Hiking
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Davis, West Virginia
A whole lot of bushwacking, backpacking and running around camp like a bunch of young bucks.
09/2001 - by Jeff Cobb, Outdoor Travels
Day 1
Christopher and Dana had rafted the Upper Gauley on Friday and drove over from the Fayetteville area the next morning to meet me at the Red Creek campground.
We talked for a few minutes and did some pre-hike packing. They had spent the night in the back of Christopher's Aztec and evidently at some point a cooler had spilled over and gotten their sleeping bags wet, but they had since dried out and all was well.
We finished packing and drove one of the cars down to Bear Rocks Trail. We set off through the flat meadow adjacent to the trail and began our hike. We had all three been to Dolly Sods several times before, but it never seems to get boring. The sheer beauty of the place is just too awesome to ever let a hiker grow complacent. Plus, there are so many different trails and routes that you always see something new and exciting.
Our first day we planned on hiking Bear Rocks Trail to Dobbins Grade, then on to Blackbird Knob, camping where the upper part of Red Creek runs alongside Blackbird Knob, before continuing on and emerging at Red Creek campground. The first hour or so was smooth sailing and we were greeted with the usual Dolly vistas of high country meadows, valleys, and distant peaks. Autumns in West Virginia are beautiful, and nowhere is the scenery better than atop Dolly Sods. As we enjoyed the scenery and talked, we hit our first road block.
Anyone who has read our other travel diaries will soon figure out that virtually every trip has a requisite mishap. For this trip, it turned out we got lost trying to find Blackbird Knob. It was smooth sailing along Bear Rocks and Dobbins Grade. But as we tried to find Blackbird Knob, the trail sort of petered out and there was no clear indication of which way to go. We were never really "lost" because we had a topo map and compass. But we couldn't find the trail. First, we hiked to the right around a knob, which we logically thought was Blackbird Knob. We followed what looked to be a trail that got less and less trail-like until it eventually dead ended at a bog.
One cool thing about being lost was all the ant hills we discovered. One bad thing was that my trail shoes (i.e. Adidas sneakers) did not hold up well in the soggy conditions. At one point, Dana lost the tip of his walking stick in the mud and had to literally reach down to his elbow in the muck to retrieve it. It was like a vacuum cleaner.
We backtracked and came back around and this time walked to the left until it petered out into a thicket with no discernible trail. We soon decided this was a deer run. Frustrated, we backtracked to where Dobbins Grade was indentifiable and took an alternate route. After a few minutes we decided it was wrong, too. Now very frustrated, we backtracked once gain to the point in Dobbins Grade Trail we could identify. We sat and discussed the situation. I think we even considered walking back to the car and doing an alternate hike. Eventually, though, we decided to pursue the trail that went to the left around the knob yet again. Our instincts told us that was the correct route.
This time when the trail petered out, we began some serious bushwacking. We knew that Blackbird Knob Trail had to be here somewhere, so we kept going through the thicket, up over the knob, then down and eventually came out of the woods into a clearing. We made our way through a dip and onto level ground into a meadow. We walked a few hundred yards looking in both directions for any sign of a trail. Eventually we looked down. Duh! We were standing right on it!
After much celebration, we continued on our hike. I must warn you, without a compass, a topo map, dogged determination, and a little bit of luck, we might still be wandering around the Sods. Ok, maybe not, but the point is, this is serious backcountry and one can easily become disoriented and lost. I would not recommend bushwacking unless you know what you're doing. When you are in deep woods with no landmarks to get your bearing, it's very easy to completely lose your bearings. In fact, there are accounts of people walking around and around in circles. In general, you should never hike Dolly Sods without a reliable trail map and a compass. And even then you'll need some dogged determination and a little luck.
Happy to be back on the trail, the last few hours of the hike went quickly and we arrived at our planned campsite. At this point of the trail, there are several excellent camping sites. There are several sites along Red Creek. Also, at this point the creek splits and then the forks rejoin again to form an island in midstream. There was already a fire ring erected there. It was a perfect spot for us to pitch our camp!
We dumped our packs and what ensued was what Dana described as "young bucks during rutting season." As we explored the island, we had a burst of energy. We were probably exuberant and proud of ourselves for having successfully bushwacked and also for having found such a great camping spot. Anyway, we ran around the island trails, chasing each other, hollering, and generally acting like idiots. It was a strange reaction, especially considering we had just completed a vigorous hike with heavy backpacks.
We began setting up camp. As we staked our tents, we noticed some noise. A group of hikers went silently by without saying a word. There were three guys, a girl, and a dog. They glanced at us and we waved. The girl waved back and they continued on. We looked at each other and shruged. Maybe a half hour later, the same group came back. We thought it was rather odd.
