Scout trip to Cranberry Wilderness, WV

**VegaMike** · 06-04-2011, 11:10

Boy Scouts in my troop are planning a six day, 50-60 mile backpacking trip to Cranberry Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. They are looking over some maps but I'd like to give them enough resources to make informed decisions.

I'm looking for recommendations on:

guidebooks
trails

I have a trails.com subscription but find it difficult to get an overview of a given area. If I already know which trail I want, it's great.

The troop is going to summer camp at Goshen. After camp, seven Scouts will go directly to the Cranberry Wilderness while the rest return to Silver Spring, MD. I need to find a laundromat near Goshen, VA, to wash away a week's worth of grime between summer camp and backpacking.

The schedule is:

2-9 July Goshen Scout Reservation, Goshen, VA summer camp
8 July wash clothes, configure backpacks for the trail
9-14 July Cranberry Wilderness backpacking

Thoughts? I know WV is fond of the area.

WV · 06-04-2011, 19:10

Indeed I am. I slept next to the Cranberry River last night and caught my first trout with Tenkara fly rod from AHE this morning.

The Monongahela National Forest Trail Guide has the best descriptions of trails. The pdf maps on the CD version are easier to read than those in the printed version. Info from: http://www.wvhighlands.org/.

In six days you can cover a lot of territory. The Cranberry Backcountry is adjacent to the wilderness, and the Tea Creek area is very close. Do you plan a loop? If you'd rather go point A to point B, I can help with a shuttle. The Cranberry Visitor Center is worth a visit, too.

**VegaMike** · 06-05-2011, 19:28

Hey WV,

Thanks for the tip on the PDF maps on the CD, I was looking for tips like that, and thanks for the offer on a shuttle. We usually hike a loop for logistics but I'll keep in mind the shuttle offer.

I'll take a look at the Cranberry Backcountry, Tea Creek area, and Cranberry Visitor Center.

Thanks for the ideas.

Have any "must see" trails or venues?

WV · 06-05-2011, 21:45

Originally Posted by VegaMike

Have any "must see" trails or venues?

After the visitor center, drive to the Cranberry Bogs boardwalk (very close). Another spot to drive to (15 minutes?) is the Falls of Hills Creek.

Then for hiking trails, Big Beechy is nice and would make the start of a number of loops. Another trail I like is Big Rough Run. Also the Middle Fork Trail (returns you to your starting point at the Big Beechy trailhead, but so do the North-South Trail and the North Fork Trail). There are lots of possibilities.

**vdeal** · 06-10-2011, 09:56

The Monongahela National Forest Hiking Guide is an invaluable resource. The Cranberry Wilderness maps are online here. You could also check the MidAtlantic Hikes website.

I like the Middle Fork trail and it's connecters like Laurelly Branch. Tumbling Rock Tr. from the North South Trail is also nice.

**jlb2012** · 06-10-2011, 10:11

has there been any cleanup of the trails? I was up there about a month ago and there were a large number of blowdowns.

**Hiline** · 06-10-2011, 10:49

Originally Posted by Hog On Ice

has there been any cleanup of the trails? I was up there about a month ago and there were a large number of blowdowns.

In order to earn the 50 miler award the scouts need to do 10 hours of group service to improve trails, campsites or portage routes. If after checking with authorities and they cannot do that then a project may be done in their home area. Perhaps they could pack some bows saws and an axe or two and clear some trails. 4 of my scouts did theirs last year in the Bob Marshall ( Montana) and had to do this just to get through on the trails.

WV · 06-10-2011, 12:02

Originally Posted by vdeal

The Monongahela National Forest Hiking Guide is an invaluable resource. The Cranberry Wilderness maps are online here. You could also check the MidAtlantic Hikes website.

I like the Middle Fork trail and it's connecters like Laurelly Branch. Tumbling Rock Tr. from the North South Trail is also nice.

+1 on Laurelly Branch, a lovely trail. I sometimes take off from one of the switchbacks to cut over to Hell-for-Certain Branch, just because I like the name. There's an overgrown logging road, but no recognized trail, so it's "easy bushwhacking" (if there is such). I joke with my wife that when I fail to return from a backpacking trip someday, she'll know I'm in Hell-for-Certain.

**richtorfla** · 06-10-2011, 12:09

"I joke with my wife that when I fail to return from a backpacking trip someday, she'll know I'm in Hell-for-Certain. --WV"

That's pretty funny WV. Sounds like a great trip for the kids to do. Let us know how the trip went.

**vdeal** · 06-10-2011, 12:12

Cranberry is a bit of a drive for me. I'm in the northern part of WV so I really concentrate on areas north of Rt 92 over the top of Cheat Mt. Nevertheless I've done several trips to Cranberry and one to Tea Creek over the years. Very nice places and more secluded than many.