Dolly Sods - Sept 17-19 Hang & Backpacking Weekend - Come join the adventure!

[HappyCamper]

OK, the details on the Sept. 17-19 Dolly Sods, WV Hang and Backpacking Weekend have been finalized. See below. If you have any pre-hikes or post hikes planned, please post the details. Others may want to join you. The hike dates are Friday - Sunday. This is our first group hang in Dolly Sods. Y'all come! For anyone new to hammock camping, this is a great chance to get together with other hangers in a beautiful wilderness area, not just for camping but to test your hammock gear for backpacking with a choice of short hike or longer if that's your style. Great learning opportunity.

See attached trail map for parking spot and Friday & Saturday night camping. (Bottom of map has directions to Dolly Sods area.) This site has more maps and info. Another interactive map of Dolly Sods here. And finally, a printable pdf high resolution trail map here.

WEATHER LINK

(Thanks to RockRat for the pictures of Friday night's campsite.)
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Friday Parking: Parking is across from the start of Black Bird Knob Trail near Red Creek Camp Ground. See attached picture of Trail Sign. Red circles on attached map shows Friday night and Sat. night campsites.

Friday Night Campsite: Less than 1/4 mile in on Black Bird Knob Trail. There’s a picnic table in the area and plenty of hanging trees. See attached photos of area. People will need to hike in water for evening and morning breakfast. (There’s water further up the trail once you start hiking on Saturday.) The spot is close enough to the campground to use the water pump there and the outhouses. If you have special eats you want to share for Friday night, post here so we can get a good mix of shared food. 

Saturday: From Friday night campsite heading west on Black Bird Knob Trail, there are any number of circuit hikes that can be taken to the north or south. See map. You can pretty much pick the mileage you want to do. Friday night would be a good time for people to talk about the hike they want to do on Saturday and pick hiking groups. For anyone who doesn’t want to do much mileage, it’s only 2.5 miles to Saturday night campsite if you stay on Black Bird Knob Trail.

Saturday Night Campsite: Meet at west side of Black Bird Knob on Black Bird Knob Trail. Intersection of Blackbird Knob Trail and Red Creek. There's camping on both sides of the creek AND plenty of water. See attached map.

Sunday – Less than 3 miles to car taking the Black Bird Knob Trail back out. So you can have a leisurely morning or get out pretty fast.

That’s it. Hope to see you there!

[MacEntyre]

Thing1 and I are looking forward to it! Thanks, Happy Camper!

Got a link to local weather?

[Can't Wait]

I maybe able to come if you accept us hammock noobs and yankees

[HappyCamper]

Noobs and Yankees all welcome! I added one weather link but if I find something more specific to Red Creek Campground, I'll post that as well. Thanks for the reminder to post about weather. Everyone please be aware that weather conditions on top of Dolly Sods can unexpectedly change at any time and it can get cold there any time of year. Like freezing cold any time of year!

Some additional info I've found. A little dated but still true.

Summary: The views in Dolly Sods makes the difficult drive worth every minute. This trail can be done in a single day, but to fully enjoy it I would recommend camping or backpacking over the course of two days. This will provide time to explore the area and many side trails to waterfalls.

Red Creek Trail: The upper portions of this trail lead through a sub-alpine tundra with vegetation (e.g. reindeer moss) otherwise only found in Canada and other arctic areas. The trail will lead downward through some boggy areas (be prepared for mud) passing beaver dams, expansive meadows, and aspen and spruce groves. As the trail closes in on Red Creek you will have a couple of minor stream crossings.

Descending into the Red Creek canyon, the terrain will change dramatically to the more typical easterna forests, marked by abundant firs, oaks, and maples. There are plenty of swimming holes and watefalls and one major stream crossing.

Hurricane/flooding has obscured some of the lower trail.
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Trailhead: Traveling to Dolly Sods is not easy! The following is from the Forest Service web site, but I would recommend that you consult a map as well.

