G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area

G. Richard Thompson WMA, Virginia, USA
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Lake Thompson with the Blue Ridge in the background
Show map of Virginia Show map of the US Location of G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
Nearest city	Front Royal
Coordinates	38°59′5″N 77°59′31″W / 38.98472°N 77.99194°W / 38.98472; -77.99194Coordinates: 38°59′5″N 77°59′31″W / 38.98472°N 77.99194°W / 38.98472; -77.99194
Area	4000 acres (1618 ha)
Governing body	Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area, one of the richest botanical areas of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, is a protected area located primarily in Fauquier County, Virginia, with small encroachments into both Warren and Clarke Counties. Its two parcels together total nearly 4,000 acres (16 km²) in size, rising in a series of steep stages to the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which the area's northwestern boundary closely follows. Elevations on the property range from 700 feet (210 m) to 2,200 feet (670 m) above sea level. There are several different habitats, including second-growth deciduous forest, open grassy clearings, and cool seepage swamps at the headwaters of mountain streams.

Mayapples & Trillium bloom along the Trico Tower Trail in Spring

Most of the forests found on the land are hardwoods, but there is some open land at the bottom and near the top of one tract. The remains of growths of fruit trees may still be seen at the lower portion of the area. A number of major streams and unusual spring seeps may also be found there, as may several outcropings of rock. The scenic Appalachian Trail crosses through its boundaries along the crest of the Blue Ridge, and the WMA contains several side trails that provide access to the area.

In the spring, the area is renowned for its large stands of Trillium grandiflorum, reputed to be the largest on the east coast. Other species blooming in these rich woods in early May include Showy Orchis, Sand Violet, Conopholis americana, Yellow Lady Slippers etc. In the seepage swamps grow several species that are usually associated with more northern regions or higher elevations of the Appalachians like Canada Mayflower.

References

Protected areas of Virginia

Federal

National Parks	Shenandoah

National Historical Parks, Historic Sites & Monuments	Appomattox Court House NHP Arlington House Booker T. Washington NM Cedar Creek and Belle Grove NHP Claude Moore Colonial Farm Colonial NHP Cumberland Gap NHP Fort Monroe NM George Washington Birthplace NM Harpers Ferry NHP Maggie L. Walker NHS

National Military Parks, Battlefields & Battlefield Parks	Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP Manassas NBP Petersburg NB Richmond NBP

National Cemeteries	Alexandria Arlington Balls Bluff City Point Cold Harbor Culpeper Danville Fort Harrison Fredericksburg Glendale Hampton Hampton VA Poplar Grove Quantico Richmond Seven Pines Staunton Winchester Yorktown

National Parkways	Blue Ridge Parkway George Washington Memorial Parkway

National Trails	Appalachian Trail Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT Overmountain Victory NHT Potomac Heritage Trail Star-Spangled Banner NHT

National Wildlife Refuges	Back Bay Chincoteague Eastern Shore of Virginia Mason Neck Featherstone Fisherman Island Great Dismal Swamp James River Nansemond Occoquan Bay Plum Tree Island Presquile Rappahannock River Valley Wallops Island

National Forests	George Washington and Jefferson

USFS National Recreation Areas	Mount Rogers National Recreation Area

Other NPS Areas	Assateague Island National Seashore Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network Prince William Forest Park Wolf Trap NP for the Performing Arts

Wilderness Areas	Barbours Creek Mountain Lake Priest Ramsey's Draft Rich Hole Rough Mountain Saint Mary's Three Ridges

National Estuarine Research Reserves	Chesapeake Bay

State

State parks	Bear Creek Lake Belle Isle Biscuit Run Breaks Interstate Caledon Chippokes Plantation Claytor Lake Douthat Fairy Stone False Cape First Landing Grayson Highlands High Bridge Trail Holliday Lake Hungry Mother James River Kiptopeke Lake Anna Leesylvania Mason Neck Natural Tunnel New River Trail Occoneechee Pocahontas Powhatan Sailor's Creek Battlefield Shot Tower Shenandoah River Sky Meadows Smith Mountain Lake Southwest Virginia Museum Staunton River Staunton River Battlefield Tabb Monument Twin Lakes Westmoreland Wilderness Road York River

State forests	Appomattox-Buckingham Big Woods Bourassa Browne Channels Chilton Woods Conway-Robinson Crawfords Cumberland Devil's Backbone Dragon Run Hawks Lesesne Matthews Moore's Creek Niday Place Paul Prince Edward-Gallion Sandy Point Whitney Zoar

Natural Area Preserves	Antioch Pines Bethel Beach Big Spring Bog Blackwater Buffalo Mountain Bull Run Mountains Bush Mill Stream Camp Branch Wetlands Cape Charles Coastal Habitat The Cedars The Channels Cherry Orchard Bog Chestnut Creek Wetlands Chestnut Ridge Chotank Creek Chub Sandhill Cleveland Barrens Clover Hollow Cowbane Prairie Crow's Nest Cumberland Marsh Dameron Marsh Deep Run Ponds Dendron Swamp Difficult Creek Elklick Woodlands False Cape Folly Mills Creek Fen Goshen Pass Grafton Ponds Grassy Hill Grayson Glades Hickory Hollow Hughlett Point Johnsons Creek Magothy Bay Mark's and Jack's Island Mount Joy Pond Mutton Hunk Fen Naked Mountain New Point Comfort North Landing River Northwest River Ogdens Cave Parkers Marsh Parramore Island Pedlars Hill Pinnacle Poor Mountain Red Rock Mountain Savage Neck Dunes Unthanks Cave William B. Trower Bayshore Wreck Island

Wildlife Management Areas	Amelia Big Survey Briery Creek Chester F. Phelps Cavalier Chickahominy Clinch Mountain Crooked Creek Dick Cross Fairystone Farms Featherfin G. Richard Thompson Game Farm Marsh Goshen and Little North Mountain Hardware River Havens Hidden Valley Highland Hog Island Horsepen Lake James River Land's End Mockhorn Island Pettigrew Powhatan Princess Anne Ragged Island Rapidan Saxis Stewarts Creek T. M. Gathright Turkeycock Weston White Oak Mountain

Other

Registered Historic Places in Virginia	Virginia Landmarks Register National Register of Historic Places listings in Virginia Bridges National Historic Landmarks

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