Jackson River

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Jackson River Valley: Passageway Across the Appalachian Mountains

A water gap is a narrow pass eroded by a river through a mountain ridge, where fluvial erosion outpaces tectonic uplift over geological time. In Virginia’s Allegheny Highlands, part of the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Province, the Jackson River forms such a feature, notably at Rainbow Gap near Clifton Forge. Originating in Highland County, the 96-mile river flows southward through rugged terrain, draining into the Cowpasture River to form the James River. At Rainbow Gap, it carves a scenic micro-gorge with class II+ rapids and steep rock walls, showcasing millions of years of erosion through resistant bedrock. This gap illustrates how ancient streams maintained their courses during mountain formation, creating vital corridors through otherwise impassable landscapes.

Chesapeake & Ohio Railway

Water gaps have long facilitated human movement. Native American paths and settler trails followed the Jackson’s valley. By the mid-19th century, railroads exploited the natural passage for westward expansion. The Virginia Central Railroad, chartered in 1836, reached the Jackson River at Clifton Forge by the 1850s, serving as a key Confederate supply line during the Civil War. In 1867, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) extended the line, completing the Hot Springs Branch from Jackson’s River Station to Covington along the river and continuing its mainline westward to Huntington, West Virginia, and Cincinnati, Ohio. This route transported coal, passengers, and visitors to Hot Springs resorts, boosting the regional economy. While the Hot Springs Branch was abandoned in the 1980s and repurposed as the 16-mile Jackson River Scenic Trail for recreation, the C&O’s mainline through the water gap remains active.

CSX Line Today

Today, CSX Transportation operates this route as a major freight corridor, leveraging the water gap for efficient passage through the Alleghenies. Part of CSX’s Mountain Subdivision spans over 300 miles from West Virginia’s coal fields to eastern ports, handling multiple daily trains daily with coal, intermodal cargo, and other goods. The gap’s low gradients (under 1%) and minimal tunneling make it indispensable. After Hurricane Helene damaged segments in September 2024, CSX restored full service by October 2025 with multimillion-dollar repairs, underscoring its resilience. Carrying over 14 million tons annually, it supports thousands of jobs.

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

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