Five-Star Trails: West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest: 40 Spectacular Hikes in the Allegheny Mountains

by Johnny Molloy

Overview

Discover 40 five-star hiking trails in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, including popular routes and hidden gems.

The Monongahela National Forest is the heart and soul of West Virginia’s outdoors scene and a natural getaway for hikers and weekend backpackers. With the Dolly Sods and Otter Creek wildernesses to the north and the Cranberry Backcountry to the south—plus special places like the Falls of Hills Creek and Seneca Rocks—the “Mon” offers more than 800 miles of hiking opportunities to rocky overlooks, backcountry waterfalls, and botanically rich parcels, all within a short drive of Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia.

Explore 40 of the region’s best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, acclaimed author and hiking expert Johnny Molloy shares everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, untamed streams, remote wilderness, and more.

Inside you’ll find:

• Descriptions of 40 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests
• GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads
• Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes
• Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children

Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634043458
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Series:	Five-Star Trails
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	42 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Johnny Molloy is a writer and adventurer based in Johnson City, Tennessee. His outdoor passion was ignited on a backpacking trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park while he was attending the University of Tennessee. That first foray unleashed a love of the outdoors that led Johnny to spend over 4,500 nights backpacking, canoe camping, and tent camping over the past three decades. Friends enjoyed his outdoor adventure stories; one even suggested he write a book. He pursued his friend’s idea and soon parlayed his love of the outdoors into an occupation. The results of his efforts are more than 80 books and guides. His writings include hiking guidebooks, camping guidebooks, paddling guidebooks, comprehensive guidebooks about a specific area, and books about true outdoor adventures throughout the eastern United States.

Although primarily involved with book publications, Johnny writes for varied magazines and websites. He continues writing and traveling extensively throughout the United States, pursuing a variety of outdoor endeavors. Johnny is a Gideon and an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City. His non-outdoor interests include reading, ancient and American history, and University of Tennessee sports.

Read an Excerpt

Raven Ridge Loop
Scenery: 5 stars / Trail Condition: 2 stars / Children: 3 stars / Difficulty: 2 stars / Solitude: 2 stars

• GPS Trailhead Coordinates: N39° 3.179' W79° 18.578'
• Distance & Configuration: 6-mile balloon
• Hiking Time: 3.5 hours
• Outstanding Features: Views galore, wilderness
• Elevation: 4,080' at trailhead, 3,700' at low point
• Access: No fees or permits required
• Maps: Dolly Sods Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest; USGS Blackbird Knob
• Facilities: None
• Wheelchair Access: None
• Contacts: Potomac Ranger District, 304-257-4488

Overview

The circuit hike explores the north end of the Dolly Sods Wilderness, where meadows, heath glades, and grasses—all mixed with tree coppices—create an open landscape recalling the West. First, descend to Red Creek gaining views from the first step. Come along the creek and head downstream in an open valley, where panoramas extend in all four cardinal directions. Turn up Raven Ridge, rising to more views. Cut through hardwoods and spruce then reenter open vista-laden terrain. Cross Red Creek again, then descend a railroad grade in mixed woods and meadows before returning to the trailhead, amazed at the wealth of views.

Route Details

It is hard to watch your feet on this circuit hike because, most of the way, while traveling open lands with only scattered tree cover, you have views near and far. However, watch your feet you must, as segments of the hike pass through grassy wetlands, across mushy spring branches, and along sometimes-inundated logging grades. Moreover, there is one potential wet crossing of Red Creek. So take your time, enjoy the views of the north end of Dolly Sods Wilderness and try not to get your feet wet—or just get ’em wet then don’t worry about it.

Start your hike on the Beaver Dam Trail, immediately dropping into the valley of upper Red Creek, backed by Cabin Mountain. Sparse forest cover allows you to see the hills and valleys of this perched plateau, with rock outcrops and spruce stands. Trace the path west through scattered and stunted tree coppices, along wet cranberry bogs, and through grasses.

At 0.7 mile, reach Dobbin Grade Trail. Turn left here, coursing down the open valley of Red Creek. As its name implies, the trail traces a former logging railroad grade that has a menagerie of grasses, stunted aspen, and rock gardens, but mostly open terrain. It won’t be long before you reach your first wet section, often mushy grasses, or streamlets amid bogs, or just plain ol’ mud holes. Try not to widen these wet spots by going far around them. Around you, the open terrain lends a different perspective on distance here in the mountains of West Virginia.

