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2016 Map of Forks of Buffalo

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Forks of Buffalo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

George Washington National Forest blankets the northern half of this Amherst County landscape, where the Appalachian National Scenic Trail winds along high ridges like Buck Mtn and Bald Knob. The drainage pattern of the Buffalo River and its numerous tributaries, including the N Fork Buffalo River and S Fork Buffalo River, dictates the placement of rural settlements and winding mountain roads.

Genealogical interest is found in the scattered community cemeteries like Mays Cem and Higginbotham Cem near the eastern settlement of Sandidges. The topographic detail reveals the importance of mountain gaps, such as Cowcamp Gap and Tolley Gap, as historical transit points through the Blue Ridge. Small hubs like Forks of Buffalo and Browntown sit at the intersection of old routes like the Lexington Tpke, reflecting the area's long-standing connection between the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont.