Clinch Ranger District

Select yellow circle for information about the area

1. Little Laurel Branch
2. North Fork of the Pound
3. Roaring Branch
4. Stone Mountain
5. Little Stony Creek
6. Devil's Fork
7. Laurel Fork

Located in Virginia's far southwest corner, the scenic and recreational attractions of the Clinch Ranger District are some of the state's best-kept secrets. This district is in the Southern Cumberland Mountains section of the Southern Appalachians, an area not well-represented in protected public lands. There is no designated wilderness in this area, although the Forest Service is studying roadless areas here for possible wilderness recommendation.

While production of coal and natural gas is, and will continue to be, important here, local leaders are seeking to diversify the economy by promoting opportunities for hiking, rafting, cycling, fishing, hunting, and nature study. Unlike national forest lands elsewhere in the Jefferson National Forest, management of surface resources in the Clinch Ranger District is more challenging due to extensive private holdings of mineral rights.