HIGHLIGHTS

• 411 acres+/- heavily forested mountain range
• Adjoins the George Washington National Forest and the Allegheny Trail runs long the ridgetop of the property
• The western edge of the property borders National Forest lands in both Virginia and West Virginia, providing hunters an opportunity to participate in two separate opening seasons
• Forest contains some valuable timber of oak, maple, tulip poplar, pine beech and birch
• The property has been surveyed with lines hacked and painted
• Accessed by a 20’ wide gravel road being a deeded perpetual easement of right-of-way through an adjoining tract of land from State Route 661
• Miles of forest trails accessing nearly every area of the property
• 20 minutes to Covington, the county seat of Alleghany County
• 20 minutes to 2,500-acre Lake Moomaw
• White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, coyote, grouse, squirrel, raccoon, fox, rabbit, and salamander make up the resident wildlife population
• Winged wildlife includes hawks, owls, ravens, and Neotropical songbirds
• Small patches of ancient forests intertwine with the mature and emerging forests
• Moss and lichen-covered rock outcrops and rock cliffs
• Adjoins the National Forest, private wooded tracts, mountain farms in a nice rural neighborhood
• Dark skies with little light pollution for stargazing, planet observation, star-walking and astrophotography
• Several ancient “Heritage” trees estimated at 200-300 years old scattered about the forest
• Excellent timber species include oaks, poplar, maple Virginia, pine, White pine, hemlock and hickories
• Electricity and phone nearby but not onsite that may be available
• Diverse topography of flat ridges, steep hillsides, long hollows for a fantastic natural setting
• Tremendous producer of life-giving Oxygen and a major sequester of carbon
• Seasonal branches flow during snow melts and rain events
• Spectacular long-range views approaching 30 miles
• Low taxes, low population density, little or no light pollution
• Survey on file
• Property to be conveyed in Fee Simple Absolute with all mineral rights in conveying

DIRECTIONS

Contact the Foxfire Office 304.645.7674 to visit this property.

From I-64 Callaghan Exit 10 when traveling I-64 West from Covington, VA toward White Sulphur Springs, WV:  7.7 miles +/- (approximately 12 minutes)

At the end of the exit ramp, turn left onto US 60 West / RT 159 South toward Callaghan; travel about 1/2 mile; turn right onto RT 600; travel 1/2 mile; continue straight onto RT 661; travel 2.3 miles; turn right to continue on RT 661; travel 4.4 miles; the property access road is on the left.

From I-64 Callaghan Exit 10 when traveling I-64 East from White Sulphur Springs, WV toward Covington, VA:  7.3 miles +/- (approximately 10 minutes)

At the end of the exit ramp, turn right onto US 60 West / RT 159 South toward Callaghan; travel about 1/10 mile; turn right onto RT 600; travel ½ mile; continue straight onto RT 661; travel 2.3 miles; turn right to continue on RT 661; travel 4.4 miles; the property access road is on the left.

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

The property is accessed by a deeded 20 feet-wide right-of-way from Ogle Creek Road RT 661 to the subject property, providing access to the public road system.  There are over 5 miles of internal trails that provide access to a large portion of the property.

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.876490°(N), -80.123639°(W)
Address: Ogle Creek Road, Covington, VA 24426. No 911 address assigned to a property without residential structure.
Elevation Range: 1927 ft. to 3123 ft. +/-

WATER

There is a blue line stream supported by two branches of headwater streams having a combined total distance of about 1.5 miles on the property.  Those streams should have regular water flow, particularly during periods of rainfall or snow melt.

There are several additional hollows containing ephemeral or intermittent streams throughout the property.

MINERAL RESOURCES

The property will be conveyed Fee Simple Absolute.  However, a title search for actual mineral and surface ownership rights is recommend.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

After the purchase, the owner had a boundary survey performed in 2015 by Vess Land Surveying with a plat prepared from that survey and recorded in the Allegheny Courthouse.  Most of the boundaries run along the mountain top and ridge tops.

The property boundaries were hacked and painted at the time of survey.  Further, there is a common boundary with the George Washington National Forest, which provides additional boundary marking. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

UTILITIES

Water: none onsite
Sewer: none onsite
Electricity: none onsite
Telephone: none onsite
Internet:  none onsite
Cellphone Coverage: Excellent on the higher elevations

ZONING

Alleghany County is subject to some zoning and subdivision regulations. All prospective buyers should consult the county government and also the Health Department for details regarding zoning, building codes and installation of septic systems.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property has been managed as forestland for many years.

