As part of the wilderness system, it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools.

Access roads are shown on National Geographic-Trails Illustrated Map #787 (Blacksburg-New River Valley).

An important species is table mountain pine which thrives in harsh conditions where few other trees will grow.

[4] Sweet pinesap is about 10 cm high, with an erect stalk, lacks chlorophyll, has a light purplish brown color and scalelike leaves.

It blooms from September to November or February to April, and is commonly found hidden in leaf litter under oak and pine trees.

It blooms from April to October and is commonly found growing with pines in dry, scrubby woodlands.

On the upper reaches of the mountain is tough Devonian sandstone, formed between 360 and 408 million years ago.