Poor Mountain Natural Area Preserve

Elevation: 2304 ft.

This natural area preserve encompasses over 1400 acres of woodland community. As its name implies, the soil of this area is predominantly infertile. Poor Mountain has over 4 miles of hiking trails wandering through pine-oak woodlands, with an understory comprised of huckleberry, mountain laurel, and lowbush blueberry. Resident Pileated Woodpeckers dart across the woods vocalizing in flight. Wood Thrush, Scarlet Tanager, and Ovenbird are apparent neotropical nesters easily spied in the breeding season. Unique to this area is the world’s largest known population of piratebush, a light-colored, hemi-parasitic shrub. Considered to be state imperiled and globally vulnerable, this is one of the rarest shrubs in eastern North America and is only found at a few locations in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Piratebush in late May. Photo Credit: Lisa Mease/DWR

White-tailed deer, black bear, and eastern gray squirrel scurry throughout this preserve. Common wood-nymph and Appalachian brown skirt along woodland edges, while pipevine swallowtail and great spangled fritillary flit about the blooming milkweeds near the parking lot.