Saint Mary'S Wilderness

Saint Mary's Wilderness is a 9,827-acre federally protected Wilderness Area in Virginia, managed by the Forest Service. It offers primitive backcountry terrain suited to hikers and backpackers seeking non-motorized solitude away from developed facilities. The landscape is undeveloped forest and backcountry, with no roads, maintained trails, or mechanized access—visitors navigate by map and compass or GPS in a true wilderness setting.

Visiting means accepting wilderness rules: no motors, no mountain bikes, no mechanical travel of any kind. Leave No Trace principles are essential; you pack out everything you pack in. Access is on foot only, and the experience demands self-reliance and backcountry competence. Spring through fall offers the most reliable conditions, though weather and snow can affect higher elevations and shoulder seasons. This is a place for experienced wilderness users who value solitude and pristine backcountry over marked trails and amenities.