Fortunately, wilderness designation isn't limited to the forest planning process, though that is an important step in protecting wild places for eventual congressional designation as wilderness.
In 2000, the Congress designated two new wilderness areas in Virginia, The Priest and Three Ridges, on the George Washington National Forest. And the Wilderness Society was instrumental in that achievement.
Three Ridges
The Three Ridges Wilderness covers 4748 acres on the Pedlar Ranger District of the forest. And it's probably one of the wildest and most rugged areas in the Virginia Blue Ridge, given the steepness of its slopes, the depth of its gorges, scarcity of trails and rock outcrops along its ridge crest.
Two important streams, Campbell and Harpers Creek, tumble down from its heights and support native trout. An 11-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail extends through it from the Tye River to the Blue Ridge parkway at Reeds Gap.
The Priest
Also on the Pedlar Ranger District, The Priest Wilderness of 5742 acres takes its name from one of Virginia's most prominent peaks that rises from the Tye River to 4063 feet. Distant peaks in the area are named Little Priest, the Friar, Little Friar and the Cardinal. Outcrops of granite crown the Priest, Little Priest and Pinnacle Ridge and offer broad, unobstructed views. The Appalachian Trail traverses the wilderness, winding through mixed hardwood forests.
Deep hollows and enclosing ridges offer fine opportunities for solitude, most notably in the watershed of Cox Creek's many branches.
