West Virginia - Monongahela National Forest North
And Surrounding Parks

Page 1

 

Maps:

• Software - Topo! Mid-Atlantic

• Monongahela National Forest, WV, USDA FSM, AGO.  1994

• Seneca Creak, Stream Guide, MNF, USDA FSM, AGO.  1993

• Dolly Sods Wilderness, MNF, USDA FSM

• Canaan Valley Adventure Map by Canaan Valley Resort Guest Services, Waterproof.  Covers Dolly Sods, Otter Creak,  Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley State Park.

• http://www.wvstateparks.com/ - very good *.pdf maps of most WV state parks.
• http://www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/WMA_Maps.shtm - same for WMAs
• Other sources: White Grass Cross-Country Ski Area has it's own map.  There is a bog nearby which has it's own one.

Books:

• Monongahela National Forest Hiking Guide, Allen de Hart and Bruce Sundquist, 2001.  Get the latest edition from West Virginia Highlands Conservancy web site.  Get both hard and soft copy.

• Day and overnight hikes in WV’s Monongahela Nat. Forest, Johnny Molloy, 2000. 

• Hiking WV. A Falcon Guide, Steven Carroll & Mark Miller, 2003. 

• Waterfalls of VA and WV – a Hiking and Photography Guide, Kevin Adams, 2001. 

• 50 Hikes In West Virginia, from the Allegheny Mtns to the Ohio River, Leonard M. Adkins, 2005

• Hiking Guide to the Allegheny Tr., 3d. ed., Roger Raikes, West Virginia Scenic Trail Association, 2003

Notes:

• Bears have attacked campers in Dolly Sods!  Try to avoid common campsites.
• Most trails in MNF are poorly blazed and the intersections have signs either in bad shape or destroyed completely.  Have a good GPS and maps when hiking there.  The first book in the list (Allen de Hart and Bruce Sundquist) is the only source of current trails and good maps!
• This page is organized not by date, but rather by locations

 

Hike 1.  Dolly Sods from the Red Creek Campground

 

 

Club: Don't remember

Date: 06/24/2002

Parking: Good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: DollySods_RedCreekCampGround_GPS20020624.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: DollySods_RedCreekCampGround_GPS20020624_tpo.gpx

Note: the trip lasted 3 days

 

Hike 2.  Dolly Sods And Roaring Plains

 

 

Club: West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, Jonathan Jessup leading

Date: 07/07/2002

Parking: Don't remember for Fisher's Bog.  For Roaring Plains the start parking is good, the end is not so good - shoulder parking on a narrow road

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: DollySods_RoaringPlains_GPS20020707.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: DollySods_RoaringPlains_GPS20020707_tpo.gpx

Notes: First profile is the loop around Fisher's Bog, second is the incomplete track of the Roaring Plains hike.  The trip lasted 3 days

Warnings: Part of the Roaring Plains trace is missing

 

Hike 3.  Dolly Sods North

 

 

Club: Me leading for MWROP

Date: 10/04-05/2003

Parking: good.

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: DollySodsNorth_GPS20031004_5.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: DollySodsNorth_GPS20031004_5_tpo.gpx

Description File: DollySodsNorth_GPS20031004_5.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: DollySodsNorth_GPS20031004_5.gtm

Photo Album:  DollySodsNorth_GPS20031004_5CBirkett - Clay Birkett's photos

 

Hike 4.  Dolly Sods

 

 

Club: me leading for MWROP

Date: 10/09-10/2004

Parking: good in both places

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: DollySods_GPS20041009_10.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: DollySods_GPS20041009_10_tpo.gpx

Description File: DollySods_GPS20041009_10.doc; DollySods_GPS20041009_10MMcGee.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: DollySods_GPS20041009_10.gtm

Photo Album: DollySods_GPS20041009_10

Notes: First Trip to Stack Rocks, then Main Backpack in the Dolly Sods

 

Hike 5.  Roaring Plains

 

 

Club: Jonathan Jessup for West Virginia Highlands Conservancy

Date: 07/04/2003

Parking: High clearance car preferable.  From Petersburg, WV take Rt. 28 SW, Turn R. on Co. Highway 28/7, At the first split stay on the left at Public Road 19.  Stay on Rt. 19 keeping left on all the junctions till the Start of the hike.   To reach the end of the hike continue on Rt. 19, at the split turn left to Co. Highway 45, pass Laneville, very soon right after the church turn left on Flatrock Run Rd and immediately right at Co. Highway 32/2.   The trail ends at a large farm with several farm houses.  There is no parking, so park on the curb of the road.

