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15-552: The James River Face Wilderness is an 8,907-acre area located near Natural Bridge, Virginia that is protected by the Eastern Wilderness Act of Congress to maintain its present, natural condition. As part of the National Wilderness Preservation System , it helps to preserve a variety of natural life forms and contributes to a diversity of plant and animal gene pools. Over half of the ecosystems in

30-617: A National Historic Landmark , is a natural arch within a limestone gorge formed by Cedar Creek . The land including the bridge was once owned by Thomas Jefferson , and according to legend, George Washington surveyed the bridge. Natural Bridge Zoo, Natural Bridge Caverns and the Virginia Safari Park are located nearby. In addition to the Natural Bridge, the Rockbridge Inn , Vine Forest , and Virginia Manor are listed on

45-455: A complex topography with a peak Highcock Knob towering at an elevation of 3100 feet over the James River at 650 feet, a rock outcrop Devils Marbleyard composed of quartzite boulders the size of a schoolbus, many creeks with rapid descents and waterfalls, and the tall ridges Piney Ridge on the east and Gunter Ridge on the west. This wilderness was designated by congress in 1975 and is managed by

60-531: A haze reducing visibility, an acidification of streams and a leaching of nutrients from the soil, and ozone creates visible injury to plant leaves reducing plant growth. Pollutants are created by many sources over a large geographic region. Nearby wilderness areas and wildlands recognized as one of Virginia's "Mountain Treasures" by the Wilderness Society are: Natural Bridge, Virginia Natural Bridge

75-542: Is an unincorporated community in Rockbridge County , Virginia , United States. The community is the site of Natural Bridge , a natural arch which gives the town its name. Natural Bridge is located at the junction of U.S. Route 11 and State Route 130 . Natural Bridge has a post office with ZIP code 24578, which opened on June 1, 1800. The main attraction in the community is the Natural Bridge . The site,

90-604: Is bounded on the northeast by the James River , on the west by Forest Service Road 35, and on the south by the Blue Ridge Parkway . There are several well maintained trails giving access into the wilderness. Among these are: The forest cover includes chestnut oak and various types of yellow pine . Northern red oak and hickories are found near Highcock Knob. The wilderness has sheltered coves with white oak , basswood and tulip poplar . Old growth trees are found in

105-571: The National Register of Historic Places , and the heart of the resort area at the center of the village is listed as the Natural Bridge Historic District . This Rockbridge County, Virginia state location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . State Route 130 (Virginia) SR 130 is a Virginia Byway west of US 29 Business near Madison Heights . SR 130 begins at US 11 (Lee Highway) in

120-636: The U.S. Forest Service as a part of the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger Districts of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests. There are some regulations to maintain the integrity of the area. For example, motorized equipment, motor vehicles and mountain bikes are prohibited, group size is limited to ten people, and limits are placed on camping. The wilderness is being monitored for clean air, with special concern for visibility, water quality and vegetation. Sulfur compounds produce

135-737: The James River Subdivision rail line east through the river's gorge through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shortly before crossing the Rockbridge–;Amherst line, the two highways leave the level of the river and have a winding crossing of the mountain. Shortly after the highways return to water level and the CSX rail line crosses to the south side of the river, US 501 crosses the James River into Bedford County to head toward Lynchburg. SR 130 continues east as Elon Road, which veers away from

150-690: The United States exist within designated wilderness. The wilderness contains many contrasting features. A short distance separates scorched hillsides, stark rockpiles and dry forest on one side and exceedingly rich vegetation on the crest of the Blue Ridge on the other. The area is part of the Glenwood Cluster . James River Face Wilderness is located in the Jefferson National Forest several miles from Natural Bridge Station, Virginia . It

165-484: The hamlet of Natural Bridge next to Natural Bridge Hotel. The state highway heads east as two-lane undivided Wert Faulkner Highway, which provides access to the visitor center that serves the underside of the National Historic Landmark . At Natural Bridge Station, SR 130 passes by the southern end of Sallings Mountain and under Norfolk Southern Railway 's Roanoke District . The state highway passes through

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180-576: The river and has a connecting ramp interchange with the Blue Ridge Parkway . The state highway crosses the Pedlar River and passes through a gap in Tobacco Row Mountain before reaching the hamlet of Elon. SR 130 continues southeast to the northern fringe of Madison Heights, where the highway crosses over Norfolk Southern's Washington District rail line and intersects US 29 Business (Amherst Highway). The state highway widens to four lanes at

195-567: The town of Glasgow, where the highway has an at-grade intersection with a rail connector between the Roanoke District and CSX 's James River Subdivision . SR 130 exits Glasgow by crossing the Maury River then meets US 501 (Glasgow Highway) at an intersection east of the river. SR 130 and US 501 follow the Maury River south to its mouth at the James River, then parallel the James River and

210-576: The watershed of Matt’s Creek and along the James River where the Appalachian Trail goes into the drainage of Matt’s Creek. The Allegheny woodrat has been observed in the wilderness at the rock outcrops of the Devils Marbleyard. The population of the woodrat is in decline. Among the hypotheses being considered for the decline are the loss of food sources, loss of habitat and mortality from parasites introduced by raccoons. The lower elevations of

225-551: The wilderness have a long history of mineral development and logging. The area contains the former Francis T. Anderson's Glenwood Estate, regarded as one of the finest principalities in western Virginia. Anderson operated the Glenwood Iron Furnace, an enterprise that required thousands of acres of timber to produce the charcoal used in the iron furnace . The area was stripped of its timber, and then operators returned to log second and third-growth timber. The wilderness has

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