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Ecotourism

Private

The Nature Conservancy

State Preserves

State Forests

Wildlife Managment Areas 

 

 

Latest News

Resources

 

@astctour Twitter List on Ecotourism

Our YouTube Playlist for Ecotourism State

How does ASTC view Sustainable Tourism?

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Interactive Map

Growing Smart on High Knob

A Sustainable Recreational Blueprint for Virginia's High Knob Region

 

ASTC jealously guards the value of this word.  Ecotourism is not just about being outside.

Please go to our forum section to tell us what Ecotourism means to you.

Region

Just Get Outdoors

The Cumberland Forest Project (KY, TN, VA)

Blue Ridge Parkway (Eco-Friendly Sites)

Blooms on the Parkway

Southern WV

Private 

Rustic Ravines (Waynce County)

BIRDWATCHING/STARGAZING

Three Rivers Avian Center (Summers County)

The Nature Conservancy

Brush Creek Preserve TNC (Mercer County)

Slaty Mountain Preserve (TNC) (Monroe County)

Greenbrier Valley (TNC)

Preserves 

Certifed Arboretum

State Forest

Greenbrier State Forest (very close to White Sulphur Springs)

Note: When traveling to Greenbrier State Forest, vehicles and campers will need to travel through Harts Run Tunnel, which is 13’ 6” high.

Panther State Forest (southwestern McDowell County and Mingo County)

Cabwaylingo State Forest (Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln and Mingo)

Calvin Price State Forest (Greenbrier County)

Camp Creek State Forest (Mercer County)

Wildlife Management Areas

Anawalt Lake WMA (southern McDowell County)

Berwind Lake WMA (southern McDowell County)

Tug Fork WMA (northern McDowell County)

Beury Mountain WMA (Fayette County)

Plum Orchard Lake WMA (western Fayette County)

Bluestone Lake WMA  (southern Summers County)

Horse Creek Lake WMA (western Wyoming County)

R.D. Bailey Lake WMA (western Wyoming County

Meadow River WMA  (western Greenbrier County)

Moncove Lake WMA  (eastern Monroe County)

Tate Lohr WMA (southern Mercer County)

Beech Fork Lake WMA  (northern Wayne County)

East Lynn Lake WMA (southern Wayne County)

Big Ugly WMA (Lincoln County)

Hilbert WMA (eastern Lincoln County)

Upper Mud River WMA  (southern Lincoln County)

Laurel Lake WMA (northeast Mingo County)

Tomblin WMA  (Logan County)

Wildlife Viewing

Greenbrier Outfitters (White Sulphur Springs)

Falconry

Wildlife center at Forks-of-Coal natural area set to open

(Spring, 2022)

Scenic Rivers

 

Eastern KY

Private 

KY Natural Lands Trust.  Pine Mountain Wildlands Corridor

On boarder with Virginia

Lilley Cornett Woods (Letcher County)

     ESU Research Station

The Nature Conservancy 

Bad Branch State Nature Preserve (Whitesburg, TNC) CRDRT

Preserves

James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve (Harlan County)

Blanton State Forest and Nature Preserve (Harlan County)

Certifed Arboretum

State Forests

Kentenia State Forest (Harlan County)

Kentucky Ridge State Forest (Bell County)

Tygarts State Forest (Carter County)

Wildlife Management Areas

Cranks Creek Wildlife Management Area (Harlan County)

Martins Fork Wildlife Management Area  (Harlan County)

Begley Wildlife Management Area (Harlan County) CRDRT

Carr Creek Lake WMA  (Knott County, KY)

Stone Mountain WMA and State Natural Area (Harlan County, KY)

Fishtrap Lake Wildlife Management Area (Pike County) CRDRT

Wildlife Viewing

Jenny Wiley State Resort Park (Lawerence County)

    Guided Elk Tours. September to early March 

Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park (Perry County)

    Guided Elk Tours.  Fall or Winter

Red River Gorge Flora & Fauna

Jewel Ridge Wildlife Viewing Area (Perry County)

Elk Tours Breaks Interstate Park

(Pike County, KY/ Dickenson County VA) 

Stay in Clay (Experience Elk Country, Clay County) 

Scenic Rivers

 

 

 

 

Western NC  

Private 

Snakeroot Ecotours (Mt. Mitchell.  Black Mountains)

Curtis Wright Outfitters Falconry (Buncombe)

The Nature Conservancy

Bluff Mountain Preserve (Ashe County)

Big Yellow Mountain Preserve (Avery County)

