▁at ▁trail head s ▁on ▁either ▁F S ▁ 1 7 6 ▁or ▁Va ▁ 6 1 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁ 7 . 3 ▁mile ▁je ep ▁trail ▁is ▁ ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁w ilder ness , ▁but ▁directly ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁w ilder ness ▁forming ▁the ▁western ▁boundary . ▁ ▁Natural ▁history ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁major ▁types ▁of ▁for ests ▁in ▁the ▁w ilder ness , ▁a ▁forest ▁with ▁northern ▁red ▁o ak , ▁h ick ory , ▁bir ch ▁and ▁some ▁mountain ▁ash ▁along ▁the ▁d rier ▁s lop es ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁mountain , ▁and ▁another ▁with ▁white ▁p ine , ▁hem lock ▁and ▁white ▁o ak ▁in ▁mo ist ▁areas ▁along ▁Barb ours ▁Creek ▁and ▁some ▁mountain ▁h ollow s . ▁In ▁April , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁a ▁wind - s we pt ▁fire , ▁origin ating ▁on ▁the ▁Pot ts ▁Mountain ▁Je ep ▁Tra il , ▁burn ed ▁a ▁large ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁w ilder ness , ▁destroy ing ▁the ▁can opy ▁along ▁the ▁to ps ▁of ▁side - rid ges ▁and ▁leaving ▁scar red ▁trees ▁still ▁present ▁today . ▁ ▁Pot ts ▁P ond , ▁a ▁site ▁identified ▁by ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Natural ▁Heritage ▁Program , ▁contains ▁s ph ag num ▁m oss , ▁f ern s , ▁insect iv orous ▁plants ▁and ▁other ▁rare ▁plants . ▁ ▁The ▁am ber - wing ed ▁spread wing , ▁a ▁rare ▁d ams el ▁fly , ▁is ▁found ▁here , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the