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

The wilderness is located in the northwest corner of the Mount Rogers Recreation Area, near the town of Sugar Grove in Smyth County.

There are a possible 268 acres of inventoried old growth trees [7][2][8] Flowers include painted trillium, small purple-fringed orchids, black cohosh, broad beech ferns.

Ridges, capped by lower resistant Cambrian quartzite, have worn away creating large variations in elevation with many high gradient, deeply incised streams.

[14][8][3][4] Designated by Congress in 2009 with a total of 4,225 acres, the wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service through the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area.