USFS · Wilderness area · Virginia, West Virginia

Mountain Lake Wilderness

Mountain Lake, the only natural body of water in western Virginia, sits just outside the southwestern boundary of Mountain Lake Wilderness. Inside the boundary lies a highland plateau resting squarely...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Mountain Lake Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StatesVirginia, West Virginia
Size16,525 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point37.4080, -80.4706
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 3 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 51 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Mountain Lake Wilderness?

16,525 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Mountain Lake Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Mountain Lake Wilderness in?

The boundary crosses Virginia and West Virginia.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Mountain Lake Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1984.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Mountain Lake Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is White Rocks Campground, 0.1 miles out. 3 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Mountain Lake Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 37.408, -80.471. Bluestone National Scenic River is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Mountain Lake Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Mountain Lake Wilderness?

Bluestone National Scenic River (27 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Mountain Lake Wilderness?

51 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Waiteville School and Gravel Hill Christian Church.

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.
  • 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.