Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area
Encyclopedia
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area (NRA) located within the Monongahela National Forest
of eastern West Virginia
, USA.
The National Recreation Area protects three prominent West Virginia landmarks:
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks NRA was established by an act of the U.S. Congress on September 28, 1965 as the first National Recreation Area in a United States National Forest
. It is therefore administered by the US Forest Service rather than the National Park Service
, as most other National Recreation Areas are.
Monongahela National Forest
The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally-owned land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Region and portions of 10 counties.The MNF includes some...
of eastern West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA.
The National Recreation Area protects three prominent West Virginia landmarks:
- Spruce KnobSpruce KnobSpruce Knob, at , is the highest point in the state of West Virginia and the summit of Spruce Mountain, the tallest mountain in the Alleghenies.-Overview:...
, the highest point in West Virginia (and the highest of the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny MountainsThe Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
) with a summit elevation of 4,863 feet (1482 m). - Seneca RocksSeneca RocksSeneca Rocks is a large crag and local landmark in Pendleton County in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, USA. It is easily visible and accessible along West Virginia Route 28 near U.S. Route 33 in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area of the Monongahela National Forest...
, a 900 foot (270 m) high quartziteQuartziteQuartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
cragCliffIn geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
popular with rock climbers. - Smoke Hole CanyonSmoke Hole CanyonSmoke Hole Canyon — often called simply the Smoke Hole — is a rugged long gorge carved by the South Branch Potomac River in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA...
, a canyon along the South Branch Potomac River.
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks NRA was established by an act of the U.S. Congress on September 28, 1965 as the first National Recreation Area in a United States National Forest
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
. It is therefore administered by the US Forest Service rather than the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, as most other National Recreation Areas are.