Ramsey's Draft Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness is a designated wilderness area in the North River Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
of Virginia
in the United States
. The wilderness area was established in 1984 and comprises . It is administered by the US Forest Service.
and approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Staunton, Virginia
. A rugged and steep piece of land, Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness ranges in elevation from 1600 feet (488 m) to 4282 feet (1,305 m) at Hardscrabble Knob. The wilderness is named after its primary drainage stream. A "draft," is a local term for a creek. Ramsey’s Draft is a tributary
of the Calfpasture River
, which feeds into the James River
and the Chesapeake Bay
.
since 1935 as much of it had never been logged. A road more than three miles (5 km) upstream from U.S. 250 constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps
in the 1930’s lasted until 1969, when rainwater from Hurricane Camille
wiped out much of the road at the stream crossings. Another flood in November 1985 further eliminated the original road and changed the course of the stream in multiple areas, shortly after the area was officially designated a wilderness under the Virginia Wilderness Act of 1984.
The boundaries of Ramsey’s Draft wilderness have long been the subject of discussion. The original wilderness proposal, developed in the early 1970s and backed by the Virginia Wilderness Committee and the Potomac Chapter of the Sierra Club, included most of Shenandoah Mountain between Rt. 250 and FDR 95, the western slope down to private land along Shaws Fork, and much of the Bald Ridge area. The U.S. Forest Service recommended the core ~6,500 acres, and this is the tract that became law.
Since the 1984 Virginia Wilderness Act, several citizen proposals have been developed to expand the boundaries of the Ramsey's Draft Wilderness. None of these have been enacted.
Since 2007, the Forest Service has been working on a revision to its Management Plan for the George Washington National Forest. The draft Plan proposes adding wilderness acreage to the present Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness eastern and northern boundaries. The Forest Service notes that a major concern about the Ramsey’s Draft addition is the opposition of the county board of supervisors.
In 2004, Virginia Wilderness Committee and local mountain biking groups formed the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain to advocate for expansion of the Ramsey's Draft Wilderness to the north and east, and for a separate wilderness on the western slope of Shenandoah Mountain. This new proposal also includes a large National Scenic Area and additional wilderness areas to the north of Ramsey's Draft. A component of this proposal is an adjustment of the present western boundary of Ramsey's Draft Wilderness to remove the Shenandoah Mountain Trail from the wilderness area to accommodate mountain biking interests. The Friends proposal is supported by a large number of businesses, organizations, and faith groups.
Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness is well known for its stands of old-growth Canadian Hemlock, particularly in the northern reaches of Ramsey’s Draft, however these stands are under attack by the hemlock woolly adelgid
and may not last much longer. Other large trees in the wilderness include Tulip Poplar
, Eastern White Pine
, Sugar Maple, Black Birch, Shagbark Hickory
, and Northern Red Oak
. Over 250 species of vascular plants have been identified and logged in Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness.
. In its description of Ramsey’s Draft on the Birding and Wildlife Trail website, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries explains that this site “is probably popular among birders because it provides nesting grounds for neotropical migrants that typically nest at high elevations.”
Ramsey's Draft itself is a native brook trout
stream. Other common wildlife found in Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness include white-tailed deer
, black bear
, wild turkey
, squirrel
, grouse
, raccoon
, beaver
and rabbit
, among others.
constructed the Sexton Cabin within the present wilderness boundaries in 1938 Destroyed by fire in 1967, it was rebuilt. Shortly after Ramsey's Draft Wilderness was enacted as law, the Forest Service, interpreting the Wilderness Act to preclude any structures in federal wilderness areas, had the cabin removed. (PATC disputed that decision, and in later years it was determined that existing structures in wilderness areas could stay.) All that remains today is the chimney of Sexton Cabin, along the present-day Jerry's Run Trail. Logs from the Sexton Cabin were later used to construct the PATC's Mutton Top Cabin.
The major trail through the center of the wilderness is the Ramsey’s Draft Trail. Rebuilt after the 1985 flood, this trail follows the streambed and the old road (where possible), and has been described as “one of the most popular on Virginia roadless lands” in one guidebook.
Other trails in and around Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness include:
The Shenandoah Mountain Trail is a segment of the Great Eastern Trail
project.
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are U.S. National Forests that combine to form one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. They cover of land in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The wilderness area was established in 1984 and comprises . It is administered by the US Forest Service.
Topography
Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness is located between the crests of Shenandoah Mountain and Bald Ridge, north of U.S. Route 250U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250 is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. It goes through the cities of Richmond, Virginia,...
and approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
. A rugged and steep piece of land, Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness ranges in elevation from 1600 feet (488 m) to 4282 feet (1,305 m) at Hardscrabble Knob. The wilderness is named after its primary drainage stream. A "draft," is a local term for a creek. Ramsey’s Draft is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Calfpasture River
Calfpasture River
The Calfpasture River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It flows about from its source, Gordons Peak in the Allegheny Mountains, to its confluence with the Little Calfpasture River, forming the Maury River. Via the Maury, the Calfpasture's waters flow into the James River, thence...
, which feeds into the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
and the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
.
