Little Dry Run Wilderness
Little Dry Run Wilderness is located on the east end of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. It ranges in elevation from 2,440 feet along Little Dry Run at the northeast boundary to 3,614 feet near the center of the area. Vegetation is typical hardwood community with oaks and hickories and some yellow pines on the warmer exposures. Wildlife in the area is diverse and Little Dry Run is a native trout stream. Access to the area centers along one trail, the Little Dry Run Trail (FT #341), of which about three miles is within the Wilderness. Trail information is available on National Geographic-Trails Illustrated Map # 786 (Mount Rogers). Little Dry Run Wilderness is located in Wythe County in southwest Virginia.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Virginia |
| Size | 2,845 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.78° N, 81.21° 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 2 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, 85 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Highlands ↗ | 80.8 | |
| Little Dry Run | 4.1 |
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
- 3 miZion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery ↗Speedwell, VA
- 7.1 miRural Retreat Depot ↗Rural Retreat, VA
- 9.1 miKimberling Lutheran Cemetery ↗Rural Retreat, VA
- 10.4 miGrayson County Courthouse ↗Independence, VA
- 11.5 miOld Stone Tavern ↗Atkins, VA
- 11.7 miReed Creek Mill ↗Wytheville, VA
- 12.1 miFries Boarding Houses ↗Fries, VA
- 12.2 miHaller-Gibboney Rock House ↗Wytheville, 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 Little Dry Run Wilderness?
2,845 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Little Dry Run Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Little Dry Run Wilderness in?
Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Little Dry Run Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Little Dry Run 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 Little Dry Run Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.785° N, 81.212° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Little Dry Run Wilderness?
The National Register has 14 listings within 15 miles, including Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery and Rural Retreat Depot.
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.