Priest Wilderness
Priest Wilderness is generally very steep and rugged, consisting of undulating ridges with deep V-shaped hollows. Elevations range from 1000 feet at the Tye River to 4000 feet at the summit of the Priest. Large rock outcrops are common, and there is spectacular scenery. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T., FT #1) runs through this very rugged terrain for about 5.7 miles. Trail information is available on National Geographic-Trails Illustrated Map #789 (Lexington-Blue Ridge Mts). Priest Wilderness is located east of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Nelson County, in west central Virginia.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Virginia |
| Size | 5,994 acres |
| Designated | 2000, by Congress |
| Center point | 37.82° N, 79.06° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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, 385 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail ↗ | 384.9 | |
| Priest Shelter | 0.2 |
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
- 1.4 miTyro Mill ↗Tyro, VA
- 4.7 miHite Store ↗Lowesville, VA
- 5.1 miHaines Chapel and Cemetery ↗Vesuvius, VA
- 7 miMacedonia Methodist Church ↗Vesuvius, VA
- 7.4 miParr, Royster C., House ↗Amherst, VA
- 7.5 miWintergreen County Store ↗Nellysford, VA
- 7.6 miMt. Torry Furnace ↗Sherando, VA
- 9 miEmmanuel Baptist Church ↗Amherst, 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 Priest Wilderness?
5,994 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Priest Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Priest Wilderness in?
Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Priest Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2000.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Priest 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 Priest Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 37.820° N, 79.063° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Priest Wilderness?
The National Register has 36 listings within 15 miles, including Tyro Mill and Hite Store.
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.