DEED and TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: Instrument Number 140000782

Alleghany County, Virginia
Acreage: 411.65 acres +/- (The deed states 470 acres, more or less.  However, a later boundary survey determined the acreage to actually be 411.65.)

Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Alleghany County, Virginia
Tax Parcel 00900-00-000-0100

2020 Real Estate Taxes: $661.38

THE ALLEGHENY TRAIL

The Allegheny Trail provides a rural hiking experience.  There are two sections of the trail in this area.  One trail is the Allegheny Mountain Trail #661 having a length of 24.4 miles that runs with the mountain top, and the other is the Allegheny Trail #701 having a length of 208.1 miles that runs both the mountain top and into valleys. The two trails merge and run together for about ¾ mile along the northern mountain top boundary of the property, then, the two trails separate again, which is a very unique feature!

RECREATION AT LUKE MOUNTAIN FOREST

The property offers unequaled recreational opportunities. Numerous soft recreational activities are anchored by several miles of interior trails, a common boundary with the George Washington National Forest and Allegheny Trail,  and the nearby 2,500 acre Lake Moomaw.

Nature viewing is first in line of recreational activities. Wildlife management has been geared not to just game animals. Equal consideration has been extended to increasing the numbers and diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, hawks.

Stargazing-Planet Observation, Star Walking and Astrophotography
Considerable darkness can be still be found on the majority of the property, thereby affording the opportunity to view and photograph the night sky in all its brilliant wonder.

Water-sports enthusiasts will find the nearby Lake Moomaw ideal for: swimming, boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and wind-surfing.

Shooting-sports devotees will find all the land and privacy needed to enjoy:

• Paintball-Airsoft-Laser tag-Archery tag
• Shotgun sport shooting including Skeet, Trap, Double Trap and Sporting Clays
• Rifle & Handgun shooting: bullseye, silhouette, western, bench rest, long-range, fast draw
• Archery and Crossbow competition shooting
• Plinking with an old 22 single shot rifle and a few tin cans make a fun day

All Terrain Motorsports
Allegheny Trail Forest has 5+ miles of  internal roads and forest trails that are perfect for experiencing the property from an ATV or UTV. These exciting machines handle the wide variety of the Luke Mountain Forest’s terrain. The riders can go from down along the streams, wind through the pine and hardwood forest and climb nearly 1000 feet up to the highest ridges.

Rock Crawling, Rock Bouncing enthusiasts will find all the terrain they could ever wish for to enjoy this extreme motorsport. There is no shortage rugged hollows with rock outcrops and huge boulders as well as never roaded terrain too inaccessible to access except on foot.

Dirt bikes can also be a lot of fun and they come in all sizes and horsepower to fit anyone who enjoys being on two wheels.

Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding and Hiking
The same trails used for Motorsports can also be used for mountain biking or horseback riding. The trails are designed to be on gentle grades but some trails coming off the river offer a more challenging climb.

Hunting is a first-class experience. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, squirrel, raccoon, coyote, and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

Allegheny Trail Forest’s resource is composed of quality Appalachian hardwoods, pine and hemlock. This well managed timber resource can provide a great deal of flexibility to the next ownership in terms of potential harvest revenue and can be managed to provide cash flow opportunities to offset holding cost and long-term asset appreciation. Capital Timber Value of the timber and pulpwood has not been determined at this time but is considered substantial.

The timber resource is well positioned for current timber income as well as value appreciation over the coming decades. With an attractive species mix, adequate stocking levels, and favorable diameter class distribution, the timber amenity represents a strong component of value to the investor.

The forest’s predominately well-drained upland terrain has led to a resource dominated by hardwood species. Overall, the species composition is highly desirable and favors Appalachian hardwood types, consisting primarily of Sugar Maple, Poplar, Basswood, Red Oak, White Oak, Chestnut Oak, Soft Maple, Hickory, Virginia Pine, White Pine, and a host of associated species (ash, cedar black walnut, birch, sourwood, black gum, beech).

Forest-wide, most stands are fully stocked, providing the next ownership with a great deal of flexibility in shaping their own silvicultural legacy. Stem quality forest-wide can be considered excellent with the forest containing current and future veneer source.

The property’s timber component consists of several stands of differing age classes. The upper portion of the property has been recently thinned as prudent forest management called for.