Preserves

River and Earth Adventures Eco-Education (Blowing Rock)

Certifed Arboretum

State Forests

Holmes Educational State Forest (Hendersonville)

Tuttle Educational State Forest (Caldwell County)

DuPont State Recreational Forest (near SC and GA)

Natural Area (WMA)

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area (West Jefferson, NC)

Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (Morgan County)

Wildlife Viewing

Scenic Rivers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Northeastern TN

Private 

 

The Nature Conservancy

John R. Dickey Birch Branch Sanctuary (Johnson County)

Shady Valley (Johnson County)

Orchard Bog and Quarry Bog (Johnson County)

Schoolyard Springs (Johnson County)

Pogue Creek Canyon (Pickett County)

Clear Creek Preserve (Morgan County

Clifty Creek Preserve (Roane/Morgan County

Stone Preserve (Morgan County)

Gil & Summerfield Johnston Preserve (Scott County)

 

Preserves

Certifed Arboretum

TN Urban Forestery Council

State Forest

Martha Sundquist State Forest (Cocke County)

Chuck Swan State Forest (Campbell & Union County)

Scott State Forest (NW of Knoxville)

Lone Mountain State Forest (West of Knoxville)

Wildlife Management Areas

Chuck Swan WMA (Campbell & Union Counties)

Pickett State Forest & WMA (West of the Big South Fork National River RA)

Lick Creek Bottoms WMA - Joachim Bible Refuge (Greene County)

Forks of the River WMA (Knoxville)

Buffalo Springs WMA (Rutledge and Grainger Counties)

Tellico Lake WMA (Monroe County)

Catoosa WMA (Cumberland and Morgan Counties)

Kyles Ford WMA (West of Kingsport, near VA line)


Wildlife Viewing

Seven Islands State Birding Park (20 miles east of Knoxville)

Scenic Rivers

Virginia

Private 

Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure  Elk Viewing (Buchanan Couty) 

The Clinch Coalition Guided Hikes  (Clinch Ranger District)

The Nature Conservancy

Bottom Creek Gorge Preserve (Montgomery County)

Falls Ridge Preserve (Montgomery County)

Clinch River (Tazewell, Russell, Wise, Scott Counties)

Warm Springs Mountain Preserve (Bath County) 10,000 acres

Preserves

Virginia Natural Area Preserves

   Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve (Russell County)

        Big Falls and the Pinnacle (Russell County)

        Copper Ridge Trail and Overlook  (Russell County)

   Johnsons Creek Natural Area Preserve (Alleghany County)

    No public Access

   Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve (Rockbridge County)

Certifed Arboretum

State Forest

Channels State Forest (Washington and Russell Counties)

Old Flat State Forest (Grayson County)

Matthews State Forest (Grayson County)

Hawks State Forest (Carroll County)

Niday Place State Forest (Craig County)

Moore’s Creek State Forest (Rockbridge County)

Wildlife Management Areas

Big Survey WMA (Wyth County)

Clinch Mountain WMA (SMYTH, RUSSELL, WASHINGTON, TAZEWELL COUNTIES)

Crooked Creek WMA (Carroll County)

Hidden Valley WMA (Washington County)

Stewards Creek WMA (Carroll County)

Fairystone Farms WMA (Patrick & Henery) Counties)

Smith Mountain Cooperative WMA (Bedford County)

Short Hills WMA (Botetourt & Rockbridge Counties)

Havens WMA (Roanoke County)

Turkeycock WMA (Franklin)

T. M. Gathright WMA (Bath County)

Highland WMA (Highland County)

Wildlife Viewing

Breaks Interstate Park (KY/VA)  Elk Tours

Birding Near Roanoke

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (Bird and Wildlife Trails)

Heart of Appalachia

Appalachian Wonders

Clinch Mountain

Daniel Boone Loop

Big Stone Gap

Lonesome Pine

Mountain Heritage

Saint Paul

Blue Ridge Highlands

Blue Ridge Highlands

Big Walker Mountain

Eastern Continental Divide

Lower New River

Mountain Music

Mount Rogers

South Holston

Virginia Mountains

Alleghany Highlands

​​Forest Trails

Headwaters of the James

Iron Ore

Little Switzerland

Peaks of Otter

Rockbridge River and Ridge

Roanoke Valley

Star City

Scenic Rivers

Benefits, Criteria and Designated Rivers

Thank you for visiting Appalachia Sustainable Tourism Collaboration!​

We hope the site helps you with your vision for your community.

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