Mountain Lake Wilderness Loop: War Spur, Lone Pine Peak, and Wind Rock

Mountain Lake Wilderness, Eastern Divide Ranger District, Jefferson National Forest (VA 613 near Mountain Lake and Newport)

The Mountain Lake Wilderness sits on the Eastern Continental Divide above Mountain Lake in Giles County. The Virginia Wilderness Committee calls it the largest wilderness on Virginia’s national forest land, and Wilderness.net describes a highland plateau with isolated stands of virgin spruce and hemlock and a mountain bog.

Hiking Upward’s 8.8-mile loop links the War Spur trails, a stretch of the Appalachian Trail over Lone Pine Peak, and Wind Rock, a viewpoint at about 4,120 feet.

The hike

The loop starts at the War Spur Loop trailhead on VA 613. Hiking Upward takes the southern half of the War Spur Loop through hardwoods, past upland bogs, and across the head of War Spur Branch, then follows a side trail to War Spur Overlook at mile 1.3, a rock outcrop looking north toward Lone Pine Peak. The northern half of the loop descends through rhododendron tunnels to War Spur Branch.

At mile 2.4 the route turns onto the War Branch Trail, an old logging road. The Forest Service lists it at 1.2 miles, entirely in the wilderness, ending at the A.T. Hiking Upward reaches that junction at mile 3.7 and notes flat ground for camping nearby; turning north on the A.T. leads toward a shelter. The loop turns south and climbs toward Lone Pine Peak, which Hiking Upward puts at 4,054 feet with exposed Tuscarora sandstone slabs a few hundred feet off the trail. Beyond, the A.T. passes upland bogs with chest-high ferns, and at mile 5.1 a faint connector heads north toward the Potts Mountain Trail and White Rocks.

At mile 6.8 the A.T. reaches an intersection with campsites, the overgrown Potts Mountain Trail, and the short path to Wind Rock, which has views south, west, and north. The A.T. then drops to the Wind Rock parking area on VA 613 at mile 7.2. From there the loop follows VA 613 back to the War Spur lot, passing a plaque at Minie Ball Hill, where Hiking Upward says Union General George Crook abandoned supplies after the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain.

The Forest Service says the A.T. runs 3.6 miles from the War Branch junction to Wind Rock, and the Virginia Wilderness Committee counts 4.6 miles of the A.T. in the wilderness. For a longer A.T. overnight nearby, see Angels Rest to Docs Knob near Pearisburg.

Tips

Carry water up from War Spur Branch or the War Branch area; the A.T. section to Wind Rock has no listed source.
Keep groups to 10 under the forest’s wilderness order.
Watch for ticks, snakes, and poison ivy, which Hiking Upward lists as hazards.
No bikes in the wilderness. The Forest Service says mechanized equipment, including bicycles, is prohibited.
Pack layers. Kurt’s Hikes (2012) left Roanoke at 95 degrees and found about 75 on the hike.

Camping

There’s no permit system, and no camping restriction specific to this wilderness was found; Hiking Upward lists camping among the route’s features. The Forest Service’s order for all wildernesses on the forest limits groups to 10 and bans storing property, leaving trash, and mechanized transport. The Forest Service says the area has no drinking water, so purify anything from streams. Leave No Trace practices apply.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific site were found. Hiking Upward’s route notes mention flat camping areas near the War Branch Trail and A.T. junction, campsites at the trail intersection just before Wind Rock, and “multiple camping options” on the overgrown Potts Mountain Trail.

Trail facts

Distance: 8.8 miles (Hiking Upward)
Route type: Loop, with a road walk on VA 613
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Campsites: Dispersed; near the War Branch/A.T. junction (mile 3.7) and near Wind Rock (6.8)
Water: War Spur Branch and near the War Branch Trail; purify
Permits: None
Group size: 10
Trailheads: War Spur lot and Wind Rock lot, VA 613
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Flat ground above 4,000 feet:

The campsites near Wind Rock sit above 4,000 feet, where one hiker found it 20 degrees cooler than Roanoke on a hot day. See the sleeping pads testers rate for warmth.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.