Bluestone Wildlife Management Area

State Wildlife Management Area in Mercer, Monroe, and Summers counties, West Virginia

Bluestone Wildlife Management Area

Location of Bluestone Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia

Location| West Virginia, United States
Coordinates| 37°33′32″N 80°52′49″W﻿ / ﻿37.55889°N 80.88028°W﻿ / 37.55889; -80.88028[1]
Area| 18,019 acres (72.92 km2)[2]
Elevation| 1,732 ft (528 m)[1]
Visitors| 168,587[3]
Operator| West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Bluestone Wildlife Management Area[4] (also known as Bluestone Lake Wildlife Management Area[5]) is a wildlife management area in southern West Virginia surrounding Bluestone Lake and the New River. The section of the lake from just upstream of the Bluestone River to Bluestone Dam is in Bluestone State Park; the rest of the lake in West Virginia basin comprises Bluestone WMA.[6] All together, the WMA comprises 18,019 acres (72.92 km2) of land and water.[2]

The wildlife management area is operated by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section to provide hunting and fishing opportunities to the public and to protect the natural resources of the land. The land is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and leased to WVDNR.

## Recreation

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With the exception of camping, there are no fees for using the Wildlife Management Area. Day-use recreational opportunities include:[7]

* Fishing (with required state license), including stocked trout on Indian Creek
* Hunting (with required state license)
* Hiking with 22 miles (35 km) of trails
* Horseback riding
* Canoeing
* Boating
* Rock climbing

Free boat launches provide access to Indian Creek, the New River, and Bluestone Lake.

### Camping

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There are seven camping areas spread along 12 miles (19 km) of the New River and Bluestone Lake. All together, these sites provide 330 primitive campsites:[8]

* Bertha – 55 lakefront sites
* Bull Falls – 15 lakefront sites
* Cedar Branch – 45 riverside sites
* Indian Mills – 15 sites
* Keatley – 15 sites
* Mouth of Indian Creek – 94 riverside sites
* Shanklin's Ferry – 91 riverside sites

### Sherman Ballard Recreation Area

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The Sherman Ballard Recreation Area has a cabin and barn which offers rustic accommodations. The cabin is an open air construction offering five bunk beds sets, a full kitchen, full enclosed bathroom, and covered porch.[7]

The barn is the only one in the West Virginia State Parks system allowing users to bring their own horses rather than renting horses from a concessionaire.[citation needed] At one time, WVDNR biologists tried to ban horses from the WMA but were rebutted by a public outcry.[citation needed]

## References

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1. ^ a b "Bluestone Lake Wildlife Management Area". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 1996-09-13. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
2. ^ a b "District 4 Wildlife Management Areas". West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 6, 2010.
3. ^ Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, 2009 Annual Report. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. p. 2.
4. ^ "Bluestone Wildlife Management Area". West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Section. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
5. ^ "Bluestone Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District. Retrieved February 13, 2010.
6. ^ Bluestone Wildlife Management Area (PDF) (Map). West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. January 29, 2007. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
7. ^ a b "Bluestone Wildlife Management Area: Recreation". West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 27, 2010.
8. ^ "Bluestone Wildlife Management Area: Camping". West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 27, 2010.

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Protected areas of West Virginia

Federal|

| National Parks|

* New River Gorge

|

National Historical Parks|

* Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
* Harpers Ferry

National Forests|

* George Washington and Jefferson
* Monongahela

National Recreation Areas|

* Gauley River (NPS)
* Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks (USFS)

National Wildlife Refuges|

* Canaan Valley
* Ohio River Islands

National Trails System|

* Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Preserves|

* New River Gorge

Wilderness Areas|

* Big Draft Wilderness
* Cranberry Wilderness
* Dolly Sods Wilderness
* Laurel Fork North Wilderness
* Laurel Fork South Wilderness
* Mountain Lake Wilderness
* Otter Creek Wilderness
* Roaring Plains Wilderness
* Spice Run Wilderness