Diameters are well represented across the commercial spectrum with a notable mature size class, as well as abundant pole size timber and growing stock. Several “Heritage Trees” are scattered throughout the forest and field edges. These ancient trees, some 200-300 years old, have withstood the test of time, weathering ice, wind, lightning strikes and fire.

The forest is healthy and there are no signs of pest infestations of Gypsy Moth. The Emerald Ash Borer, which has inundated the entire Northeast US, is present and the Ash component will significantly decline over the next decade. The Eastern Hemlock species is under attack by the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid and the remaining hemlock will significantly decline over the coming decade. There have been no forest fires in recent memory.

The forest floor is home to several types of mushrooms, medicinal plants, wild ginseng, ferns and mosses.

WILDLIFE

Progressive wildlife management practices have created the ideal wildlife preserve. Management goals promoted overall wildlife health, facilitated the harvest of game, developed wildlife viewing areas, increased carrying capacity, and increased species diversity.

The local ecosystem has a richness and diversity for both plants and animals. The miles of blue line and ephemeral streams and their surrounding aquatic plant life create a water supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. Some of the margin of the creeks are fringed by lowlands, and these lowlands support the aquatic food web, provide shelter for wildlife, and stabilize the shore of the streams. The plant life associated with the wetland includes rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed and algae.

There are many animals that live in and around the edges of  nearby rivers, lakes and  creeks including, native fish, beaver, otters, mink, raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, minnows, fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrat, bull frogs, eagles, hawks and redwing blackbirds.

There is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, pond skaters, water beetles, damselflies, tadpoles and various insect larve.

The property has a mixture of mature hardwood species and pine forest. The diverse tree species, coupled with the abundant water supply from the creeks create the perfect wildlife habitat. The miles of “edge effect” created between the creeks, hollows, ridges, rock outcrops and forest is the textbook habitat benefiting all the resident wildlife.  White tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, raccoon, fox, coyote and many species of songbirds, woodpeckers, owls and raptors make up the resident wildlife population.

The hardwood forest provides the essential nutrient source and produces tons of hard mast including acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts and black walnuts. Soft mast includes stag horn sumac, black cherry, tulip poplar seeds, maple seeds, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

THE AREA

ALLEGHANY COUNTY
The Allegheny Trail Forest is located in Alleghany County, Virginia in the far Southwest Allegheny Mountains. The region is known as Virginia’s Western Highlands.

Alleghany County is located in the far western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bordered by the Allegheny Mountains, from which the county derives its name, and it is the northernmost part of the Roanoke Region. The county seat is Covington.

As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,250. The county economy is dominated by WestRock, which operates a paperboard mill in Covington, the second largest on the East Coast and an extrusion and converting facility in Low Moor. Both Alleghany County and Covington, are known for the low cost of its housing market and close proximity to The Homestead in Bath County, Lexington, The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, Lewisburg, West Virginia, a 45-minute drive in any direction and Roanoke, about an hour away.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail service, provides service to the Clifton Forge station (12 miles away from Covington) with the Cardinal route. Also, Clifton Forge serves a major locomotive fuel facility for CSX Transportation.

The area is serviced by Interstate 64 (east-west) and Route 220 (north-south) offering rail, truck and interstate access to the area. Rail passenger service is provided at the Amtrak station in Clifton Forge, VA 12 miles away.

COVINGTON
Allegheny Trail Forest is 20 minutes from Covington, founded in 1819, and is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Generally, all small city amenities are available.in Covington with big box stores, hospital, medical & dental, grocery, auto parts, hardware, building supply etc.

As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,961, making it the third-least populous city in Virginia. It is surrounded by Alleghany County, of which it is also the county seat. Located at the confluence of Jackson River and Dunlap Creek. The local newspaper of record is The Virginian Review, which has been continuously published since August 10, 1914.

Covington is named in honor of General Leonard Covington, hero of the War of 1812 and friend of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

Covington has one 8–12 high school (Covington High School), one 4–7 middle school called (Jeter-Watson), one pre-kindergarten through third grade elementary school (Edgemont Primary), one State Governors School (Jackson River Governor’s School), one technical center for high-school students (Jackson River Technical Center), and one community college (Dabney Lancaster).

JACKSON RIVER
The Jackson River is a major tributary of the James River in Virginia, flowing 96.4 miles. The James River is formed by the confluence of the Jackson River and the Cowpasture River.

