James River Face Wilderness
The first designated Wilderness in Virginia (1975), James River Face is bounded on the northeast by the James River and on the south by Petites Gap Road (gravel, FS #35). Immediately south of FR #35 lies Thunder Ridge Wilderness. The Wilderness reaches a high point of 3,073 feet on Highcock Knob near the southern boundary and a low point of about 650 feet near the river. It is considered a Class 1 airshed. Vegetation is dominated by a typical Appalachian hardwood forest. The Devil's Marbleyard, a unique quartzite boulder field, lies within this Wilderness. The Wilderness contains about 32 miles of trails. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T., FT #1) meanders through for about 11 miles.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Virginia |
| Size | 8,907 acres |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.59° N, 79.44° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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 4 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
8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 476 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail ↗ | 384.9 | |
| Glenwood Horse ↗ | 68.1 | |
| Balcony Falls ↗ | 5.4 | |
| Sulphur Spring ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Gunter Ridge ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Piney Ridge | 3.2 | |
| Belfast | 2.7 | |
| Matt'S Creek | 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
- 3.7 miNatural Bridge ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.4 miLee Chapel, Washington and Lee University ↗National Historic Landmark
- 11.6 miBarracks, Virginia Military Institute ↗National Historic Landmark
- 4.4 miPoague, Margaret E., House ↗Lexington, VA
- 4.4 miFalling Spring Presbyterian Church Manse ↗Glasgow, VA
- 4.8 miRockbridge Inn ↗Natural Bridge, VA
- 7 miChapel Hill ↗Lexington, VA
- 8 miLocust Hill ↗Mechanicsville, 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 James River Face Wilderness?
8,907 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages James River Face Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is James River Face Wilderness in?
Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was James River Face Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at James River Face 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 James River Face Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.588° N, 79.445° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near James River Face Wilderness?
The National Register has 42 listings within 15 miles, including Natural Bridge and Lee Chapel, Washington and Lee University.
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.