Chilhowie is a town in Smyth County, Virginia, United States, on the Middle Fork of the Holston River. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census. The name Chilhowie is said to come from a Cherokee word meaning "valley of many deer". It is also notable for having only one traffic light in the entire city. I-81 runs through Chilhowie. It is located at exit 35.