Tag Archives: National Forest

Virginia

Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area

June 5, 2024 Raven About The Parks 4 Comments

Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area

Virginia

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region

154,816 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gwj/recarea/?recid=77722

Overview

In southwestern Virginia, Jefferson National Forest manages Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area, which was established in 1966. Although it is only 154,816 acres in extent, Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area encompasses the highest point in Virginia at 5,729 feet, four federally designated Wilderness areas (totaling 18,500 acres), and nearly 500 miles of trails. At Raven Cliff Recreation Area, a short trail crosses an interesting bridge over Cripple Creek to access an old iron furnace that operated until the early 1900s. Nearby at Collins Cove is a rare example of an old-growth cove hardwood forest.

It even made it on our Top 10 National Recreation Areas list.

Highlights

Seng Mountain National Scenic Area, Mt. Rogers, Whitetop Mountain, Elk Garden, Raven Cliff Recreation Area, New River Recreation Area, Beartree Recreation Area, Comer’s Rock, Falls Branch Waterfall, New River State Park, Grayson Highlands State Park, Two Ponds Nature Trail, Virginia Creeper Trail, Horse Heaven Trail, Iron Mountain Trail, Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

Pat Jennings Visitor Center is located six miles south of Interstate 81 in Brushy Mountain, and there are two visitor centers situated along the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail (see our post on Jefferson National Forest). There are multiple routes to reach the summit of Mt. Rogers, but the two shortest are both 4.5 miles one-way from Elk Garden (on State Route 600) or Grayson Highlands State Park (that gains about 1,350 feet in elevation). At Massie Gap, we encountered a herd of wild miniature ponies that had no fear of humans and liked to lick the salt from our skin, but watch your fingers because they will bite.

Best Trail

There are about 500 miles of hiking trails within Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area, including 78 miles of the famous Appalachian National Scenic Trail (or A.T.). The A.T. runs through the Lewis Fork Wilderness, which also features the Virginia Highlands, Mt. Rogers, Grassy Branch, Helton Creek, Cliffside, Pine Mountain, and Sugar Maple Trails. The A.T. also traverses the Little Wilson Creek Wilderness, as do the First Peak, Bearpen, Kabel, Hightree Rock, and Little Wilson Creek Trails.

Instagram-worthy Photo

A beat-up USGS marker can be found at the highest point in Virginia on 5,729-foot Mt. Rogers, located on a short spur trail off the A.T.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

$5 day use fee at Beartree Recreation Area

Road Conditions

All the roads we drove in Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area were paved.

Camping

There are eight campgrounds, four horse camps, and two rental cabins in Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. Grindstone Campground has nature trails and an amphitheater, Hurricane Campground offers a one-mile loop trail, and Raccoon Branch Campground is popular with trout fishermen. We stayed at Chestnut Hollow Campground in Grayson Highlands State Park and had the place to ourselves in early May. There is a 25-foot right-of-way for backpack camping on both sides of the Virginia Creeper Trail (see our post on Jefferson National Forest), except on private property.

Related Sites

Jefferson National Forest (Virginia-Kentucky-West Virginia)

Blue Ridge Parkway (North Carolina-Virginia)

Cherokee National Forest (Tennessee-North Carolina)

Nearest National Park

Shenandoah

Scott and Tiff in Grayson Highlands State Park

Explore More – Common to the high elevations of Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area, what exactly is a heath bald?

List

Top 10 National Recreation Areas in National Forests

May 29, 2024 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

There are 21 National Recreation Areas administered solely by the U.S. Forest Service (and one co-managed with the National Park Service). This is a list of our favorites, since we already ranked our Top 10 National Recreation Areas run by the National Park Service. The U.S. Forest Service also manages nine National Scenic Areas, so we will probably never rank those, but by far the two best are Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge and California’s Mono Basin. Click here to see all our Top 10 lists.

