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 on the Eastern Continental Divide, including isolated stands of virgin spruce and hemlock in a typical Appalachian hardwood forest, a mountain bog, and War Spur Overlook, which yields a panoramic view of this Wilderness. Elevations range from about 2,200 feet to over 4,000 feet on Lone Pine Peak near the middle of the area. The diversity of flora and fauna is significant. There are 21 miles of trail within the wilderness including about five miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T., FT #1).
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| States | Virginia, West Virginia |
| Size | 16,525 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.41° N, 80.47° 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 3 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
6 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 397 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail ↗ | 384.9 | |
| Sartain ↗ | 4.6 | |
| Potts Mountain | 3 | |
| War Branch | 1.6 | |
| War Spur Loop | 1.4 | |
| Virginias Walk | 1.2 |
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
- 1.2 miWaiteville School ↗Waiteville, WV
- 2.8 miGravel Hill Christian Church ↗New Castle, VA
- 6.6 miPeople's Bank of Eggleston, The ↗Eggleston, VA
- 6.6 miPyne, Q.m., Store ↗Eggleston, VA
- 8 miIndian Creek Covered Bridge ↗Salt Sulphur Springs, WV
- 8.3 miKinzer, Michael, House ↗Blacksburg, VA
- 8.4 miWalnut Spring ↗Kanodes Mill, VA
- 8.6 miMcDonald, Joseph, Farm ↗Prices Fork, 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 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?
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 Mountain Lake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.408° N, 80.471° W. Bluestone National Scenic River is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
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?
The National Register has 51 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.
- 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.