National Rivers|

* Bluestone NSR

State|

| State parks|

* Audra
* Babcock
* Beartown
* Beech Fork
* Berkeley Springs
* Blackwater Falls
* Blennerhassett Island
* Bluestone
* Cacapon Resort
* Camp Creek
* Canaan Valley Resort
* Carnifex Ferry Battlefield
* Cass Scenic Railroad
* Cathedral
* Cedar Creek
* Chief Logan
* Droop Mountain Battlefield
* Fairfax Stone
* Greenbrier River Trail
* Hawks Nest
* Holly River
* Little Beaver
* Lost River
* Moncove Lake
* North Bend Rail Trail
* North Bend
* Pinnacle Rock
* Pipestem Resort
* Prickett's Fort
* Stonewall Jackson Lake
* Tomlinson Run
* Tu-Endie-Wei
* Twin Falls Resort
* Tygart Lake
* Valley Falls
* Watoga
* Watters Smith Memorial

|

Former state parks|

* Booker T. Washington
* Grandview
* Grave Creek Mound
* James Rumsey Monument
* Mingo Oak
* Mont Chateau
* Morgan Morgan Monument

State forests|

* Cabwaylingo
* Calvin Price
* Camp Creek
* Coopers Rock
* Greenbrier
* Kanawha
* Kumbrabow
* Seneca

Wildlife
management
areas|

* Allegheny
* Amherst-Plymouth
* Anawalt Lake
* Bear Rocks Lake
* Becky Creek
* Beech Fork Lake
* Berwind Lake
* Beury Mountain
* Big Ditch
* Big Ugly
* Bluestone
* Burches Run
* Burnsville Lake
* Castleman Run Lake
* Cecil H. Underwood
* Center Branch
* Cheat Canyon
* Chief Cornstalk
* Conaway Run Lake
* Cross Creek
* Dents Run
* Dunkard Fork
* East Lynn Lake
* Edwards Run
* Elk Creek
* Elk River
* Fairfox Pond-Rehe
* Fort Mill Ridge
* Fox Forest
* Frozen Camp
* Green Bottom
* Handley
* Hilbert
* Hillcrest
* Horse Creek
* Hughes River
* Huttonsville State Farm
* The Jug
* Lantz Farm and Nature Preserve
* Laurel Lake
* Lewis Wetzel
* Little Indian Creek
* McClintic
* Meadow River
* Mill Creek
* Moncove Lake
* Morris Creek
* Nathaniel Mountain
* Panther
* Pedlar
* Pleasant Creek
* Plum Orchard Lake
* Pruntytown State Farm
* R.D. Bailey Lake
* Ritchie Mines
* Sand Hill
* Shannondale Springs
* Short Mountain
* Slatyfork
* Sleepy Creek
* Smoke Camp
* Snake Hill
* South Branch
* Stonecoal Lake
* Stonewall Jackson Lake
* Stumptown
* Summersville Lake
* Tate Lohr
* Teter Creek Lake
* Thorn Creek
* Tug Fork
* Turkey Run
* Upper Deckers Creek
* Upper Mud River
* Valley Bend Wetlands
* Wallback
* Widmeyer
* Woodrum Lake

Other WVDNR sites|

* West Virginia State Wildlife Center

Local|

| Municipal parks|

* Cameron City Pool
* Camp Mad Anthony Wayne
* Fries Park
* Haddad Riverfront Park
* James Rumsey Monument
* Magic Island
* Marland Heights Park
* Memorial Park
* Oglebay Park
* Ritter Park
* Staunton Park
* Wheeling Park

|

Non-
governmental|

| Nature
Conservancy
preserves|

* Bear Rocks
* Brush Creek
* Cranesville Swamp
* Greenland Gap
* Hungry Beech
* Ice Mountain
* Mount Porte Crayon
* Murphy
* Panther Knob
* Pike Knob
* Slaty Mountain
* Upper Shavers Fork
* Yankauer

|

* West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
* West Virginia Division of Forestry
* West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

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