2019 Map of Rucker Gap

About this map

Watts Chapel Cem sits near the western edge of this landscape, a lone historical anchor in a terrain defined by high ridges and deep drainages along the West Virginia and Virginia border. The map documents the boundary between the Monongahela National Forest and George Washington National Forest, where the Allegheny Mountains form a natural barrier traversed only at points like Rucker Gap. The topography is etched by complex hollows and drafts, including Big Lick Draft and Rucker Hollow, which channel water into creeks like Johnsons Cr and Meadow Cr. A network of backcountry routes, including the Allegheny Mountain Trail #611 and Jackson Trail, traces the crests of Meadow Creek Mtn and Oliver Mountain, illustrating how modern recreational access follows the same high-elevation spines used for generations.