Saint Mary's Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Saint Mary's Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
. The wilderness area is located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway
near the Parkway's northern terminus and consists of 35864 acres (145.1 km²). Saint Mary's Wilderness is the largest Virginia Wilderness on national forest land,. Saint Mary's Wilderness ranges in elevation from about 1780 feet (543 m) to 3640 feet (1,109 m). The area has about 27 miles (43 km) of hiking trails within or near its boundaries.
Saint Mary's Wilderness includes the drainages of Cellar Hollow, Spy Run, and the upper part of the Saint Mary's River. Each waterway is a tributary
of the South River
; via the Maury
and James
Rivers, which is part of the Chesapeake Bay
watershed.
There is an extensive network of hiking trail
s. Trails include:
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are U.S. National Forests that combine to form one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. They cover of land in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky...
. The wilderness area is located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
near the Parkway's northern terminus and consists of 35864 acres (145.1 km²). Saint Mary's Wilderness is the largest Virginia Wilderness on national forest land,. Saint Mary's Wilderness ranges in elevation from about 1780 feet (543 m) to 3640 feet (1,109 m). The area has about 27 miles (43 km) of hiking trails within or near its boundaries.
Saint Mary's Wilderness includes the drainages of Cellar Hollow, Spy Run, and the upper part of the Saint Mary's River. Each waterway is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the South River
South River (Maury River)
The South River is a tributary of the Maury River in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is part of the James River watershed.It rises southwest of Lofton in Augusta County, Virginia, near the western base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and quickly receives the Saint Marys River coming out of the...
; via the Maury
Maury River
The Maury River is a tributary of the James River in west-central Virginia in the United States. Via the James River, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.The Maury flows for its entire length in Rockbridge County...
and James
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
Rivers, which is part of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
watershed.
History
The Saint Mary's River gorge was mined for manganese ore and iron ore from the early 1900's until the mines were abandoned in the 1950s. Scattered remains of the mining operations are still evident. Saint Mary's was designated a Wilderness as a part of the Virginia Wilderness Act of 1984.Recreation
Saint Mary's Wilderness is particularly popular during summer due to a large number of waterfalls within its boundaries. See Saint Marys Waterfalls Photo Album. Fishermen can take native trout from the Saint Mary's River.There is an extensive network of hiking trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s. Trails include:
- Saint Mary's River Trail
- Saint Mary's Waterfall Trail
- Mine Bank Trail
- Cellar Mountain Trail
- Cold Springs Trail