10. Land Between The Lakes (Kentucky-Tennessee)

A planetarium and a bison herd can be found in the land between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake

9. Grand Island (Michigan)

An undeveloped island beckons hikers and bikers at the western edge of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

8. Winding Stair Mountain (Oklahoma)

Eastern Oklahoma is surprisingly mountainous and densely forested

7. Mt. Rogers (Virginia)

Hike the Appalachian National Scenic Trail to the top of Virginia or hop on a bike to coast down the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail

6. Spring Mountains (Nevada)

Snow frequently falls in these scenic peaks just north of Las Vegas

5. Hells Canyon (Oregon-Idaho)

The whitewater rapids of the Snake River cut what is arguably the deepest canyon in North America

4. Oregon Dunes (Oregon)

Coastal sand dunes interspersed with Douglas-fir forests attract hikers and ORV drivers

3. Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks (West Virginia)

The state’s highest point and a popular rock climbing area are separated by a narrow valley

2. Mt. Baker (Washington)

One of the prettiest roads in the U.S., Mt. Baker Scenic Byway (Highway 542) dead ends at the high elevation of Artist Point

…and finally our #1 National Recreation Area in a National Forest:

1. Sawtooth (Idaho)

The jagged peaks here live up to their name at the intersection of Boise, Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests

Honorable Mentions

Ed Jenkins (Georgia)

Encompassing Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Arapaho (Colorado)

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail cuts through this lake-filled basin west of Rocky Mountain National Park

Flaming Gorge (Wyoming-Utah)

A red rock canyon on the Green River was dammed to form this pretty border-crossing reservoir

Pine Ridge (Nebraska)

An extension of the Black Hills into northwestern Nebraska, this seldom visited area is home to reintroduced bighorn sheep

Moosalamoo (Vermont)

The Falls of Lana, Silver Lake, Voter Brook Overlook, and Robert Frost Interpretive Trail are all worth a visit

Learn more about these National Recreation Areas and the 155 National Forests they are in with our guidebook Out in the Woods

List

Top 10 Natural Phenomena to See in the U.S.

May 14, 2024 Raven About The Parks 9 Comments

We like to make Top 10 Lists for our readers to prioritize where to go, so here is a new one we came up with specifically to celebrate our 500th blog post. If we already have a post highlighting the type of natural wonder mentioned, we included a link (plus a few extra for future posts). These lists are by no means exhaustive of all the states or public lands where you can witness these phenomena. Click here for all our Top 10 Lists.

10. Natural bridge or arch (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nevada, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming)

Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Daniel Boone National Forest, Natural Bridges National Monument

9. Sand dune field (California, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, Utah)

Death Valley National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Indiana Dunes National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, White Sands National Park

8. Sea cave (California, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin)

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Channel Islands National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

7. Slot canyon (Arkansas, California, New Mexico, Utah)

Capitol Reef National Park, Death Valley National Park, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

6. Coral reef (American Samoa, Florida, Hawai‘i, Virgin Islands)

National Park of American Samoa, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Dry Tortugas National Park, Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands National Park

5. Giant sequoia or coast redwood tree (California)

Giant Sequoia National Monument, Kings Canyon National Park, Los Padres National Forest, Redwood National Park, Sequoia National Park, Sierra National Forest

4. Geyser or geothermal area (California, Hawai‘i, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming)

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Yellowstone National Park

3. Bioluminescence (Alabama, Florida, Hawai‘i, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)

Canaveral National Seashore, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve

2. Aurora borealis (Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota)

Chippewa National Forest, Denali National Park and Preserve, Hiawatha National Forest, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Voyageurs National Park

…and finally our #1 natural phenomenon to see in the U.S.:

1. Lava (Hawai‘i)

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Honorable Mentions

Cave (Alabama, Arizona, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, South Dakota, Tennessee)

Caribou National Forest, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Great Basin National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Mammoth Cave National Park, Sequoia National Park, Wind Cave National Park

