Mount Rogers Crest Zone is a wildland in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia that has been recognized by the Wilderness Society as a special place worthy of protection from logging and road construction.

The Appalachian Mountains were extensively timbered in the early twentieth century leaving logging roads that are becoming overgrown but still passable.

[7] Old logging roads and railroad grades can be located by consulting the historical topographic maps available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The Mount Rogers Crest Zone wild area is covered by USGS topographic maps Troutdale and Whitetop Mountain.

[8] Although most of the timber is in the 21-100 year old age class, there are areas at high elevations where logging was limited by steep and rocky slopes.

[2] Parts of Big Wilson Creek, Mount Rogers, and Pine Mountain special biological areas are found here.

Unique aspects of these areas are Virginia’s largest high elevation peat bog, wetlands and seeps with rare herbs, birds and salamanders.

The rule provided some degree of protection by reducing the negative environmental impact of road construction and thus promoting the conservation of roadless areas.

As a result, group size is limited to 10 persons across the entire High Country thus extending this restriction beyond the areas with wilderness designation.