Glen Alton
Recreation Area, Jefferson National Forest
Read Rick Boucher's Glen Alton Federal Funding Announcement,
(Aug. 16 ,2005) PDF
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From the 1930s through the 1980s, Glen Alton was the farm and vacation retreat of a banker from nearby Pearisburg. The farm was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service in 1999. The Forest Service plans to restore the farm and create a public recreation area that will include interpretive displays, picnic areas, trails and overnight lodging.
The historic Glen Alton property, which is located north of Pembroke in the New River Valley Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest, is an outstanding and underutilized natural and historic resource for our region.
The Glen Alton site is characterized by a gently rolling terrain and possesses a variety of scenic, natural and cultural resources including mountain views, wetlands, rivers, ponds and streams and the historic lodge, barns and caretaker's house which date back to the early 20th Century.
The property is owned by the U.S. Forest Service. It has been in use for many years by local residents for hunting, fishing, bird watching and, more recently, wedding receptions, but it is not sufficiently developed to accommodate larger groups of visitors wishing to explore the pristine and rustic scenery which abounds in this county.
Click Here to Learn About the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail
Click Here to View Information from the New River Valley Ranger District
- Glen Alton is open dawn to dusk. There is no overnight use.
- For those interested in camping, White Rocks Campground is only four (4) miles away. It is open May through November.
- There is no charge to visit Glen Alton.
- There is a portable toilet on the property.
- There is no drinking water.
- Parking is available outside the property gate. Vehicles are not allowed within the gate.
- Much of the property is wheelchair accessible.