| Raccoon Branch Wilderness | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Location | Smyth County Virginia, United States |
| Nearest city | Abingdon, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 36°44′09″N 81°28′24″W / 36.73596°N 81.47344°W |
| Area | 4,225 acres (1,710 ha) |
| Established | 2009 |
| Administrator | U.S. Forest Service |
The Raccoon Branch 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]
Crossed by well-maintained trails and drained by several cold-water streams, the wilderness offers good opportunity for both hikers and fishermen who want to experience one of the newest additions to Virginia’s wilderness areas.[2]
The area is part of the Mount Rogers Cluster.
- ^ Wilderness.org: Why Wilderness? | Wilderness.org, accessdate: May 22, 2017
- ^ Bamford, Sherman (October 2014). 18 Wonders of Virginia. Richmond, Virginia: Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. pp. 54–57. ISBN 978-0-926487-79-6.