Redrock Mountain Natural Area Preserve | |
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Location | Smyth County, Virginia |
Coordinates | 36°54′43″N 81°47′32″W / 36.912°N 81.7921°W [1] |
Area | 640 acres (260 ha) |
Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Redrock Mountain Natural Area Preserve is a 640-acre (260 ha) Natural Area Preserve located in Smyth County, Virginia. [2] The preserve is named for the 4,413-foot (1,345 m) Redrock Mountain, which itself is named for its red siltstone cliffs. [3] [4] It supports a number of rare natural features, and two natural community types, including examples of "mountain/piedmont basic woodlands" upon the mountain's slopes, and "rich cove/slope forests" in the preserve's lowlands. Five rare plant species are found on the property, including spring blue-eyed Mary ( Collinsia verna), fringed scorpion-weed ( Phacelia fimbriata), and Carey saxifrage ( Saxifraga careyana). [2]
The preserve was expanded with the purchase of 96 acres (39 ha) in 2016. The expansion connected the preserve with the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area, located nearby. [3]
The preserve is owned and maintained by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. It does not include improvements for public access, and visitors must make arrangements with a state-employed land steward prior to visiting. [2]