- elevation 3,640 ft (1,109.5 m) Area 145.1 km² | - elevation 1,780 ft (542.5 m) | |
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Address George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Raphine, VA 24472, USA Similar Tabb Monument, Lesesne State Forest, Nansemond National Wildlife R, Staunton National Cemetery, Paul State Forest | ||
Cellar mountain trail hiking saint mary s wilderness in george washington national forest
Saint Mary's Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The wilderness area is located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Parkway's northern terminus and consists of 35,864 acres (145.14 km2). Saint Mary's Wilderness is the largest Virginia Wilderness on national forest land. Saint Mary's Wilderness ranges in elevation from about 1,780 feet (543 m) to 3,640 feet (1,109 m). The area has about 27 miles (43 km) of hiking trails within or near its boundaries.
Contents
- Cellar mountain trail hiking saint mary s wilderness in george washington national forest
- Saint mary s wilderness trail
- HistoryEdit
- RecreationEdit
- References
Saint Mary's Wilderness includes the drainages of Cellar Hollow, Spy Run, and the upper part of the Saint Mary's River. Each waterway is a tributary of the South River; via the Maury and James rivers, which are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Saint mary s wilderness trail
HistoryEdit
The Saint Mary's River gorge was mined for manganese ore and iron ore from the early 1900s until the mines were abandoned in the 1950s. Scattered remains of the mining operations are still evident. Saint Mary's was designated a Wilderness as a part of the Virginia Wilderness Act of 1984.
RecreationEdit
Saint Mary's Wilderness is particularly popular during summer due to a large number of waterfalls within its boundaries. Fishermen can take native trout from the Saint Mary's River.
There is an extensive network of hiking trails, including: