Warm Springs Mountain Preserve & Dan Ingalls Overlook

Bath County Travel Guide: Bath County Overview | Garth Newel | Lake Moomaw & George Washington National Forest | Hidden Valley | The Homestead | Jefferson Pools | Warm Springs Gallery | Warm Springs Mountain Preserve | Bath County History | Douthat State Park

From the Inn at Gristmill Square, drive about five miles to the Dan Ingalls Overlook for a spectacular view of the Allegheny Mountains, part of the Warm Springs Mountain Preserve. Gaze across a sea of ridges rolling to the horizon—an unexpected, unbroken forest in a well-traversed part of America. The view was much the same for the native Algonquin people, who called these mountains allegheny, meaning “endless.” Since the 1800s, people have sought rejuvenation and recreation here, including Thomas Jefferson, who found these highlands both therapeutic and inspiring. Today, these historic highlands are also recognized as one of North America’s richest natural treasures. At Warm Springs Mountain and across the Allegheny Highlands,The Nature Conservancy works to preserve the region’s beauty and diversity of life for future generations. The Nature Conservancy in March 2002 acquired more than 9,000 acres of one of the largest and most ecologically important tracts of privately-owned forest in Virginia to create the Warm Springs Mountain Preserve. Bordering the historic Homestead resort, this area includes a globally rare montane pine barren and an old-growth hickory forest, which provide habitat for several rare plants and invertebrates. A great hike of just 2.4 miles roundtrip begins at the Overlook. The Ingalls Overlook Trail is a well-marked interpretive hiking trail that provides an excellent introduction to the mountain. The trail climbs among a series of scenic rock formations before looping back to the main trail with another scenic view before returning to the overlook parking area. Wildlife in the area include migratory songbirds, raptors, black bear, bobcat, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, timber rattlesnake, wood frog, red-spotted newt. Plants include stunted pitch pine, Catawba rhododendron, mountain laurel, scrub oak, variable sedge, bunchberry, Fraser’s marsh St. John’s-wort. The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. Since their founding in 1951, they have protected more than 117 million acres of land and 5,000 miles of rivers worldwide — and they operate more than 100 marine conservation projects globally. The Nature Conservancy has more than 1 million members. The Conservancy will work with federal and state land managers, neighboring property owners like The Homestead resort and Celebration Associates, and the local community to maintain the ecological health and natural beauty of Warm Springs Mountain. For more on the Warm Springs Mountain Preserve, go to their website.