Eventually we talked to them. It turns out they had been backpacking and camping for several days and at this point they were semi-lost. We eventually gave them some directions. They thanked us and hiked on. Actually, technically, only the girl thanked us. During our whole interaction with the group, only the girl talked. Not even the dog barked. Were the guys mute? Were they kidnappers who instructed the girl to talk but not give them away or they'd kill everyone? It was surreal. Dana was especially paranoid about the whole ordeal. We never saw the strange hiking group again.
It was Fall in Dolly and the temperature was dropping fast so we began the arduous task of collecting firewood. As I explored the river bank, I found a nice tripod that a previous hiker had left behind. A nice little surprise! Other than the warmest months of July and August, you need to be prepared for any kind of weather in Dolly. They have snow as late as April or May, and as early as October. As we sat around the fire, I pulled on my knit cap and fleece jacket, glad I had brought them along. In our attempt to get warm, we get a little too close to the flames, however; Dana burned a hole in his glove and I singed my socks.
Day 2
There was frost that night. My $5 tent does not have a vestibule, and it's not roomy enough to store my gear and sleep comfortably, so I left it outside. That morning, I awoke to find a thick layer of frost on my pack. Luckily, I had brought my shoes inside the tent with me. After some joking and pictures, I scraped the frost off my Kelty.
We ate breakfast, broke camp, and packed up. On the way out we were again greeted with great views. The hike on Blackbird Knob toward the Red Creek Campground was a bit tougher, mostly uphill. But we reserved the shorter portion of the hike of the second day so we could hike out of the woods earlier and allow Dana to catch his plane back to Florida. It was a little overcast, but awesome scenery still greeted us everywhere we looked. Wisps of fog blowing along the ridge lines, the dappled color of the leaves, and rocky meadows. About halfway up the Knob, we talked to a couple with a British accent who were busily taking photos. Only the second group of hikers we encountered the entire hike.
A few miles later we exited the woods at Red Creek campground. We had left one of the vehicles here so we hopped in and headed back for the other car at Bear Rocks. We had a little time before Dana and Christopher had to head out, so we explored the overlook at Bear Rocks. Even if you don't want to backpack, Bear Rocks is worth visiting. You can drive up in your car, and the top provided spectacular views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. There are also some oddly shaped rock formations and in several areas, patches of what looks like sand where the wind and elements have eroded the barren rocks. It's not be missed!
Trail Snapshot
Trail(s) Hiked: (loop) In: Bear Rocks, Dobbin Grade, a lot of bushwhacking and backtracking; Out: Blackbird Knob.
Distance Covered: 6.8 Miles
Outdoor Travels Rating: 4 out of 5 Backpacks
Thumbs Up
- Autumn views of high country meadows and hardwood forests
- Proximity of Bear Rocks (photo above) visitors outlook
- Excellent mid-point "island" camping spot
Thumbs Down
- Confusing transition from Bear Rocks Trail to Dobbins Grade Trail
- End of hike is all uphill
Lessons Learned
- If it doesn't look like a trail, chances are it's not a trail. Lots of Deer runs look like trails until you dead end into a thicket of brush or a non-descript meadow.
- Don't lay your clothing items to close to the fire.
- Come prepared for cold temperatures year round at Dolly.
- Tent vestibules are a necessity to get items out of the elements.
Nuts & Bolts
Location: West Virginia's Tucker and Randolph counties
Size: 10,215 acres
Directions:
From the East: Take WV 28/55 south out of Petersburg, WV. One mile past Smoke Hole Caverns, look for the brown Forest Service sign on the left side of the road pointing to the turn-off to the Wilderness area onto State Road 4 (also known as Jordan Run Road.) Follow the paved road steeply up a fold in the hills. At the first "S" turn in the road, look for the turn off for FS 19 on your left. It is signed and easily located. This will give you access to the southern part of the Wilderness area at it's intersection with FS 75. Or you can bypass the FS 19 turn off and continue on State Road 4, you'll arrive at the second access into the Wilderness at FS 75 after roughly 7 miles. The turn off is to your left with a church on the corner. This will give you access to the northern part of the Wilderness.
From the West: Take US Route 33 out of Elkins, WV for approximately 25 miles. At Harmon, take a left onto State Route 32. Follow Route 32 north to State Road 45 (Laneville Road.) Turn right and follow SR 45 ten miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area. At Laneville and the boundary of the National Forest, SR 45 becomes FR 19. Major parking areas are located at Laneville and Red Creek Campground.
- Forest Roads 75 and 19 are not plowed. Winter travel is not recommended. The Laneville Road (State Route 45) is plowed from State Route 32 to Red Creek.
Activities: hiking, berry picking, hunting and sightseeing
Admission: currently none
Contact: United States Forest Service, Box 1548, Elkins, WV, 26241 (304) 636-1800
Maps & Stuff
Trail Photos
Lots of great photos to give you a good idea of what hiking here is like!
