page_title: Whitetop Mountain (conservation area)
section_title: Location and access
hierarchical_section_title: Whitetop Mountain (conservation area) / Location and access
caption_attribution_description: English: Boundary of the Whitetop Mountain wildland in the Jefferson National Forest as identified by the Wilderness Society
context_page_description: Whitetop Mountain (conservation area) 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 Wilderness Society has designated the area as a “Mountain Treasure”.
  The second highest mountain in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Whitetop Mountain and nearby Buzzard Knob are a commanding presence with a vertical elevation of 3500 feet and good views over the South Holston River at Damascus.
  The area is part of the Mount Rogers Cluster.
context_section_description: The area is located in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwestern Virginia about 2.4 miles southeast of Konnarock,  Virginia between Va 603 on the north, and US 58 on the south and east, and Va 605.  It is next to the Lewis Fork Wilderness to the east.
  The Appalachian Trail extends for 6.3 miles through the area, entering on the west from Lewis Fork Wilderness, climbing to  Buzzard Knob and  then leaving at Va 601, Beech Mountain Road, on the west.
  Several roads provide access to the area. VA 600 (Whitetop Road) connects US 58 with VA 603 (Little Laurel Road) while passing through Elk Garden, the point where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road.  Forest  Road 89  begins on VA 600 and reaches the summit of Whitetop Mountain. Forest Roads 89A, 89B, and 89C are short spur roads off  FR 89 .
  The boundary of the wildland as determined by the Wilderness Society is shown in the adjacent map.  Additional roads and trails are given on National Geographic Maps 786 (Mount Rogers). and Map 318 (Mount Rogers High Country)  A great variety of information, including topographic maps, aerial views, satellite data and weather information, is obtained by selecting the link with the wild land’s coordinates  in the upper right of this page.
  Beyond maintained trails, old logging roads can be used to explore the area.  The Appalachian Mountains were extensively timbered in the early twentieth century leaving logging roads that are  becoming overgrown but still passable. Old logging roads and railroad grades can be located by consulting the historical topographic maps available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Whitetop Mountain wildarea is covered by USGS topographic maps Konnarock, Whitetop Mountain and Park.
caption: Boundary of the Whitetop Mountain wildarea as identified by the Wilderness Society.[1]
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