The Jackson River rises in Highland County, Virginia, near the border of West Virginia. It flows south between Back Creek Mountain and Jack Mountain, entering Bath County, where it continues to flow south. The Jackson River is impounded by Gathright Dam in Alleghany County, creating Lake Moomaw. From the dam, Jackson River flows south and then east through Alleghany County, through the city of Covington and the town of Clifton Forge, before joining with the Cowpasture River to create the James River.

The river is named for the first European settler on its banks, William Jackson, who received a grant of 270 acres from King George II in 1750. Jackson was possibly an acquaintance of Alexander Dunlap, the first settler on the Cowpasture River.

LAKE MOOMAW
Lake Moomaw is among the most popular developed recreation areas in the George Washington National Forest and provides an endless array of activities including boating, fishing, hiking, biking and camping. The 2,500 acre lake is renowned for its excellent fishing yielding citation size brown and rainbow trout, as well as good bass, pan and crappie.

Lake Moomaw is the second largest impoundment in western Virginia. It covers 2,530 surface acres and has a maximum depth of 152 feet. The impoundment is “drawn down” between 10-15 feet annually, beginning slowly in June and reaching its lowest level usually by September. There are 43 miles of undeveloped, wooded shoreline. There are 5 U.S. Forest Service Campgrounds around the lake, 3 boat launches and a marina.

The Gathright Dam is a massive earthen structure that backs up the Jackson River for over 12 miles, forming Lake Moomaw. A U. S. Army Corps of Engineers project, Lake Moomaw was constructed for downstream flow augmentation (water quality), flood control, and recreation. The idea for a lake above the City of Covington was suggested just after World War II, but the project was not completed until the early 1980’s. The backwater of the Jackson River flooded acres of bottomland once owned by Thomas Gathright. The project was pushed forward by Covington businessman Benjamin Moomaw, after which the lake was named.

The reservoir is deep enough (152 feet) for both warm water fish (bass, catfish, sunfish, crappie) and coldwater fish (trout). The lake was stocked with thousands of largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and channel catfish in 1980. The Jackson River was already home to wild populations of smallmouth bass, rock bass, and chain pickerel, so it was understood that these species would acclimate to their new surroundings. Black crappie and yellow perch were later additions to the fishery.

Lake Moomaw is also known for its trout fishery. A layer of cold, oxygenated water lies 15 feet below the surface. It is in this zone that stocked rainbow, brown, and brook trout thrive. Alewives, members of the herring family, were stocked in the early 1980’s in order to establish a plentiful food base for both trout and other predators. These small, silvery fish are truly the “backbone” of the lake’s sport fishery. They are abundant, ubiquitous, and, seemingly the prey of choice for trophy fish that are caught from Lake Moomaw.

Approximately 35,000 McConaughy and 35,000 brown trout finglerlings are stocked each year. Fingerlings switch to natural food quickly and reach quality size in a couple of years. Neither a trout license nor National Forest Stamp is required at Lake Moomaw. There are no boat motor res

CARBON SEQUESTRATION

The 411+/- acre Allegheny Trail Forest is a tremendous producer of Oxygen and Carbon Sequester. Carbon Sequestration is the act of processing carbon dioxide through sinks and stores and releasing them into the atmosphere as oxygen. The vigorously growing forest is sequestering about 45,000 tons of Carbon Dioxide each per year.

On average, one tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year. Since there are estimated to be some 200,000 trees and other flora growing in the forest, there could be over 20,000 tons of Oxygen being produced each year. The forest may be supplying the needs of  thousands of the world’s citizens.

FOREST FARMING

The most common crops are medicinal herbs and mushrooms. Other crops that can be produced include shade-loving native ornamentals, moss, fruit, nuts, other food crops, and decorative materials for crafts. These crops are often referred to as special forest products.

• Medicinal herbs: Ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, bloodroot, passionflower, and mayapple
• Mushrooms: Shiitake and oyster mushrooms
• Native ornamentals: Rhododendrons and dogwood
• Moss: Log or sheet moss
• Fruit: Pawpaws, currants, elderberries, and lowbush blueberries
• Nuts: Black walnuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts, and beechnuts
• Other food crops: Ramps (wild leeks), maple syrup, and honey
• Plants used for decorative purposes, dyes, and crafts: Galax, princess pine, white oak, pussy willow branches in the spring, holly, bittersweet, and bloodroot and ground pine (Lycopodium)

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Alleghany County School District:

Callaghan Elementary School
Clifton Middle School
Alleghany High School

Colleges:

Dabney S. Lancaster Community College
Jackson River Technical Center