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Explore your forests


Experience lush woodlands, cold mountain streams, and unique mountaintop balds on over 1.8 million acres of Appalachian forests.

Recreation Guide

Welcome to the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests

Stretching along the border of Virginia and West Virginia, the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest blankets the Blue Ridge mountains offering 1.8 million acres of lush woodlands, unique mountain balds, peaceful waterways, and adventures galore. With more wildlife and trails than you can explore in a lifetime, every route on the forest carries visitors to new memories. All four seasons are in abundance here, with the explosion of colors in the spring wildflowers challenged only by the flames of colors of the autumn leaves. Summer brings bears, deer, birds and a multiplicity of pollinators, while winter’s stillness is broken only by the crinkle of cracking ice cascades where frozen waterfalls shine in the sun. Come enjoy and explore the natural beauty at the heart of the Appalachian Trail!

Firewood Cutting

A stack of firewood

Recreation Passes

A forest ranger talks with a visitor in a car.

Recreation Reservations

A tent under a starry sky

Disaster Recovery

Broken asphalt and destroyed road with Mount Rogers National Recreation Area sign on the ground next to a river

Interactive Visitor Use Map

A map and a cell phone screen with recreation icons.