem, and McDowell Cem, documenting the genealogy of the Clinch Valley and Abbs Valley area. Industry and agriculture are centered near Tazewell and Fourway in the southwest, while the eastern portion transitions into the protected slopes of the Jefferson National Forest. Notable landmarks like Dial Rock and Chimney Rock rise above Lynn Hollow and Broad Hollow, framing the narrow valleys where communities like Mud Fork and Springville were established.