Laurel Fork South 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 north and south 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 | 5,840 acres |
| Designated | 1983, by Congress |
| Center point | 38.71° N, 79.71° 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 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
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 14 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Fork South ↗ | 7.6 | |
| Beulah | 4.2 | |
| Camp Five Run | 1.6 | |
| Forks | 1 |
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
- under 0.1 miMiddle Mountain Cabins ↗Wymer, WV
- 3.5 mi
- 10.3 miButcher Hill Historic District ↗Beverly, WV
- 11 miCircleville School ↗Circleville, WV
- 11.2 miBlackman-Bosworth Store ↗Beverly, WV
- 11.3 miRandolf County Jail #2 ↗Beverly, WV
- 11.3 miBushrod Crawford/McClellan's Headquarters ↗Beverly, WV
- 12.7 miSee--Ward House ↗Mill Creek, WV
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for West Virginia
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Laurel Fork South Wilderness?
5,840 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Laurel Fork South Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Laurel Fork South Wilderness in?
West Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Laurel Fork South Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1983.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Laurel Fork South 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 South Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 38.713° N, 79.708° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Laurel Fork South Wilderness?
The National Register has 22 listings within 15 miles, including Middle Mountain Cabins and Glady Presbyterian Church and Manse.
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.