Tidepool (Alaska, California, Maine, Oregon, Washington)

Acadia National Park, Cabrillo National Monument, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Olympic National Park, Redwood National Park

Tidewater glacier (Alaska)

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park

Natural hot springs (Arkansas, California, Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming)

Beaverhead National Forest, Big Bend National Park, Boise National Forest, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Clearwater National Forest, Hot Springs National Park, Yellowstone National Park

Walk behind a waterfall (Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Utah)

Buffalo National River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Hoosier National Forest, Zion National Park

Alpine tundra (Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)

Bighorn National Forest, Bridger National Forest, Coconino National Forest, Eldorado National Forest, Gallatin National Forest, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Inyo National Forest, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite National Park

California

Mono Basin National Scenic Area

May 1, 2024 Raven About The Parks 2 Comments

Mono Basin National Scenic Area

California

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region

128,303 acres

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5129903

Overview

Established in 1984, this portion of Inyo National Forest is a geological wonderland that was once part of the former Mono National Forest. Along the edge of this ancient salt lake are ten-foot-tall tufa towers exposed after water levels dropped beginning in 1941 when river water was diverted to Los Angeles. Tufa is limestone that precipitated when the alkaline lake water combined with calcium from underground springs. Paoha Island in the center of Mono Lake is also a nesting area for snowy plovers and California gulls, giving its salty waters even more of a Pacific Ocean impression. This entire region is volcanically active as evidenced by isolated hot springs, cinder cones that erupted as recently as 350 years ago, and the forest devastation caused by a 1989 release of carbon dioxide from Horseshoe Lake. It is also rich in minerals, showcased by the mines at Bodie State Historic Park, a ghost town conserved in “arrested decay.”

Highlights

Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center, film, Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, Panum Crater, Mono Craters, Bodie State Historic Park, South Tufa Trail

Must-Do Activity

Open May through October, the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center is located on Highway 395, just east of Tioga Pass (the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park). It features interactive displays on geology and human history, the 20-minute film Of Ice and Fire: A Portrait of the Mono Basin, photo exhibits, and a bookstore. Situated atop a hill on the lake’s western shore, it offers an overlook of Mono Lake, Paoha Island, and the Mono Craters.

Best Trail

On the lake’s south side is the fascinating Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve, established in 1981. A short trail leads from the unpaved parking area to the shoreline. Just to the west, the 0.7-mile Plug Trail enters the cone of Panum Crater, a 650-year-old plugged dome volcano.

Instagram-worthy Photo

The fragile tufa formations are a great resting place for violet-green swallows and other migratory birds that come to feed on the lake’s abundant brine shrimp and alkali flies.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

$3 per person at South Tufa Trail or America the Beautiful pass; $8 per person to enter Bodie State Historic Park

Road Conditions

There are well-graded dirt roads to Panum Crater, South Tufa, and Bodie State Historic Park. However, the routes on the north and east sides of Mono Lake are loose sand that require a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Camping

There are campgrounds at June Lake and along Highway 120 to Tioga Pass, but that road is closed in the winter. Dispersed camping is allowed in Inyo National Forest, but be careful on the sandy roads around Mono Lake.

Related Sites

Inyo National Forest (California-Nevada)

Manzanar National Historic Site (California)

Devils Postpile National Monument (California)

Death Valley National Park (California-Nevada)

Nearest National Park

Yosemite

Explore More – Most of the 27 Mono Craters are phreatic volcanoes that have been plugged or over-topped by rhyolite domes and lava flows; what does “phreatic” mean?

