Cranberry Wilderness

Coordinates: 38°16′36″N 80°19′57″W / 38.27667°N 80.3325°W / 38.27667; -80.3325

Cranberry Wilderness
Part of Monongahela National Forest
Wilderness Area
Cranberry Wilderness
Country	United States
State	West Virginia
Counties	Pocahontas, Webster
Elevation	3,400 ft (1,036.3 m)
Coordinates	38°16′36″N 80°19′57″W / 38.27667°N 80.3325°W / 38.27667; -80.3325
Highest point	Black Mountain
- location	west of Woodrow
- elevation	4,556 ft (1,388.7 m)
- coordinates	38°16′20″N 80°14′18″W / 38.27222°N 80.23833°W / 38.27222; -80.23833
Lowest point	Williams River
- location	at Three Forks of Williams River
- elevation	2,400 ft (731.5 m)
- coordinates	38°20′17″N 80°22′35″W / 38.33806°N 80.37639°W / 38.33806; -80.37639
Area	47,815 acres (19,350 ha) [1]
Established	1983-01-01
Management	Monongahela National Forest
Owner	US Forest Service
IUCN category	Ib - Wilderness Area
Nearest city	Marlinton, West Virginia
Location of Cranberry Wilderness in West Virginia
Website: Monongahela National Forest Wilderness Areas

The Cranberry Wilderness is a 47,815-acre (194 km²) U.S. Wilderness area in the Monongahela National Forest of southeast West Virginia, USA.^[1] Its name derives from the nearby Cranberry Glades as well as from the Cranberry River and Cranberry Mountain. In addition to being wilderness, it is a designated black bear sanctuary.

Geography

The Cranberry Wilderness is located mostly in Pocahontas County, with a small portion in Webster County. The Wilderness is drained by the Williams River and the Cranberry River, both of which are tributaries of the Gauley River, which in turn unites with the New River to form the Kanawha, a tributary of the Ohio. The area just to the east of the Cranberry Wilderness is drained by tributaries of the Greenbrier River which flows into the New.

The Wilderness is located in the Yew Mountains, which are part of the Allegheny Mountains. The highest point in the Wilderness is along Black Mountain at 4,556 feet (1,389 m), although there is a slightly higher point at 4,603 feet (1,403 m) just outside of the Wilderness. The lowest elevation in the Wilderness is at 2,400 feet (730 m) along the Williams River at Three Forks of Williams River, where it exits the Wilderness.

2009 addition

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 added 11,951 acres (4,836 ha) of adjacent land to the Cranberry Wilderness.^[2] This area, which was previously known as the Cranberry Backcountry, is located between the Williams River and the Cranberry River. It protects several tributaries of both the Williams and Cranberry Rivers which are popular trout streams. The area already has an excellent trail system connected to the original wilderness.

The national Rainbow Gathering has been held twice at the Cranberry Wilderness — in 1980 and in 2005.^[3]

See also

• List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
• Wilderness Act

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Cranberry Wilderness". Monongahela National Forest. http://fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoYAOUjMeXDfODy-HWHg-zDrx8kb4ADOBro-3nk56bqF-RGGGSZOCoCAPi8eX8!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfME80MEkxVkFCOTBFMktTNUJIMjAwMDAwMDA!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&recid=12368&actid=&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=&ss=110921&position=&ttype=recarea&pname=Monongahela%20National%20Forest%20-%20Cranberry%20Wilderness. Retrieved April 13, 2010. 
2. ^ "Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009". Library of Congress. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.111hr146. Retrieved 2009-05-14. 
3. ^ Rainbow Annual Gathering history page, accessed April 19, 2008

External links

• Cranberry Wilderness map
• Wilderness.net
• Cranberry Wilderness, West Virginia - GORP
• TopoQuest topographic map
• West Virginia Wilderness Coalition