USFS · Virginia

Shawvers Run Wilderness

Shawvers Run Wilderness is an area of rugged and remote mountain terrain on the northwestern slope of Potts Mountain, just over the hill from Barbours Creek Wilderness. Elevations range from 2,000 feet on Shawvers Run (stream) in the north to 3,800 feet on the top of Hanging Rock, in the south. The Wilderness is comprised of hardwood forest interspersed with yellow pine, and white pine growing in some of the drainages. The headwaters of Valley Branch contain native brook trout, as does Shawvers Run. There is little trail access to Shawvers Run Wilderness: 0.7 miles of trail to Hanging Rock overlook. Information is available on National Geographic-Trails Illustrated Map # 788 (Covington-Alleghany Highlands).

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness5,773 acresUSFSVADesignated 19882 campgrounds within 10 mi1 trail
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Shawvers Run Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateVirginia
Size5,773 acres
Designated1988, by Congress
Center point37.59° N, 80.20° W
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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Shawvers Run Wilderness30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.05 inches of precipitation, 5.6 inches of snowFebruary: 2.79 inches of precipitation, 6.3 inches of snowMarch: 3.70 inches of precipitation, 3.4 inches of snowApril: 3.66 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowMay: 4.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 3.71 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.15 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.34 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.58 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.70 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 2.57 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowDecember: 3.26 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.8°F averageFebruary: 33.7°F averageMarch: 40.9°F averageApril: 51.1°F averageMay: 59.7°F averageJune: 67.2°F averageJuly: 71.1°F averageAugust: 70.3°F averageSeptember: 64.2°F averageOctober: 52.8°F averageNovember: 41.8°F averageDecember: 34.4°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at White Sulphur Springs, 15 miles from the center point at 1,919 feet, station USC00469522 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 41 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 18 inches a year on the same inches scale.

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

Campsite Atlas →

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.

FS · 0.6 mi
Steel Bridge Campground
Reservable3 sites
FS · 4.7 mi
The Pines Campground
First-come10 sites

Trails

Trailhead Atlas →

1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 1 mile in all.

TrailMiles
Hanging Rock0.5

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

National Register listings within 15 miles · 16 in all · Register Atlas

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.

  • Five-Star Trails: Tri-Cities of Tennessee and Virginia
    Johnny Molloy, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Virginia
    Bill Burnham, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Appalachian trail guide to Southwest Virginia
    Bill Prueschner and Mary Ann Prueschner, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking waterfalls in Virginia
    Andy Thompson, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes in Northern Virginia
    Leonard M. Adkins, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Shawvers Run Wilderness?

5,773 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Shawvers Run Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Shawvers Run Wilderness in?

Virginia.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Shawvers Run Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1988.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Shawvers 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 Shawvers Run Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 37.587° N, 80.200° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Are there historic places near Shawvers Run Wilderness?

The National Register has 16 listings within 15 miles, including Humpback Bridge and Old Sweet Springs.

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.