Highland County Iron Furnace Road

This rough mountain track cuts through Highland County’s remote backcountry, connecting a string of 19th-century iron furnace ruins that once fed the Confederate war machine. The road starts near Monterey and winds through steep hollows where stone furnace stacks still stand like forgotten monuments. You’ll ford Bullpasture River twice before climbing to Laurel Gap, where the views stretch across the Allegheny Mountains into West Virginia.

Moderate difficulty with several rocky sections that’ll test your suspension and a couple creek crossings that can run deep after storms. Stock high-clearance 4WD handles it fine in dry conditions, but rain turns the clay sections into slick nightmares. Best tackled spring through fall when the furnace sites aren’t snowed in. No permits needed on this George Washington National Forest route, with decent dispersed camping near the old furnace clearings. You’ll earn some serious Virginia mountain solitude and a history lesson most folks never see.