Mount Rogers NRA - Home Page

photograph of Mount Rogers

Current Conditions
Go here for the most up-to-date information
on closures, safety alerts, fires, advisories and restrictions.

Update (7/20/08) Overnight parking permits are now being issued again. You will need to come in to our office during our regular business hours to obtain a permit. There is no charge. You may also still park in the pull-off across from the gate on State Route 16.

For general information on the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, please visit their web site.

Overview - A description of the NRA that will introduce you to many of its features.

Volunteer Opportunities

Adopt-a-Trail - Learn about adopting (and maintaining) a trail in the NRA.
Internships - Details of internships available in the NRA.
Application Form - Print this pdf form to apply as an NRA volunteer

Plans and Reports

The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area conducted a nine-step planning process for the Mount Rogers High Country called Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC). An overview of the process and the results are available on the LAC web page.

Prescribed Burning

The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area uses prescribed burning to reduce fire fuels and provide open areas and wildlife clearings.

Special Use Authorization

The Forest Service issues Special Use Authorizations to permit and regulate a variety of activities within the NRA. These activities might be things such as an outfitting and guide service or recreation events such as a one day bike ride or one day horse ride. Details of the application process are provided on the Special Use page.

About Our Web Pages

The US Forest Service is committed to making its web sites accessible to all customers and employees. These pages are undergoing review and redesign as necessary. Thank you for your patience through this process.

If you find errors or broken links on the NRA pages, please send us an email with the details.

Overview

The West End of the Mount Rogers NRA includes the famous Virginia Creeper Trail, outstanding trout fishing in Whitetop Laurel, and picturesque Beartree Lake. The NRA's largest campground, Beartree, is a great family campground and close to all west end activities. Damascus, the friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail, is a trail hub as four major trails go through the town: Virginia Creeper, Appalachian Trail, Iron Mountain, and Daniel Boone Heritage Trail.

Are you looking for solitude? The family campgrounds at Comers Rock and Raven Cliff are lightly used and have several nice trails nearby. The Comers Rock Overlook has outstanding views and the Raven Cliff Furnace Trail takes you to a fascinating iron ore furnace from the early 1800's. Looking for something more developed? Two rental cabins with outstanding views are located on the East End. The East End also has several horse trails and horse camps for the equestrian. Hussy Mountain and Collins Cove Horse Camps provide camping areas close to the famous Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.

The heart of the NRA, the high country contains over 25,000 acres of the highest lands in Virginia. The Mount Rogers NRA manages approximately 20,000 acres of the high country and 5,000 acres are managed by Grayson Highlands State Park. The high country consists of the following areas:

Combined, these two federally designated wildernesses total about 10,000 acres of primitive backcountry. These two areas are forested in northern hardwoods with red spruce and Fraser Fir at the highest elevations.

The open areas on Brier Ridge, Cabin Ridge, Wilburn Ridge, Stone Mountain, and Pine Mountain are commonly called the Crest Zone and total about 2,000 acres. Views are spectacular, with rocky ridges and grassy areas. The area was once heavily forested, but over logging by private companies during the early 1900's, and wildfire created the balds. Grazing by domestic livestock kept them open. The US Forest Service acquired the property during the 1960's. Today the balds are kept open through prescribed burning and regulated cattle grazing by private farmers who lease grazing rights. Ponies- Two herds of free-roaming ponies make their home in the high country. A private association manages them. One herd is in Grayson Highlands State Park, and the other lives within the Crest Zone of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Enjoy the ponies, but do not feed them or harass them. In the fall, some of the ponies are auctioned at the Grayson Highlands State Park Fall Festival to manage the population.

There are over 400 miles of designated trails on the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Trails range from primitive single-track to old logging roads and railroad grades. Some are for foot only, others allow horse and/or bicycle use. Plan your trip carefully if you are looking for solitude. Trails in the high country as well as the Virginia Creeper and Appalachian Trail are popular destinations, particularly on weekends. Please be sure you use only those trails open to your particular type of travel. Please note that trails within wildernesses are always primitive with few or no signs or blazes and may be difficult to follow in places. Before heading into wilderness, you should be competent with both map and compass. Any type of motorized or wheeled vehicles (including bicycles and any type of wheeled cart) is prohibited in wilderness, but horses are allowed on designated trails.

George Washington and Jefferson

National Forests

Welcome to Mount Rogers National Recreation Area