Trails: 517 South prong Tr, Canyon Rim Tr. (Hinting unblazed tr.), 548 Roaring Plains Tr, Old Trails to Haystack Knob and back, bushwhacking to Mt. Porte Crayon, 519 Flatrock Run Tr.

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: RoaringPlains_GPS20030704.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: RoaringPlains_GPS20030704_tpo.gpx

Printable map: RoaringPlains_GPS20030704Overview.GIF; RoaringPlains_GPS20030704Map1.GIF; RoaringPlains_GPS20030704Map2.GIF; RoaringPlains_GPS20030704Map3.GIF

Waypoints Text File: RoaringPlains_GPS20030704Waypoints.txt

Description File: RoaringPlains_GPS20030704.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: RoaringPlains_GPS20030704.gtm

Note: The trip lasted 3 days

Warning: This backpack is strenuous despite its relatively small elevation gain.  It requires good navigating skills.  The reward is breathtaking views and splendid mountain streams

 

Hike 6.  Otter Creek

 

 

Club: Peter Shoenfeld for West Virginia Highlands Conservancy

Date: 04/12/2003

Parking: both good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: OtterCreek_GPS20030412.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: OtterCreek_GPS20030412_tpo.gpx

Description File: OtterCreek_GPS20030412.doc; OtterCreek_GPS20030412EShereda.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: OtterCreek_GPS20030412.gtm

Note: The trip lasted two days.

Warnings:  It's impossible to go to Otter Creek without getting your feet wet.  Nevertheless the place has spectacular overlooks, streams and bogs, so the trip is well worth it. 

 

Hike 7.  Otter Creek

 

 

Club: Eric Shereda for West Virginia Highlands Conservancy

Date: 05/29-31/2004

Parking: Good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: OtterCreek_GPS20040529_31.tpo; OtterCreek_GPS20040529_31SBurns.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: OtterCreek_GPS20040529_31_tpo.gpx; OtterCreek_GPS20040529_31SBurns_tpo.gpx

GPS TrackMaker Trace: OtterCreek_GPS20040529_31.gtm

Photo Album: OtterCreek_GPS20040529_31

Notes: I have only the 1st half of the trace, and Shelley - only the 2d.  On Shelley's Trace section 017 - 018 was severely overgrown with bushes and we had to bushwhack to the trail 100 - 015.  Don't try to do that loop.

Warnings: see above

 

Hike 8.  North Fork Mountain Trail

 

 

Club: Jeff Testerman for PATC

Date: 07/19/2007

Parking: both good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: NorthForkMtnTrail_GPS20020719.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: NorthForkMtnTrail_GPS20020719_tpo.gpx

Notes: One of the most scenic backpacks out there.  Best be done this way with 3 cars, since there is no water on the trail and it's nice to spend the evening of the 1st day near the river.  The trip was actually 2 days.

Warnings: Cars are often vandalized on the Northern Parking.

 

Hike 9.  Seneca Creek - Spruce Knob

 

 

Club: Ted Fryberger leadingfor MWROP

Date: 07/02-04/2005

Parking: both good

Topo! Mid-Atlantic Trace: SenecaCreek_SpruceKnob_GPS20050702_04.tpo

Universal GPX format from Topo!: SenecaCreek_SpruceKnob_GPS20050729_31_tpo.gpx

Description File: SenecaCreek_SpruceKnob_GPS20050702_04.doc

GPS TrackMaker Trace: SenecaCreek_SpruceKnob_GPS20050702_04.gtm

Photo Album: SenecaCreek_SpruceKnob_GPS20050702_04

Notes: It's very well worth it exploring the old abandoned trails in this area.

Warnings: one guy got killed in the swimming hole under the Seneca Falls, probably from the underwater currents.  Be careful jumping from the cliff!