Peters Mountain Wilderness

Peters Mountain Wilderness
Swamp Branch in Peters Mountain Wilderness
Map showing the location of Peters Mountain Wilderness
Map showing the location of Peters Mountain Wilderness
Location of Peters Mountain Wilderness in Virginia
LocationGiles County, Virginia, United States
Coordinates37°25′59″N 80°37′21″W / 37.43306°N 80.62250°W / 37.43306; -80.62250
Area4,531 acres (18.34 km2)
Established1984[1]
OperatorGeorge Washington and Jefferson National Forests

The Peters Mountain Wilderness is an area protected by act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the wilderness system. it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools. Over half of the ecosystems in the United States exist within designated wilderness.[2]

The ridge of Peters Mountain offers excellent vantage points overlooking the hills of West Virginia, and the area includes interesting bogs and mountain outcrops. The deep forests are occupied by the northern saw whet owl and many species of warblers. The mountain is home of the rare Peters Mountain Mallow.[3]: 25–27 

The area is part of the Mountain Lake Wilderness Cluster.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference wildernessSite.net was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Why Wilderness?". Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BAMwild was invoked but never defined (see the help page).