Dickenson County, where The Breaks is located, is one of the few counties in Virginia that does not have a U.S. highway within its borders. The Breaks was too much for Boone and his two companions. When they tried to navigate this awesome gorge by foot, they encountered copperheads and rattlesnakes, as well as the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River as it crashed through a constricted canyon with 1,000-foot sheer walls. They were overwhelmed by impenetrable tangles of rhododendron and mountain laurel and a forest of towering trees, some of which were 7 feet thick. The three men pitched camp nearby, sat out the winter of 1768, then turned back to their homes on North Carolina's more peaceful Yadkin River.
Visitors savor memorable meals and sunsets while listening to the roar of the river far below.
Though the park is open year-round, the lodge and restaurant season is April 1 through December 21. Motels are also located nearby. It houses mountain photographs, wildlife specimens, maps and books, an explanation of the park's unusual geological features, and an excellent coal exhibit. The woods ring with old-time gospel sings each Memorial Day, Father's Day, and Labor Day weekend as up to 20,000 people pour into the park to hear professional and amateur groups give free concerts. A freewill offering is taken and divided among the singers.