Laurel Fork North Wilderness
Although sometimes listed as two areas, Laurel Fork Wilderness straddles the Laurel Fork of the Cheat River, and only the corridor of County Route 40 separates the northern and southern portions. The narrow river valley runs north-south below regularly dissected slopes and long, slim ridges, fed by numerous side streams. Immediately to the east stands Rich Mountain; to the west looms Middle Mountain, with elevations over 3,700 feet. An almost continuous forest cover dominated by beech, maple, black cherry, birch, and yellow poplar is broken only by grassy meadows along the Laurel Fork itself. White-tailed deer live here with wild turkeys, bobcats, and beavers.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | West Virginia |
| Size | 6,048 acres |
| Designated | 1983, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.78° N, 79.66° 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 5 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
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 11 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Fork North ↗ | 9.4 | |
| Stone Camp Run | 1.4 |
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
- 2.7 mi
- 4.5 miMiddle Mountain Cabins ↗Wymer, WV
- 9.5 miDay--Vandevander Mill ↗Harmon, WV
- 10.4 miButcher Hill Historic District ↗Beverly, WV
- 10.7 miCircleville School ↗Circleville, WV
- 11.4 miRandolf County Jail #2 ↗Beverly, WV
- 11.5 miBushrod Crawford/McClellan's Headquarters ↗Beverly, WV
- 11.5 miBlackman-Bosworth Store ↗Beverly, WV
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for West Virginia
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Laurel Fork North Wilderness?
6,048 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Laurel Fork North Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Laurel Fork North Wilderness in?
West Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Laurel Fork North Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1983.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Laurel Fork North 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 Laurel Fork North Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.778° N, 79.656° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Laurel Fork North Wilderness?
The National Register has 23 listings within 15 miles, including Glady Presbyterian Church and Manse and Middle Mountain Cabins.
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.