At 1.8 miles, come to the Red Creek crossing. Though the stream is smallish here, expect to get your feet wet. Consider going barefoot but using trekking poles for balance, thus keeping your shoes and socks dry. Meet the Raven Ridge Trail shortly beyond the crossing. Turn right here, climbing the nose of a naked ridge cloaked in a few spruce and wind-flagged hardwoods. While climbing, look back for commanding panoramas of the lower Red Creek valley. Keep north as the balance of Dolly Sods Wilderness falls away to your south. This area deserves additional attention. Stop somewhere and just soak it all in.

At 2.6 miles, climb into woods then level off. Ahead, the trail winds through ever-changing trailside of woods and meadows. Views still open to the west. Cabin Mountain forms a rampart and boundary of the Dolly Sods Wilderness. Bisect a spruce grove at 3.0 miles, then slice through a linear meadow ringed in spruce. At 3.3 miles in open terrain, meet the Bear Rocks Trail. Turn right on this path, now heading east in mostly open terrain. Gain views across the Dolly Sods and into the eastern horizon beyond the Allegheny Front, as well as far to the south of the Roaring Plains and even to the Seneca Creek Backcountry. What views!

Descend to reenter hardwoods at 4.1 miles. Cross several wetland boardwalks at 4.3 miles. Descend through hardwoods to rock-hop across Red Creek in a spruce thicket at 4.5 miles. Span one more boardwalk then meet Dobbin Grade Trail at 4.6 miles. Turn right (south) here to experience an amalgam of meadow and forest, complete with mushy segments with Red Creek flowing roughly parallel to your right. The level grade lends itself to getting wet, since water runs slower on the flat surface that once carried timber from this howling back of beyond to market. Cross a little creek at 4.9 miles.

Meet the Beaver Dam Trail at 5.3 miles after making a sharp left and then right. You have completed the loop portion of the hike. From here, it is 0.7 mile back to the Beaver Dam Trailhead, which you reach at 6.0 miles.

Nearby Attractions

Red Creek Campground, perched at nearly 4,000 feet, is one of the highest campgrounds in West Virginia. It is just a few miles south of the trailhead for this hike. The campground, open mid-April through November, offers 16 campsites in mixed woods and much open terrain. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern post. It makes an ideal base camp for exploring the Dolly Sods Wilderness. Campground reservations are not available.

Directions

From Petersburg, drive west on West Virginia 28 for 8.5 miles to Jordan Run Road (CR 28/7). Turn right on CR 28/7 and follow it 1.0 mile to Forest Road 19, on your left. Turn left on FR 19 and follow it 6.0 miles to FR 75. Turn right on FR 75 and follow it 6.5 miles to the Beaver Dam Trailhead, on your left.

Table of Contents

Overview Map

Overview Map Key

Preface

Recommended Hikes

Introduction

Dolly Sods Wilderness–Otter Creek Wilderness Area

• Raven Ridge Loop
• Blackbird Knob Vista
• Red Creek Falls via Fisher Spring Run
• Rohrbaugh Overlook
• Dunkenbarger Loop
• Boars Nest Loop
• Red Creek Plains
• Chimney Top
• Big Bend Loop
• Seneca Rocks
• Blackwater Canyon Vistas
• Table Rock Overlook
• Lower Otter Creek Wilderness
• Otter Creek Wilderness Loop

Seneca Creek Backcountry–Laurel Fork Wilderness Area

• Horton-Spring Ridge Loop
• North Prong Loop
• Upper Falls of Seneca Creek
• Spruce Knob and Huckleberry Trail
• Laurel Fork North Wilderness
• Laurel Fork South Wilderness
• Camp Five Run Loop
• High Falls
• Shavers Mountain via Johns Camp Run
• East Fork Greenbrier Hike

Greater Cranberry Wilderness Area

• Red Spruce Knob
• Gauley Mountain Loop
• Tea Creek Loop
• Big Beechy Run Falls
• Lick Branch Falls
• Falls of Middle Fork
• Black Mountain Circuit
• High Rock
• Blue Knob
• Cowpasture Loop
• Cranberry Glades Interpretive Boardwalk
• Falls of Hills Creek
• Summit Lake Loop
• Laurel Creek Circuit
• Lake Sherwood Loop
• Blue Bend Loop

Appendix: Monongahela National Forest Contact Information

Index

About the Author

Map Legend