Map showing quarries, mines, prospects, and sample data in and near the James River Face Wilderness, Bedford and Rockbridge counties, Virginia

The james River Face Wilderness comprises 8,800 acres in the Jefferson National Forest and occupies parts of Bedford and Rockbridge Counties, west-central Virginia.  It is about 2 mi southeast of Natural Bridge Station and 0.5 mi south of Glasgow (fig. 1).

Access is provided by U.S. Route 501, State Route 130, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Interior access is provided by the Appalachian Trail, other marked foot trails and a graded bridle path. 

The area, on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is drained by small tributaries of the James River.  Altitudes range from 600 ft where U.S. Route 501 crosses the James River to 3,073 ft on Highcock Knob.