Forest Roads 75 and 19 are graveled, narrow and rough. Heavy traffic and dusty conditions can be encountered on many weekends.

From Petersburg, WV: Follow State Route 42 north to Jordan Run Road. Turn left onto Jordan Run Road and proceed approximately five miles to Forest Road 75. Turn right and go four miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area.

OR
Follow State Route 28 and 55 south to Jordan Run Road. Turn right and go one mile on Jordan Run Road to Forest Road 19. Turn left and follow Forest Road 19 six miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area.

From Canaan Valley, WV: Follow Route 32 south to the Laneville Road. Turn left and follow the Laneville Road ten miles to the Dolly Sods Scenic Area. Before reaching the Scenic Area, the road passes several trailheads and the Dolly Sods Picnic Area.
(Lat:39 Lon:-79.34)
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Trail Guides for Dolly Sods Red Creek Trail:
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Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer,
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User Groups: Hikers,
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Ranger Contact: Monongahela National Forest, Potomac Ranger District (304)257-4488
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Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Brian Talbert, who has posted 20 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here.
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Trail Reviews Submit your own review

Reviewed by Lorax on 8/11/2009
Don't go here. It is magical. Too many people will ruin it. Only the hardy can make this hike. Getting lost is very easy. GPS and the Canaan Valley Adventure Map are a must. Find "Eden" and you'll never forget it. It's there. I found it.

Reviewed by AL on 6/11/2008
This is an amazing hike, I found out about it from this website and tried it out. Lots of water crossings, bring water shoes. Be warned, some of the trails in Dolly Sods are poorly marked. Signage is very poor and mostly the trails are marked with cairns. Seems if you stay on Red Creek Trail it is pretty easy to follow, but we nearly got lost trying to follow trail 510 back to the main road. All the locals we talked to told us it is pretty easy to get lost in Dolly Sods. So be careful, especially you novice hikers. Bring a GPS/compass and map and take it seriously. No cell phone service within an hour driving distance of the park. Also if you follow Red Creek Trail all the way you will end up miles from your car.

Reviewed by R.L. on 10/26/2007
Just hiked this one last weekend to check out Autumn foliage and this place is a gem. Within a short hike your scenaries kept changing - passing through pine forest, crimson and yellow meadows, open tundra with crimson bushes, and stunning maple forest. The highlight of the trail is the Red Creek but unfortunately due to drought in the East Coast, the water level is quite low. This place is not easily accessible so it's not too crowded at all. Overall a GREAT hiking trail.

Reviewed by Watson on 5/11/2007
I have hiked in several "top ten" places of all hikers, and this is truly an unsung hero. Tie your food as there is lots of bear sign and tons of racoons. Beautiful waterfalls and many opps to see wildlife.

Reviewed by Forest Wander on 4/20/2007
This is the best place to go in West Virginia in my opinion. My son and I hike here all the time and we take pictures.

Reviewed by Aaron on 4/2/2006
This is a personal favorite of ours. Worth all the effort to get there. Definitely camp a night at the "forks" of Red Creek. HIKER BEWARE: make absolutely sure you know what the weather forecast is. During periods of heavy rain, the creek floods and the crossings can be treacherous.

[amclumberjack]

im marking my calendar now

[pedro]

Thing1 and I are looking forward to it! Thanks, Happy Camper!

Got a link to local weather?

Just plan on rain of biblical proportions. It is awesome! I'm going to try to go.

[Bush]

Looks interesting, like all the options available and it's been many years since being in WV. I'm gonna research this a little more but it fits my schedule well so put me down for a tentative yes...Bush

[rock_rat]

Just plan on rain of biblical proportions. It is awesome! I'm going to try to go.

It's been my experience that September is one of the drier months in Dolly Sods but your right weather there is extremely unstable and it has in fact even been known to snow in September.

[NCPatrick]

Ok. So. I should plan for biblical proportion rain AND snow...?

[WV]

Ok. So. I should plan for biblical proportion rain AND snow...?

Also sunshine and a possible epiphany or two.