Stone Mountain Wilderness
The Stone Mountain Wilderness is a tract of remote forest land adjacent to the North Fork of the Powell River in Lee County. The steep south-facing scarp of Stone Mountain provides outstanding views of Powell Mountain across the Powell River, which is famous for its rich populations of freshwater mussels. The slopes of Stone Mountain are forested with tulip trees (yellow poplar), red maple, and several species of oak. The Stone Mountain Trail (FT #207) provides access for hikers and hunters, following the crest of the mountain amid giant boulders and sheer cliffs. The trail is connected to an adjacent developed recreation area at Cave Springs.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Virginia |
| Size | 3,273 acres |
| Designated | 2009, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.82° N, 82.92° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15) |
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 1 federal campground within ten miles sits 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, 17 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Mountain ↗ | 14.6 | |
| Payne Branch | 1.9 |
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
- 5.6 miDuff Mansion House ↗Duffield, VA
- 6.4 miSouthwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park ↗Big Stone Gap, VA
- 6.5 miTerrace Park Girl Scout Cabin ↗Big Stone Gap, VA
- 6.6 miFox, John, Jr., House ↗Big Stone Gap, VA
- 6.6 miChrist Episcopal Church ↗Big Stone Gap, VA
- 6.8 miJames A. Bland High School ↗Big Stone Gap, VA
- 6.8 miU.s. Post Office and Courthouse ↗Big Stone Gap, VA
- 6.9 mi"June Tolliver" House ↗Big Stone Gap, 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 Stone Mountain Wilderness?
3,273 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Stone Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Stone Mountain Wilderness in?
Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Stone Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2009.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Stone Mountain 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 Stone Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.819° N, 82.922° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Stone Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 13 listings within 15 miles, including Duff Mansion House and Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park.
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.