Like all designated wilderness areas the use of mechanical devices and motorized vehicles is prohibited. The elevation here is nearly a mile high. Look to the right to see portions of Erwin where your tour began. Beauty Spot Gap and farther out lies Beauty Spot. Spruce forests are dense and sunlight cannot penetrate them.
Little groundcover grows here and the forest is usually cool and moist.
These conditions create habitat for unique wildlife species including the lungless Appalachian salamander. Instead of laying their eggs in water like most amphibians, they use the moist forest floor. Animals like the New England cottontail rabbit and the least weasel are found only in this type of habitat and adjacent areas. The forest also provides habitat for endangered species such as the northern flying squirrel. The white pines you see were planted in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.