The Little Dry Run Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system, it is intended to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contribute to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools. Over half of the ecosystems in the United States exist within designated wilderness.[1]
Named after Little Dry Run, a stream lined with hemlocks and white pines that runs through the center of the wilderness, the area has good hikes far removed from the busy west side of the Mount Rogers Recreation Area.[2]
The wilderness is located at the east end of Mount Rogers Recreation Area. near the town of Speedwell in Wythe County.[2] It is bounded on the east by US21, on the south and west by the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail. The northern boundary is about 1 mile south of VA 612.[3]
There is one maintained trail, the Little Dry Run Trail, Forest Service Trail #305, with a few yellow blazes, 4.4 miles long, and moderately difficult with trailheads on US 21 at the eastern end of the trail, and Comers Rock Campground on the west.[4][3][5]
The Virginia Highlands Horse Trail borders the wilderness on the southern side.[3]
The Virginia Highlands Extension extends from the Horse Trail for four miles to a ridgetop.[6]
The Ridge Top Area Bushwhack is a 4-mile hike beginning at the junction of Little Dry Run Trail and the Virginia Highlands Trail.[6]
Natural historyEdit
Dry Run, near Little Dry Run Wilderness on State Route 21, south of Speedwell, Virginia
With different habitats, the wilderness is home to a large variety of species. In the spring, wood anemone, false Solomon’s seal, foamflower, mayapple, large-flowered trillium, red trillium, and solomon’s seal are seen.[2][7]
Bird species include worm-eating warblers, black and white warblers, golden crowned kinglets, eastern wood pewees and pine warblers.[2] Eastern redbud, Frazer magnolia, witch-hazel and mountain maple provide dense cover for nesting birds such as the wood thrush, summer tanager, red-eyed vireo and ovenbird.[7]
Cove forests contain white bass-wood, tulip poplar, sugar maple, white ash and eastern hemlock. The wilderness is in an area that contains the rare round-leaf birch.[7] Remnants of old growth forest are found near Sindion Point.[2]
Crigger Creek carrying drainage from Little Dry Run Wilderness, along Crigger Creek Road near Speedwell, Va
The watershed of Little Dry Run, completely enclosed in the wilderness, begins with a small bog, then descends to the join Dry Run which flows north along the eastern side of the wilderness.[9] Two rivers flow along the wilderness’ boundary—Jones Creek on the northwest and West Dry Run Fork on the south.[2]
Elevations range from 2440 feet along Little Dry Run to a 3614 feet at an unnamed peak.[8] A small knob on the northwest corner of the wilderness, Sindion Point, elevation 3018 feet, stands at the end of a ridge running through the wilderness.[9][10]
Nearby Comers Rock, outside the wilderness on the south, with an elevation of 4102 feet, has an observation platform offering views of the surrounding countryside.[11]
Designated by Congress in 1984 with a total of 2845 acres, the wilderness is managed by the Forest Service through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.[4]
There are some regulations to maintain the integrity of the area as a wilderness. For example, motorized equipment, motor vehicles and mountain bikes are prohibited, group size is limited to ten people, and limits are placed on camping.[8]
^Wilderness.org: Why Wilderness? | Wilderness.org, accessdate: May 14, 2017
^ abcdefgBamford, Sherman (October 2014). 18 Wonders of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. pp. 50–53. ISBN978-0-926487-79-6.
^ abcNational Geographic Map: Mount Rogers National Recreation Area [Jefferson National Forest], accessdate: May 14, 2017
^ abCarroll, Steve; Miller, Mark (2002). Wild Virginia, A Guide to Thirty Roadless Recreation Areas including Shenandoah National Park. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press. pp. 127–130. ISBN0-7627-2315-7.
^Molloy, Johnny (2001). Mount Rogers, Outdoor Recreation Handbook. Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press. pp. 161–162. ISBN0-89732-328-9.
^ abSteven Carroll and Mark Miller (1995). Wilderness Virginia. Lexington, Virginia: Old Forge Productions. pp. 96–105. ISBN0-9646692-1-8.
^ abcWinegar, Deane and Garvey (1998). Highroad Guide to the Virginia Mountains. Marietta, Georgia: Longstreet Press, Inc. pp. 247. ISBN1-56352-462-7.
^ abcGeneral Information: Wilderness.net - Little Dry Run Wilderness - General Information, accessdate: May 14, 2017
^ abVirginia Wilderness Committee: Little Dry Run Wilderness - Virginia Wilderness Committee, accessdate: May 15, 2017
^"Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)". Retrieved 15 May 2017.
^Horan, Jack (1997). Where Nature Reigns, The Wilderness Areas of the Southern Appalachians. Asheboro, North Carolina: Down Home Press. pp. 178–179. ISBN1-878086-58-8.
