The Bluestone River is a tributary of the New River, 77 mi (124 km) long, in southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia in the United States. Via the New, Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. An 11 mi (18 km) portion of its lower course is designated as the Bluestone National Scenic River.
Course
The Bluestone rises on East River Mountain in Tazewell County, Virginia and flows generally northeastwardly through Mercer and Summers Counties in West Virginia, passing the towns of Bluefield in Virginia and Bramwell and Montcalm in West Virginia. It joins the New River about 5 mi (8 km) south of Hinton as part of Bluestone Lake, which is formed by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam on the New. The Bluestone's National Scenic River segment is located mostly in Summers County, as is Pipestem Resort State Park, which lies along a gorge formed by the river.
Little Bluestone River
The Little Bluestone River is a minor tributary of the Bluestone in Summers County, fewer than 10 mi (15 km) in length from its formation by the confluence of two streams, White Oak Branch and Jumping Branch.
Variant names
According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Bluestone River has also been known as:
- Big Bluestone River
- Blue Stone Creek
- Blue Stone River
- Bluestone Creek
- Mec-ce-ne-ke-ke-ce-pe-we
- Mec-cen-ne-ke-ke
- Mo-mom-ga-sen-eka-ce-pe