
U.S. 23 passes through far southwestern Virginia between the Tri-Cities in Tennessee and Pound Gap across Pine Mountain into Kentucky. Entirely a four lane highway, the 60.78 mile long route through the Old Dominion connects the Scott County seat of Gate City with the Wise County seat of Wise.
Heading north from Kingsport, Tennessee, U.S. 23 crosses the Holston River North Fork into the town of Weber City. U.S. 58/421 combine with U.S. 23 through Moccasin Gap across Clinch Mountain into Gate City, where business routes for all three routes separate.
U.S. 23-58-421 (Daniel Boone Heritage Highway) head west between Mocassin Ridge and Clinch Mountain to Speers Ferry, where they turn north to eventually run alongside the Clinch River to Clinchport. Traversing Purchase Ridge to the northwest, U.S. 23 splits with U.S. 58/421 at the town of Duffield.
Crossing Powell Mountain, U.S. 23 advances northward to Big Stone Gap. A lengthy business route branches west through the town of Big Stone Gap, north to Appalachia and east to Norton. Doubling as U.S. 58 Alternate, U.S. 23 stays to the south of Little Stone Mountain from Powell Valley along an expressway to Little Stone Gap. U.S. 23 bypasses the city of Norton to the south before turning north toward Wise where another U.S. 23 Business is located.
North from Indian Mountain and the Tennessee Valley Divide, U.S. 23 (Orby Cantrell Highway) leads to Pound. U.S. 23 bypasses the town to the west while a 3.08 mile long business route loops eastward. U.S. 23 climbs onto Pine Mountain through Jefferson National Forest to U.S. 119 at Jenkins, Kentucky.
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SR 732 (Long Ridge Road) loops east from U.S. 23 to SR 707 (Newland Hollow Road) north of Long Ridge and south of the Holston River North Fork. 05/31/07 |
U.S. 23 enters Scott County, Virginia between Cloud and Long Ridge five miles south of the county seat of Gate City. 10/02/10 |
Representing an old alignment of U.S. 23, SR 727 (State Line Circle) parallels the west side of the four lane highway. 05/31/07 |
SR 707 (Newland Hollow Road) stems east from U.S. 23 ahead of the Holston River North Fork. SR 707 straddles Long Ridge to Newland Hollow and SR 704 (Carters Valley Road). 05/31/07 |
U.S. 23 spans the Holston River North Fork into Weber City along a pair of two lane bridges. The northbound span opened in 1966; the southbound in 1943. 05/31/07 |
SR 614 (Yuma Road) heads west from U.S. 23 at Weber City to Holston Springs and Yuma. SR 614 stretches 14.70 miles west to the Tennessee line through Poor Valley. 05/31/07 |
Clinch Mountain rises to the north as U.S. 23 (Main Street) turns northeast through Weber City to the signalized intersection with Jennings Street. Jennings Street loops southeast to Legion Street. 05/31/07 |
U.S. 58/421 overlap 24.48 miles east from U.S. 23 in Weber City to I-81 in the city of Bristol. Beyond their separation, U.S. 58 continues from Bristol to Abingdon while U.S. 421 turns south into Bristol, Tennessee. 05/31/07 |
U.S. 58/421 combine with U.S. 23 west from Weber City and Gate City 17.93 miles to the town of Duffield. 05/31/07 |
Construction with the Moccasin Gap Project reconfigured the intersection joining U.S. 23/58/421 by 2009. U.S. 58/421 were also expanded to four lanes along with a section of adjacent SR 224 (Wadlow Gap Road). 05/31/07 |
U.S. 23 travels across Clinch Mountain through Moccassin Gap. Peaks along Clinch Mountain rise to 2,466, 2,944 and 3,148 feet above sea level at Big Knob respectively. 05/31/07 |


U.S. 23 (Orby Cantrell Highway) enters Wise County, Virginia through Pound Gap. The ensuing stretch south to Almira is at a 7% grade.
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SR 667 (Potter Town Road) is the former two lane alignment of U.S. 23 south on Powell Mountain to Almira.
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U.S. 23 navigates around a horseshoe curve between Pound Gap and Big Ridge on Powell Mountain.
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A 3.07 mile long route, U.S. 23 Business connects with SR 83 (Clintwood Highway) east to the Dickinson County seat of Clintwood.
