Mount Rogers National Recreation Area preserves a protected mountain landscape in southwestern Virginia near Tennessee and North Carolina as part of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Established by Congress on May 31, 1966, it centers on the Lewis Fork Wilderness, home to Mount Rogers, Virginia’s highest point at 5,729 feet. The area is a major Appalachian trail destination, with nearly 400 miles of trails, including a 78-mile section of the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Creeper Trail. Four federally designated wilderness areas protect about 18,500 acres of forest, while campgrounds, horse camps, cabins, and other outdoor uses support broad recreation.