Big Island Virginia Map
Explore Big Island, Virginia, with this interactive street and satellite map.
Interactive Map of Big Island, Virginia
| City | Big Island |
| State | Virginia (VA) |
| County | Bedford County |
| Country | United States of America |
| Timezone | Eastern Time (America/New_York) |
| Latitude | 37.533749 |
| Longitude | -79.359754 |
| Population | 300 |
| Density | 140.7 /km² |
| Incorporated | N/A |
| ZIP Code | 24526 |
| Area Code | 276 |
| County Seat | Bedford |
| School District | Bedford County Public Schools |
About Big Island, Virginia
Big Island is a locality in Bedford County, Virginia, United States. It is a small community with a population of 300. The population density is 140.7 people per km². Big Island is located at 37.5337°N, 79.3598°W. It observes the Eastern Time (America/New_York) timezone. ZIP code: 24526.Big Island anchors itself firmly along the banks of the James River, where the water carves a deliberate path through the verdant, inland terrain. It lies 12.4 miles north-northwest of Forest, VA (from Forest, VA: bearing 342°T), and is situated 14.5 miles northwest of Lynchburg. Dense woodland presses close to the water’s edge, serving as a gateway to the George Washington National Forest that begins a mile from the center of Big Island. Sunlight filters through the canopy in thin, golden needles, illuminating the dust motes that dance above the forest floor. To the west, the distant silhouette of the Appalachian Mountains provides a permanent, hazy boundary against the sky, while nearby, the quiet topography of Harris Hollow catches the morning mist before it dissipates into the humid air.
Industrial history remains a tangible presence in the quiet rhythm of Big Island, where the legacy of paper manufacturing continues to shape the local economy. Workers move with a practiced, steady cadence, reflecting a heritage defined by the river’s power and the resilience of the surrounding timberlands. Those seeking the solitude of the outdoors frequently traverse the Piney Ridge Trail, which offers a vantage point over the shifting greens of the landscape. Even when the pace of life feels slow, the environment remains active, marked by the persistent flow of the James River and the occasional trek of a traveler heading toward the serene, secluded waters of Thrasher Lake.
Nearby Outdoor Places
- George Washington National Forest (National Forest) — 1.1 mi, 010° N · 1.1M acres
- Jefferson National Forest (National Forest) — 2.5 mi, 334° NW · 733k acres
- James River Face Wilderness (Wilderness Area) — 4.1 mi, 342° N · 8,849 acres
- Thunder Ridge Wilderness (Wilderness Area) — 5.3 mi, 283° W · 2,427 acres
- Terrapin Mountain Overlook (Viewpoint) — 5.6 mi, 260° W
- Old Mine Entrance (Historic Ruins) — 8.1 mi, 308° NW
- Indian and Settler Conflict (Monument) — 8.1 mi, 327° NW
- Padgett Obelisk (Public Artwork) — 8.5 mi, 324° NW
- Otto Cline Powell monument (Monument) — 8.8 mi, 005° N
- Peaks View Park (Local Park) — 10.5 mi, 137° SE
- Natural Bridge State Park (State Park) — 11.2 mi, 307° NW
- Bedford County (Monument) — 11.9 mi, 144° SE
- Natural Bridge of Virginia (Attraction) — 12.0 mi, 303° NW
- Caverns at Natural Bridge (Attraction) — 12.2 mi, 305° NW
- Dinosaur Kingdom II (Attraction) — 12.2 mi, 309° NW
- Thoresen Theatre (Theatre) — 12.3 mi, 123° SE
- Riverside Park Historic Train Exhibit (Attraction) — 12.5 mi, 121° SE
- E. C. Glass Civic Auditorium (Theatre) — 13.7 mi, 129° SE
- Station House Museum (Museum) — 13.8 mi, 127° SE
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Human Rights (Museum) — 13.8 mi, 130° SE
- Slave Quarters (Historic Ruins) — 13.9 mi, 157° SE
- Mount Pleasant National Scenic Area (National Scenic Byway) — 14.0 mi, 031° NE
- The Midtown Outdoor Art Gallery (Gallery) — 14.3 mi, 130° SE
- The Up Front Gallery (Gallery) — 14.3 mi, 124° SE
- The Ann White Academy Gallery (Gallery) — 14.3 mi, 124° SE
- Short Hills Wildlife Management Area (State Conservation Area) — 15.3 mi, 319° NW
- James River State Park (State Park) — 29.2 mi, 090° E
- Big Levels National Game Refuge (National Conservation Area) — 30.7 mi, 031° NE · 12k acres
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail (National Trail) — 31.5 mi, 039° NE · 110k acres
- Shenandoah National Park (National Park) — 44.0 mi, 038° NE · 197k acres
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About This Big Island Map Page
This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Big Island, Virginia. Coordinates: 37.533749, -79.359754. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.
Detailed location data for Big Island includes the ZIP code (24526), telephone area code (276), county seat of Bedford County (Bedford), and school district assignment (Bedford County Public Schools).
Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.
| Page generated | August 2026 |
| Location data | SimpleMaps US Cities Database; coordinates matched to USGS GNIS definitive data |
| Wikipedia validation | Article content matched to USGS GNIS coordinates via Wikipedia geosearch API. |
