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Places We Protect

Fortune's Cove Preserve

Virginia

A mature tree grows at an angle along a forest trail. A large low branch sticks straight out from the trunk.
Fortunes Cove Trail marker at Fortune's Cove Preserve, VA © Glenna Goldman/The Nature Conservancy

Fortune’s Cove Preserve challenges hikers and rewards those who go slowly and observe closely.

Overview

Description

Easily accessible from the Charlottesville and Lynchburg areas, Fortune's Cove Preserve provides a challenging hike that rewards visitors with exceptional scenery.

Fortune's Cove straddles Virginia's Piedmont and Blue Ridge. Here, these two ecological regions meet to form a unique collection of flora from both areas.

The preserve is nestled within some 29,000 acres of relatively unfragmented forest, providing excellent wildlife habitat.

West-facing rock surfaces create a desert-like environment in which an unusual combination of plants can thrive. The plant community found on the glades is thought to be extremely rare, with fewer than 20 examples known to occur worldwide. 

TNC also works with the American Chestnut Foundation to manage an experimental grove at the preserve.  

Landowner Jane Heyward approached TNC about donating her property and making it accessible to visitors. Through Mrs. Heyward's exceptional generosity, the Virginia chapter created a parking area, signage and hiking trails for people to experience the preserve and will protect Fortune's Cove for future generations.

Check out recent species observed at Fortune's Cove Preserve on iNaturalist.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Please note: dogs are not allowed at this preserve.

Hours

Open daily, dawn to dusk, year-round

Highlights

Hiking, birding, photography. A gravel parking area and kiosk with trail map are at the preserve entrance; there are no restrooms.

Size

755 acres

Explore our work in Virginia

WATCH: Enjoy a virtual tour of Fortune's Cove Preserve

Fortune's Cove (2:08) Take a video journey through the preserve.

Visit

  • The 5.5-mile loop trail climbs steeply from the parking area, gaining some 1,500 feet in elevation before reaching its highest point. 

    The trail forks at the 0.8-mile mark. Continuing along the Upper Loop (Yellow Trail) makes for an arduous 5.1-mile counter-clockwise trek around the horseshoe-shaped cove. Hikers should be in good physical condition and should allow about four hours to complete this trail.

    Turning left at the fork onto the Lower Loop (or White Trail) shortens the total distance to 3.7 miles and lowers the intensity by cutting out the steepest climbs. 

  •  

    What to See: Animals

    Black bear, bobcat, white-tailed deer, red fox, raccoon and box turtle are all present. Bird species include turkey and red-tail hawk, as well as migratory songbirds such as the cerulean and blue-winged warbler, scarlet tanager and orchard oriole.    

    What to See: Plants

    The oak-hickory forests at Fortune's Cove are representative of this part of the Appalachians. Most of this forest is young, but uncut chestnut oak (Quercus montana) grows in a small area near the ridgeline of Woods Mountain.

    The west-facing slopes at Fortune's Cove are broken by a series of rocky glades. These openings support expanses of lichens and rock mosses—please tread carefully on these as you take in the spectacular views, as these fragile pioneers are easily abraded away by foot traffic.

    Little bluestem, a prairie grass, dominates the grassy portions of the glades, while the woodlands are abundant with fringetree, also known as grandfather's beard. When this shrub blooms (late April/early May), you may notice its sweet fragrance before catching sight of the blossom's unusual white plume. 

    Springtime displays here also include flowering mountain laurel, rhododendron, dogwood and wild azalea. On the ground, look for more delicate wildflowers such as fire pink, which boasts the ruby-throated hummingbird as its primary pollinator. 

  • 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.

  • Lower Loop:

    • Length of trail network: 3.7 miles
    • Shortest Distance to Viewpoint: 0.7 miles (right before second trail convergence)
    • Surface Type: Leaf Litter, Dirt, and Rock
    • Typical and Minimum Trail Width: 27 inches, 9 inches
    • Typical and Maximum Slope: 10.9%, 46%
    • Typical and Maximum Cross Slope: 5.4%, 34%

    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.”

A man crouches to examine a bush growing next to a trail.
Fortune's Cove Preserve TNC Land Steward Sam Truslow hikes Virginia's Fortune’s Cove Preserve. © Daniel White/TNC

Get Involved

Preserve Volunteer Program

Virginia's Preserve Volunteer Community Program provides a vital service to help us maintain and monitor our public preserves across the state.

How can you get involved?

  • Community Members—become involved with a preserve without committing time to stewardship work. Receive periodic updates about the preserve and special events.
  • Preserve Stewards—visit Fortune's Cove at least 4 times a year to assess trail and preserve conditions and perform basic trail maintenance by removing fallen branches and overgrown vegetation.
  • Preserve Leaders—demonstrated commitment to the preserve and willingness to take on additional responsibilities like managing communication & scheduling, leading workdays and guiding naturalist hikes.

Email vapreservestewards@tnc.org to learn how you can help and become a part of the program.

Download the Fortune's Cove Preserve Volunteer Program handbook to learn more.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

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