Potts Arm, a wildland in the

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is an administrative entity combining two U.S. National Forests into one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. The forests cover of land in the Appalachian Moun ...

of western Virginia, has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction. The Wilderness Society has designated the area as a "Mountain Treasure". Named after a spur extending off the main ridge of Potts Mountain, the area is popular with hunters, hikers, and anglers. Near the point where Potts Arm merges with Potts Mountain, there are good views in winter of Catawba Mountain. The area is part of the

Barbours Creek-Shawvers Run Cluster The Barbours Creek-Shawvers Run Cluster is a region in the Jefferson National Forest recognized by The Wilderness Society (United States), The Wilderness Society for its unique high elevation mountains, vistas, trout streams and wildlife habitat. ...

Location and access

The area is located in the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

of Southwestern Virginia, about 26 miles southwest of

Covington, Virginia Covington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,737, making it the second-least populous city in Virginia. It is surrounded by Alleghany County, of which it is also the county seat ...

. Forest Road 604.1 is on the southeast; Potts Jeep Road, Forest Road 177.1, is on the east; and Sweet Springs Turnpike, Forest Road 176. is on the north and east. Forest Road 176 is between the area and the Barbours Creek Wilderness There are two designated trails in the area. *Potts Arm, Forest Trail, 3.9 miles *Potts Cove Trail, 1.67 miles Cove Road, Forest Road 275, gives access to Potts Cove. Boundary of the Potts Arm wildarea as identified by the Wilderness Society

Boundary of the Potts Arm wildarea as identified by the Wilderness Society

The boundary of the wildland, as determined by the Wilderness Society, is shown in the adjacent map. Additional roads and trails are given on National Geographic Maps 788 (Covington, Alleghany Highlands). A great variety of information, including topographic maps, aerial views, satellite data and weather information, is obtained by selecting the link with the wild land's coordinates in the upper right of this page. Beyond maintained trails, old logging roads can be used to explore the area. The Appalachian Mountains were extensively timbered in the early twentieth century leaving logging roads that are becoming overgrown but still passable. Old logging roads and railroad grades can be located by consulting the historical topographic maps available from the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...

(USGS). The Potts Arm wild area is covered by USGS topographic maps ''New Castle'' and ''Potts Creek''.

Natural history

The area is within th
Ridge and Valley Subsection of the Northern Ridge and Valley Section in the Central Appalachian Broadleaf Coniferous Forest-Meadow Province
Potts Cove, in the center of the area, has been designated a "Rare Community". It has some 140-year-old stands of old growth forest.

Topography

Potts Arm, a 3282 -foot-high spur off the main ridge of Potts Mountain, is the highest elevation in the area. Cove Branch, Wright Branch and Cold Spring Branch drain into Barbours Creek, a tributary of

Craig Creek Craig Creek (also known as Craig's Creek or Craigs Creek) is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the James River in the U.S. state of Virginia. ...

which is part of the

James River The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...

watershed.

Forest Service management

The Forest Service has conducted a survey of their lands to determine the potential for wilderness designation. Wilderness designation provides a high degree of protection from development. The areas that were found suitable are referred to as inventoried roadless areas. Later a Roadless Rule was adopted that limited road construction in these areas. The rule provides some degree of protection by reducing the negative environmental impact of road construction and thus promoting the conservation of roadless areas. Potts Arm was not inventoried in the roadless area review, and therefore not protected from possible road construction and timber sales. The forest service classifies areas under their management by a recreational opportunity setting that informs visitors of the diverse range of opportunities available in the forest. Most of the area is managed as "Dispersed Recreation Area – Unsuitable" which allows some commercial logging but not regular timber production. Areas along Peaceful Valley East Road on the south and Sweet Springs Turnpike on the east are designated "Mix of Successional Habitats." There is an area designated "Indiana Bat-Secondary Habitat" on the western end.".

References

External links

George Washington and Jefferson National Forest

Wilderness Society
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests Southwest Virginia Protected areas of the Appalachians Mountains of Virginia