External linksEdit
Virginia Wilderness Committee
Map of trails
Wilderness Connect
Wilderness Society
August 25, 2023
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The Little Dry Run Wilderness is an area in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present natural condition As part of the wilderness system it is intended to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contribute to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools Over half of the ecosystems in the United States exist within designated wilderness 1 Little Dry Run WildernessIUCN category Ib wilderness area Looking south into mountains in vicinity of Little Dry Run Wilderness Area from State Route 749 near Speedwell VaLocationWythe County Virginia United StatesNearest cityWytheville VirginiaCoordinates36 47 09 N 81 12 42 W 36 78575 N 81 21154 W 36 78575 81 21154Area2 858 acres 1 157 ha Established1984AdministratorU S Forest ServiceNamed after Little Dry Run a stream lined with hemlocks and white pines that runs through the center of the wilderness the area has good hikes far removed from the busy west side of the Mount Rogers Recreation Area 2 The area is part of the Mount Rogers Cluster Contents 1 Location and access 2 Natural history 3 Topography 4 Management 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLocation and access EditThe wilderness is located at the east end of Mount Rogers Recreation Area near the town of Speedwell in Wythe County 2 It is bounded on the east by US21 on the south and west by the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail The northern boundary is about 1 mile south of VA 612 3 There is one maintained trail the Little Dry Run Trail Forest Service Trail 305 with a few yellow blazes 4 4 miles long and moderately difficult with trailheads on US 21 at the eastern end of the trail and Comers Rock Campground on the west 4 3 5 The Virginia Highlands Horse Trail borders the wilderness on the southern side 3 The Virginia Highlands Extension extends from the Horse Trail for four miles to a ridgetop 6 The Ridge Top Area Bushwhack is a 4 mile hike beginning at the junction of Little Dry Run Trail and the Virginia Highlands Trail 6 Natural history Edit Dry Run near Little Dry Run Wilderness on State Route 21 south of Speedwell VirginiaWith different habitats the wilderness is home to a large variety of species In the spring wood anemone false Solomon s seal foamflower mayapple large flowered trillium red trillium and solomon s seal are seen 2 7 Bird species include worm eating warblers black and white warblers golden crowned kinglets eastern wood pewees and pine warblers 2 Eastern redbud Frazer magnolia witch hazel and mountain maple provide dense cover for nesting birds such as the wood thrush summer tanager red eyed vireo and ovenbird 7 Cove forests contain white bass wood tulip poplar sugar maple white ash and eastern hemlock The wilderness is in an area that contains the rare round leaf birch 7 Remnants of old growth forest are found near Sindion Point 2 Little Dry Run is a native trout stream 8 Topography Edit Crigger Creek carrying drainage from Little Dry Run Wilderness along Crigger Creek Road near Speedwell VaThe watershed of Little Dry Run completely enclosed in the wilderness begins with a small bog then descends to the join Dry Run which flows north along the eastern side of the wilderness 9 Two rivers flow along the wilderness boundary Jones Creek on the northwest and West Dry Run Fork on the south 2 Elevations range from 2440 feet along Little Dry Run to a 3614 feet at an unnamed peak 8 A small knob on the northwest corner of the wilderness Sindion Point elevation 3018 feet stands at the end of a ridge running through the wilderness 9 10 Nearby Comers Rock outside the wilderness on the south with an elevation of 4102 feet has an observation platform offering views of the surrounding countryside 11 The wilderness is part of the Blue Ridge Province which is distinct from the Ridge and Valley Province to the west 2 Management EditDesignated by Congress in 1984 with a total of 2845 acres the wilderness is managed by the Forest Service through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area 4 There are some regulations to maintain the integrity of the area as a wilderness For example motorized equipment motor vehicles and mountain bikes are prohibited group size is limited to ten people and limits are placed on camping 8 See also EditMount Rogers Cluster WildernessReferences Edit Wilderness org Why Wilderness Wilderness org accessdate May 14 2017 a b c d e f g Bamford Sherman October 2014 18 Wonders of Virginia Richmond Virginia Sierra Club Virginia Chapter pp 50 53 ISBN 978 0 926487 79 6 a b c National Geographic Map Mount Rogers National Recreation Area Jefferson National Forest accessdate May 14 2017 a b Carroll Steve Miller Mark 2002 Wild Virginia A Guide to Thirty Roadless Recreation Areas including Shenandoah National Park Guilford Connecticut Globe Pequot Press pp 127 130 ISBN 0 7627 2315 7 Molloy Johnny 2001 Mount Rogers Outdoor Recreation Handbook Birmingham Alabama Menasha Ridge Press pp 161 162 ISBN 0 89732 328 9 a b Steven Carroll and Mark Miller 1995 Wilderness Virginia Lexington Virginia Old Forge Productions pp 96 105 ISBN 0 9646692 1 8 a b c Winegar Deane and Garvey 1998 Highroad Guide to the Virginia Mountains Marietta Georgia Longstreet Press Inc pp 247 ISBN 1 56352 462 7 a b c General Information Wilderness net Little Dry Run Wilderness General Information accessdate May 14 2017 a b Virginia Wilderness Committee Little Dry Run Wilderness Virginia Wilderness Committee accessdate May 15 2017 Geographic Names Information System GNIS Retrieved 15 May 2017 Horan Jack 1997 Where Nature Reigns The Wilderness Areas of the Southern Appalachians Asheboro North Carolina Down Home Press pp 178 179 ISBN 1 878086 58 8 External links EditVirginia Wilderness Committee Map of trails Wilderness Connect Wilderness Society Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little Dry Run Wilderness amp oldid 1052945851, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
