The Appalachian Plateau of Virginia is the westernmost of the five physiographic provinces. It occupies the far southwestern corner of the state, next to Kentucky and West Virginia.
Quick answer: The Appalachian Plateau of Virginia is a region of mostly flat-lying sedimentary rock in southwestern Virginia. Streams have cut it into steep, rugged terrain. Its rocks hold coal, natural gas and petroleum; the coal formed in swamps about 300 million years ago.
Contents
Location
The Appalachian Plateau is a physiographic and geologic province in southwestern Virginia. Regionally it stretches from Alabama to New York and covers large parts of Kentucky and West Virginia.[1] The plateau stands roughly 2,000 feet above sea level.[2]
Flat Rocks, Rugged Land
The plateau rests on Paleozoic sedimentary rocks similar to those of the Valley and Ridge. Unlike the Valley and Ridge, however, the layers are generally flat-lying.[1]
Some parts of the plateau are high and fairly level. In Virginia, though, streams have cut deeply into it. The drainage forms a branching, tree-like (dendritic) pattern, and the terrain is rugged with steep-sided valleys.[1]
Coal and Gas
The upper Paleozoic layers contain coal, natural gas and petroleum. The coal formed from plant material that collected in swamps about 300 million years ago, during the Pennsylvanian period.[1] The region holds the coal fields of the state, and fern impressions are common fossils in the coal beds.[2]
The extraction of these resources has been important to the history of the region.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Appalachian Plateau in Virginia? In the far southwestern corner of the state, next to Kentucky and West Virginia.
Why is the Appalachian Plateau so rugged? Streams have cut deep, steep-sided valleys into its flat-lying rock layers.
How old is the coal of southwest Virginia? About 300 million years old, from the Pennsylvanian period.
What fossils are found in the Appalachian Plateau? Fern impressions are common in the coal beds.
References
- [1] The Geology of Virginia (William and Mary), Appalachian Plateau – last checked 11/08/2026
- [2] Virginia Energy, Geology and Mineral Resources: Virginia Provinces and Fossils – last checked 11/08/2026
The other provinces are described in The Regions of Virginia.