Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve

Visit

• Before You Go

  Bottom Creek Gorge has more than five miles of moderate trails. An old road takes hikers up a hill, and then there are three branches of trail. There are no restrooms.

  Winter weather can impact road conditions. Visitors should be aware of the possibility of wash outs or large holes on the road leading into the preserve and can park on the road shoulder.

• What to See: Plants

  A half-acre shale barren provides habitat for the globally rare chestnut lipfern. Formerly known only from north-central Mexico to the southwestern United States, this lipfern occurs in isolated patches in southwestern Virginia and eastern West Virginia.

  An old-growth hemlock forest rising from the north side of the creek remained largely untouched due to its inaccessibility. A mix of forest and field covers the rest of the preserve.

  Mixed hardwood stands of tulip poplar, maple, oak and hickory are complemented by several meadows and dense rhododendron thickets in ravines.

• Preserve Guidelines

  The Nature Conservancy’s preserves are set aside to protect natural plant and animal communities. We invite you to experience and enjoy preserves where we provide public access, but remember that every visitor has an impact. Please follow our visitation guidelines to protect yourself and nature.

  • Preserves are open to the public during daylight hours. 
  • Passive recreation such as walking, bird watching and photography is welcomed. 

   The following activities are not allowed:

  • Pets are prohibited unless otherwise noted. Service animals are welcome. Please visit Places We Protect to confirm the policy at each preserve.
  • Picking flowers, mushrooms, etc.
  • Removing rocks or other parts of the landscape
  • Smoking
  • Camping
  • Fires or cookouts
  • Driving motorized vehicles, including ATV’s, except on designated access roads
  • Biking, except at Brownsville Preserve
  • Fishing, trapping or hunting, except as otherwise posted
  • Horseback riding
  • Feeding wildlife
  • Releasing animals or introducing plants
  • Disposing of trash or other waste, including biodegradable materials

  To minimize your impact, we ask that you please also observe the following:

  • Stay on trails
  • Avoid walking in wet, boggy areas
  • Inspect pant legs and shoes to remove seeds before entering and when leaving the preserve. Failure to do so could introduce invasive weeds to new locations.
  • If you flush a ground nesting bird, stop and avoid walking near the nest area
  • Observe all posted signs
  • Please do not remove stakes, signs, flagging, tape or similar objects. These may be markers for a research project.
  • Please do not trespass on private property adjacent to preserves

  For your own comfort and enjoyment, come prepared. Wear comfortable shoes for hiking, pack rain gear, and wear long pants with socks over them to protect yourself from ticks and poison ivy. Always remember to bring water, as dehydration is a serious year-round threat.

  If you observe any illegal activity on a preserve such as ATV use, do not confront the offenders yourself. However, do feel free to call local law enforcement.

• Accessibility

  Length of trail network: 4.5 miles

  Shortest Distance to Viewpoint: 1.6 miles

  Surface Type: Unimproved

  Typical and Minimum Trail Width: 45 inches, 8 inches

  Typical and Maximum Slope: %, %

  • Entrance road: max 19%, avg 7%

  • Total elevation gain: 312 ft

  • Knight trail (yellow): avg slope 15.035%, max 48%

  • Total elevation change: 869 ft

  • Johnston trail (red): avg slope 11.6%, max 59%

  • Total elevation change: 438 ft

  • Duval trail (blue): avg slope 7%, max 38%

  • Total elevation change: 552 ft

  Typical and Maximum Cross Slope: 4%, 29%

  Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices (OPDMDs):

  The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations address the use of wheelchairs and “Other Power Driven Mobility Devices” (“OPDMDs) by persons with mobility disabilities. These rules apply to “public accommodations” which include TNC properties that are open to the public. The regulations provide that with regard to “public accommodations” persons with mobility disabilities are entitled to:

  1. Use wheelchairs and manually powered mobility aids (canes, walkers, etc.) in areas that are open to pedestrian use. A “Wheelchair” includes a manually operated device or power-driven device designed primarily for use by an individual with a mobility disability for the main purpose of indoor or both indoor or outdoor locomotion.

  2. Use OPDMDs if the landowner can make “reasonable modifications to its practices to accommodate them.”