Potts Arm

The area is located in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwestern Virginia, about 26 miles southwest of Covington, Virginia. Forest Road 604.1 is on the southeast; Potts Jeep Road, Forest Road 177.1, is on the east; and Sweet Springs Turnpike, Forest Road 176. is on the north and east. Forest Road 176 is between the area and the Barbours Creek Wilderness Old logging roads and railroad grades can be located by consulting the historical topographic maps available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Potts Arm wild area is covered by USGS topographic maps New Castle and Potts Creek. ==Natural history==

The area is within the Ridge and Valley Subsection of the Northern Ridge and Valley Section in the Central Appalachian Broadleaf Coniferous Forest-Meadow Province. Potts Cove, in the center of the area, has been designated a "Rare Community". It has some 140-year-old stands of old growth forest. ==Topography==

Potts Arm, a 3282 -foot-high spur off the main ridge of Potts Mountain, is the highest elevation in the area. ==Forest Service management==

The Forest Service has conducted a survey of their lands to determine the potential for wilderness designation. Wilderness designation provides a high degree of protection from development. The areas that were found suitable are referred to as inventoried roadless areas. Later a Roadless Rule was adopted that limited road construction in these areas. The rule provides some degree of protection by reducing the negative environmental impact of road construction and thus promoting the conservation of roadless areas. Most of the area is managed as "Dispersed Recreation Area – Unsuitable" which allows some commercial logging but not regular timber production. Areas along Peaceful Valley East Road on the south and Sweet Springs Turnpike on the east are designated "Mix of Successional Habitats." There is an area designated "Indiana Bat-Secondary Habitat" on the western end.". ==See also==