The James River Face Wilderness is an 8,907-acre area located near Natural Bridge, Virginia that is protected by the

Eastern Wilderness Act The Eastern Wilderness Areas Act () was signed into law by President Gerald Ford on January 3, 1975. The Act designated 16 new wilderness areas in the Eastern United States, including of wilderness on national lands in 13 states. A ...

of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the

National Wilderness Preservation System The National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) of the United States protects federally managed wilderness areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. Activity on formally designated wilderness areas is coordinated by the Na ...

, it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools. Over half of the ecosystems in the United States exist within designated wilderness. The wilderness contains many contrasting features. A short distance separates scorched hillsides, stark rockpiles and dry forest on one side and exceedingly rich vegetation on the crest of the Blue Ridge on the other. The area is part of the ''

Glenwood Cluster The Glenwood Cluster is a region in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests recognized by The Wilderness Society for its rich biodiversity, scenery, wildflower displays, cold-water trout streams and horse trails. It offers a unique ...

''.

Location and access

James River Face Wilderness is located in the Jefferson National Forest several miles from Natural Bridge Station, Virginia. It is bounded on the northeast by the

James River The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...

, on the west by Forest Service Road 35, and on the south by the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are several well maintained trails giving access into the wilderness. Among these are: * Appalachian Trail, 9.9 miles, 2400 feet elevation change, trailheads on US 130 and FS 35 * Balcony Falls Trail, 4.1 miles, 1850 feet elevation change, trailhead on FS 3093 * Belfast Trail, 2.8 miles, 1700 foot elevation change, trailhead on FS 35 * Gunter Ridge Trail, 5.1 miles, 1560 foot elevation change, trailhead FS 54 * Piney Ridge Trail, 3.5 miles, 1720 foot elevation change, trailhead on FS 54 * Sulphur Springs Trail, 2.7 miles, 1050 foot elevation change, trailhead on FS 35

Natural history

The forest cover includes chestnut oak and various types of yellow pine. Northern red oak and hickories are found near Highcock Knob. The wilderness has sheltered coves with white oak,

basswood ''Tilia americana'' is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae, native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Oklahoma, southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to ...

and tulip poplar. Old growth trees are found in the watershed of Matt’s Creek and along the James River where the Appalachian Trail goes into the drainage of Matt’s Creek. Neotoma magister

The Allegheny woodrat has been observed in the wilderness at the rock outcrops of the Devils Marbleyard. The population of the woodrat is in decline. Among the hypotheses being considered for the decline are the loss of food sources, loss of habitat and mortality from parasites introduced by raccoons. The lower elevations of the wilderness have a long history of mineral development and logging. The area contains the former Francis T. Anderson's Glenwood Estate, regarded as one of the finest principalities in western Virginia. Anderson operated the Glenwood Iron Furnace, an enterprise that required thousands of acres of timber to produce the

charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...

used in the

iron furnace A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper. ''Blast'' refers to the combustion air being "forced" or supplied above atmospheric p ...

. The area was stripped of its timber, and then operators returned to log second and third-growth timber.

Topography

James River from AT bridge looking north, fall 2017

The wilderness has a complex topography with a peak Highcock Knob towering at an elevation of 3100 feet over the James River at 650 feet, a rock outcrop Devils Marbleyard composed of quartzite boulders the size of a schoolbus, many creeks with rapid descents and waterfalls, and the tall ridges Piney Ridge on the east and Gunter Ridge on the west.

Management

This wilderness was designated by congress in 1975 and is managed by the

U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...

as a part of the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger Districts of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests. There are some regulations to maintain the integrity of the area. For example, motorized equipment, motor vehicles and

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which ...

s are prohibited, group size is limited to ten people, and limits are placed on camping. The wilderness is being monitored for clean air, with special concern for visibility, water quality and vegetation. Sulfur compounds produce a haze reducing visibility, an acidification of streams and a leaching of nutrients from the soil, and ozone creates visible injury to plant leaves reducing plant growth. Pollutants are created by many sources over a large geographic region.

Nearby wildlands

Nearby wilderness areas and wildlands recognized as one of Virginia's "Mountain Treasures" by the Wilderness Society are:Virginia's Mountain Treasures, report issued by The Wilderness Society, May 1999 *

Thunder Ridge Wilderness The Thunder Ridge Wilderness is a area located near Natural Bridge, Virginia, which is protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, it helps ...

James River Face Wilderness Addition James River Face Wilderness Addition is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road constr ...

White Oak Ridge-Terrapin Mountain White Oak Ridge-Terrapin Mountain is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road constructi ...

North Creek (conservation area) North Creek (conservation area) is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction ...

* Wilson Mountain * Cove Mountain

References

External links

Wilderness.net - U.S. National Wilderness Preservation System Map

Wilderness Connect, James River Face Wilderness

Appalachian Trail Parking and Access Areas in the James River Face Area

Map of Trails in the James River Face Wilderness

Management Regulations for Wilderness

George Washington & Jefferson National Forests

Wilderness Society
{{Protected Areas of Virginia George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Wilderness areas of Virginia Protected areas of Bedford County, Virginia Protected areas of Rockbridge County, Virginia