History
The US Forest Service first purchased land in this area in 1913 for Shenandoah National Forest, the precursor to the present day George Washington National Forest. The Forest Service has managed the Ramsey’s Draft area essentially as a wildernessWilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
since 1935 as much of it had never been logged. A road more than three miles (5 km) upstream from U.S. 250 constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
in the 1930’s lasted until 1969, when rainwater from Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
wiped out much of the road at the stream crossings. Another flood in November 1985 further eliminated the original road and changed the course of the stream in multiple areas, shortly after the area was officially designated a wilderness under the Virginia Wilderness Act of 1984.
The boundaries of Ramsey’s Draft wilderness have long been the subject of discussion. The original wilderness proposal, developed in the early 1970s and backed by the Virginia Wilderness Committee and the Potomac Chapter of the Sierra Club, included most of Shenandoah Mountain between Rt. 250 and FDR 95, the western slope down to private land along Shaws Fork, and much of the Bald Ridge area. The U.S. Forest Service recommended the core ~6,500 acres, and this is the tract that became law.
Since the 1984 Virginia Wilderness Act, several citizen proposals have been developed to expand the boundaries of the Ramsey's Draft Wilderness. None of these have been enacted.
Since 2007, the Forest Service has been working on a revision to its Management Plan for the George Washington National Forest. The draft Plan proposes adding wilderness acreage to the present Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness eastern and northern boundaries. The Forest Service notes that a major concern about the Ramsey’s Draft addition is the opposition of the county board of supervisors.
In 2004, Virginia Wilderness Committee and local mountain biking groups formed the Friends of Shenandoah Mountain to advocate for expansion of the Ramsey's Draft Wilderness to the north and east, and for a separate wilderness on the western slope of Shenandoah Mountain. This new proposal also includes a large National Scenic Area and additional wilderness areas to the north of Ramsey's Draft. A component of this proposal is an adjustment of the present western boundary of Ramsey's Draft Wilderness to remove the Shenandoah Mountain Trail from the wilderness area to accommodate mountain biking interests. The Friends proposal is supported by a large number of businesses, organizations, and faith groups.
Vegetation
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Hemlock woolly adelgid , commonly abbreviated as HWA, is a true bug native to East Asia that feeds by sucking sap from hemlock trees . In eastern North America, it is a destructive pest that poses a major threat to the eastern hemlock and the Carolina hemlock...
and may not last much longer. Other large trees in the wilderness include Tulip Poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood...
, Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
, Sugar Maple, Black Birch, Shagbark Hickory
Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovata, the Shagbark Hickory, is a common hickory in the eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large deciduous tree, growing up to 27 m tall, and will live up to 200 years. Mature Shagbarks are easy to recognize because, as their name implies, they have shaggy bark...
, and Northern Red Oak
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra, commonly called northern red oak or champion oak, , is an oak in the red oak group . It is a native of North America, in the northeastern United States and southeast Canada...
. Over 250 species of vascular plants have been identified and logged in Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness.
Wildlife
Ramsey’s Draft is one of the stops on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail established by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland FisheriesVirginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, or VDGIF, regulates fish and wildlife in Virginia. It is managed by the Director of Game and Inland Fisheries and overseen by the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries.-Mission:...
. In its description of Ramsey’s Draft on the Birding and Wildlife Trail website, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries explains that this site “is probably popular among birders because it provides nesting grounds for neotropical migrants that typically nest at high elevations.”
Ramsey's Draft itself is a native brook trout
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
stream. Other common wildlife found in Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness include white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, wild turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
, squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
, raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
and rabbit
Eastern Cottontail
The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...
, among others.
Recreation
The property has been used for recreation for many years. The Potomac Appalachian Trail ClubPotomac Appalachian Trail Club
The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, or ', is a volunteer organization that works to maintain hiking trails in the Washington D.C. area...
constructed the Sexton Cabin within the present wilderness boundaries in 1938 Destroyed by fire in 1967, it was rebuilt. Shortly after Ramsey's Draft Wilderness was enacted as law, the Forest Service, interpreting the Wilderness Act to preclude any structures in federal wilderness areas, had the cabin removed. (PATC disputed that decision, and in later years it was determined that existing structures in wilderness areas could stay.) All that remains today is the chimney of Sexton Cabin, along the present-day Jerry's Run Trail. Logs from the Sexton Cabin were later used to construct the PATC's Mutton Top Cabin.
The major trail through the center of the wilderness is the Ramsey’s Draft Trail. Rebuilt after the 1985 flood, this trail follows the streambed and the old road (where possible), and has been described as “one of the most popular on Virginia roadless lands” in one guidebook.
Other trails in and around Ramsey’s Draft Wilderness include:
- Jerry's Run Trail
- Shenandoah Mountain Trail
- Road Hollow Trail
- Bridge Hollow Trail
- Bald Ridge Trail
- Wild Oak TrailWild Oak TrailThe Wild Oak Trail is a National Recreation Trail located in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians in Central Virginia. It is part of George Washington National Forest. The trail is a loop, and begins at the headwaters of the North River, and traverses up to several ridge tops...
- Sinclair Hollow Trail
- Hiner Spring Trail
The Shenandoah Mountain Trail is a segment of the Great Eastern Trail
Great Eastern Trail
The Great Eastern Trail project began as an attempt to create a second long hiking route through the Appalachians west of the Appalachian Trail in the eastern United States...
project.