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Continuing from the south end of U.S. 23 Business (Indian Creek Road) from Pound, U.S. 23 reaches Wise in ten miles.
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SR 634 (Bean Gap Road) winds 1.80 miles east through Bean Gap to SR 635 (Birchfield Road) and 7.50 miles to SR 72 (Coeburn Road) in Dickenson County.
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U.S. 23 Business (Main Street) south into the town of Wise separates from U.S. 23 (Orby Cantrell Highway) at Glamorgan.
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U.S. 23 (Country Music Highway) enters a commercialized stretch south at the traffic light with Southmark Road.
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U.S. 23 Business (Norton Road) returns to U.S. 23 across from Ridgeview Centre retail plaza.
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SR 757 (Wise Norton Road) follows the former alignment of U.S. 23 southwest to meet U.S. 23 opposite U.S. 23 Business (Esserville Road). 17.6 miles in length, U.S. 23 Business runs south from Esserville to Norton and southwest to Appalachia and Big Stone Gap.
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U.S. 23 (Orby Cantrell Highway) upgrades to a limited access highway south to a cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 58 Business/SR 283 (Trail of the Lonesome Pine) west into Norton and U.S. 58 ALT (Norton Coeburn Road) east.
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Signed as U.S. 58 ALT, SR 283 links U.S. 23/58 ALT with U.S. 23 Business (Park Avenue), 0.38 miles to the west.
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U.S. 23/58 ALT span the Guest River, SR 74 (Kentucky Avenue) and Norfolk Southern Railroad lines over the Veterans Memorial Bridge.
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U.S. 23/58 ALT (Orby Cantrell Highway) bypass Downtown Norton to the south along the foothills of Stone Mountain.
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SR 619 links U.S. 23/58 ALT with Kentucky Avenue east and 11th Street north to U.S. 23-58 Bisiness (Park Avenue) to Downtown Norton.
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Turning south through Little Stone Gap, U.S. 23/58 ALT transition to an at-grade expressway. SR 610 is Powell Valley Road.
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SR 610 (Powell Valley Road) returns to U.S. 23/58 ALT at the first of two exits for the town of Big Stone Gap.
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SR 610 (Powell Valley Road) heads north onto 4th Avenue E in northeastern reaches of the Big Stone Gap town limits.
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U.S. 23 Business returns to U.S. 23/58 ALT along Gilley Avenue east from Downtown Big Stone Gap.
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U.S. 58 ALT splits with U.S. 23 south at Gilley Avenue. U.S. 58 ALT and U.S. 23 Business overlap 1.52 miles to Wood Avenue in Downtown Big Stone Gap.
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U.S. 58 ALT continues southwest from Big Stone Gap to Pennington Gap and U.S. 58 at the Lee County seat of Jonesville.
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SR 611 (Jasper Road) stems west from U.S. 23 into Lovelady Valley between Powell Mountain and Wallen Ridge.
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U.S. 23 south continues four miles from Jasper to Duffield and 28 miles to Kingsport, Tennessee.
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Paralleling the Clinch River below Cliff Mountain, U.S. 23 angles southeast into Scott County.
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U.S. 23 reaches the town of Duffield at Peterson and SR 654 (Cliff Mountain Way) east. A Norfolk Southern Railroad line runs along the west side.
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U.S. 58/421 (Duff Pat Highway) east converge with U.S. 23 south across Powell Mountain from Stickleyville.
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U.S. 58 travels 53.26 miles west from U.S. 23 to the Tennessee state line at Cumberland Gap. U.S. 421 overlaps with U.S. 58 west to Dot en route to Pennington Gap.
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Part of the Virginia Coal Heritage Trail scenic byway, U.S. 23/421 south and U.S. 58 east combine for 17.93 miles south to Speers Ferry and east to Gate City.
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SR 65 ventures 23.11 miles northeast to SR 72 (Hanging Rock Parkway) in the town of Dungannon and 34.06 miles to U.S. 58 ALT near St. Paul.
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U.S. 23-58-421 Business conclude a 2.65 mile long loop through Gate City where U.S. 23-58-421 intersects Kane Street and Gateway Plaza.
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U.S. 58/421 part ways with U.S. 23 south beyond Mocassin Gap at Weber City. The two routes cross Moccasin Creek ahead of SR 224 (Wadlow Gap Road). SR 224 runs 3.32 miles south to the Tennessee border.
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Page Updated 04-23-2021.