Little Stony Creek is a protected wildland in western Virginia’s George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, valued for its secluded gorge, waterfalls, cove hardwood forest, and biologically rich stream corridor. Part of the Little Stony National Recreation Trail crosses the area, while old logging roads and railroad grades reflect the heavy timbering that once affected the Cumberland Mountains. The creek, a tributary in the Upper Tennessee River system, supports trout, the rare green salamander, uncommon plants, and rare orchid species. Its high water quality and conservation importance have drawn special recognition, even as road building, timber sales, gas development, and forest management have created continuing tensions over its protection.