Barbours Creek Wilderness
The rugged and remote mountain terrain of Barbours Creek Wilderness drops down the southeastern slope of Potts Mountain to Barbours Creek along the southern boundary. Elevations range from about 3,800 feet on the mountain to about 1,700 feet at the creek. The Wilderness is comprised of hardwood forest interspersed with yellow pine where the slopes face south and west. Some hemlock and white pine grow in the drainages, including the major cross-wilderness waterway, Lipes Branch, which contains native brook trout. More than 160 species of birds have been identified here. About two miles of trail exist in the Wilderness. A major wildfire burned in the Wilderness and adjacent lands in April 2012.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Virginia |
| Size | 5,507 acres |
| Designated | 1988, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.61° N, 80.10° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 2 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Lipes Branch | 2.4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 11.3 miHumpback Bridge ↗National Historic Landmark
- 5 miNew Castle Historic District ↗New Castle, VA
- 5.5 miOld Sweet Springs ↗Sweet Springs, WV
- 5.5 miPersinger House ↗Covington, VA
- 8.2 miFairview ↗Amherst, VA
- 10.2 miRoaring Run Furnace ↗Eagle Rock, VA
- 10.4 miFudge House ↗Covington, VA
- 10.8 miCovington High School ↗Covington (Independent City), VA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Virginia
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Appalachian trail guide to Southwest VirginiaBill Prueschner and Mary Ann Prueschner, 2016Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Barbours Creek Wilderness?
5,507 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Barbours Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Barbours Creek Wilderness in?
Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Barbours Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1988.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Barbours Creek Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Barbours Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.606° N, 80.103° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Barbours Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 17 listings within 15 miles, including Humpback Bridge and New Castle Historic District.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.