California, Nevada

Inyo National Forest

April 24, 2024 Raven About The Parks 2 Comments

Inyo National Forest

California, Nevada

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region

2,048,459 acres (1,948,726 federal/ 99,733 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/inyo

Overview

Inyo National Forest was established by President Teddy Roosevelt in 1907 to accommodate the Los Angeles Aqueduct, so it is mostly sagebrush slopes without much dense forest cover. We added it to our Top 10 Movies Filmed in National Forests after reading its history as a filming location. Inyo National Forest offers the shortest route to Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous U.S. at 14,495 feet in elevation. Its proximity to Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level) in Death Valley National Park makes its rise all the more impressive. You will need a permit to summit, since this popular peak lies within Sequoia National Park. One added benefit is you will learn all about how to use a “W.A.G. bag.” In addition to accessing the eastern Sierra Nevada (see Best Trail), Inyo National Forest also offers a portal to the beautiful White Mountains along the California-Nevada border (see Must-Do Activity) and 800,000 acres of designated Wilderness.

Highlights

Mono Basin National Scenic Area (see our blog post), Lee Vining Canyon Scenic Byway, Tioga Pass, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Convict Lake, Hot Creek Geologic Site, Mammoth Lakes, Minaret Summit Vista, Crystal Lake, Mt. Whitney Trail, Minaret Falls, Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

In the White Mountains, a paved road leads to the U.S. Forest Service visitor center at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, where a 4.5-mile loop trail through the Methuselah Grove passes one live Great Basin bristlecone pine tree recorded at over 5,000 years of age. That ranks it as the oldest living single-stem tree on the planet based on annual tree-ring measurements. You can continue to drive above 11,000 feet in elevation along a narrow gravel road famous for puncturing tires (so bring a spare). The route offers awesome views of the Owens Valley and Mt. Whitney, then takes you to the Patriarch Grove, a wonderful park of gnarled Great Basin bristlecone pine trees surrounded by snow throughout the summer.

Best Trail

Onion Valley Road west of Independence dead ends at the trailhead for Kearsarge Pass in the Sierra Nevada. The trail is a series of endless switchbacks that lead past beautifully twisted foxtail pines and unbelievably blue lakes up to the 11,823-foot pass at the boundary with Kings Canyon National Park. The view from the pass is worth the effort, even if you do not proceed to enter the National Park, for which you need a permit to camp overnight. John Muir called these mountains “the range of light,” and from up here you will surely see why.

Watchable Wildlife

Inyo National Forest is on the rain-shadow side of the Sierra Nevada, so it generally receives less precipitation throughout the year than the western slopes, especially at lower elevations. In the conifer forests of the mountains look for mule deer, black bears, weasels, martens, mountain lions, and bobcats. California quail, mountain quail, sooty grouse, and wild turkeys are common game birds. Watch the skies for raptors like bald eagles, ospreys, red-tailed hawks, and turkey vultures.

Instagram-worthy Photo

Sun-streaked and wind-blasted branches of bristlecone pine trees twist in backbreaking curls, stretching up towards the deep blue skies above 10,000 feet elevation.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

There are no day use fees to our knowledge.

Road Conditions

The road is paved to the trailhead for the 4.5-mile loop through the Methuselah Grove in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. The unpaved road beyond is famous for puncturing tires (so take it slow and bring a spare) and retains snow late into the summer. A shuttle ticket or camping permit is required to drive into the National Forest west of the ski resort town of Mammoth Lakes to access Devils Postpile National Monument.

Camping

Grandview Campground near the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest lives up to its name. There is a campground at Whitney Portal Trailhead and two on Onion Valley Road on the way to the trailhead for Kearsarge Pass (plus some epic dispersed campsites).

Wilderness Areas

Ansel Adams Wilderness (also in Sierra National Forest and Devils Postpile National Monument)

Boundary Peak Wilderness

Golden Trout Wilderness (also in Sequoia National Forest)

Hoover Wilderness (also in Toiyabe National Forest)

Inyo Mountains Wilderness

John Muir Wilderness (also in Sierra National Forest)

Owens River Headwaters Wilderness

South Sierra Wilderness (also in Sequoia National Forest)

White Mountains Wilderness

Related Sites

Humboldt National Forest (Nevada)