VIRGINIA CITY is an 1880’s style frontier town located on the beautiful Big Walker Mountain National Forest Scenic Byway in southwest Virginia. Step back to a time when frontier expansion was driven by the search for gold and silver, and boomtowns like ours sprung up to trade with the miners. You and your family can prospect for a wide variety of gemstones from around the world at our gem mine, which has a covered sluice for your comfort. Our museum has a growing collection of incredible gems, minerals and fossils on display. While here you can also tour the town and see our authentic grist mill and saw mill, go for a nature walk, and have a picnic overlooking the Jefferson National Forest.