Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains

With Memorial Day coming up again and the weekend free I of course wanted to backpack. Last memorial day had been my first trip to Dolly Sods in West Virginia and I had been wanting to return since then. I also had been reading about the Roaring Plains, the area just south of Dolly Sods Wilderness known for some outstanding views. With three days I realized I could see both.

To those who are unfamiliar Dolly Sods is a Wilderness area in the northern part of the Monangahela National Forest of West Viriginia. Dolly Sods itself consists of two distinct areas. The northern section of is a plateau at about 4000 feet known for the open views and meadows unlike anything else in the Mid-Atlantic. The opens meadows are a result of the forest being logged and then fires that have prevented the forests from growing back. The southern part of Dolly Sods contains a canyon carved by Red Creek the headwaters of which start up on the plateau. There is an extensive trail system in the area. The southern border of Dolly Sods is marked by a forest road 19 and on the other side is an area known as the Roaring Plains. It consists of an even higher, but smaller plateau with maximum elevation of almost 4500 feet. It also is the edge of the Allegheny Front with massive dropoff at the front. There are unofficial trails to the edge of the Allegheny Front rim that feature outstanding views.

I woke up early on Saturday and drove to the Red Creek trailhead at the southern end of Dolly Sods. From here one can follow the Red Creek trail up to the northern section of the Sods. Already it was packed with people so I was forced to drive up the road a mile to a parking lot for the south prong trail, one of the paths that climbs up to the Roaring Plains plateau. I put on my pack and was off down the road back to the Red Creek trailhead. My plan was to take a one of the side trails called the little stonecoal trail. This trail follows a stream up to the western side of the plateau above Red Creek, from there I would hike another trail to the Big Stonecoal trail, and pick up another trail that would take me to Red Creek several mikes upstream from where I crossed it. I hiked up the Red Creek trail for a mile and came to the Little Stonecoal junction from the Creek. A shoes off crossing got me across Red Creek and the start of my climb.

First Crossing of Red Creek

I had about a one and half mile climb up the Little Stonecoal. Here was where I started seeing a lot of down trees, probably left over from hurricane Sandy. For the most part they were fairly easy to pass and I made it to the top. Since this is a wilderness area the trails are not blazed and at one point close to the top I found myself off the trail. After a short while looking at the gps I figured out my mistake and found the end of the Little Stonecoal trail and the beginning of the Dunenbarger trail. This trail follows the plateau and takes you to the Big Stonecoal trail which runs between Red Creek and the western edge of the wilderness boundary. Shortly onto the dunkenbarger trail I realized this was going to be slow going. Last Labor day I had hiked this same trail in about 40 minutes. Now I had the blowdowns from Sandy to contend with. The forest here was thick rhododendron and red spruce. It seems like every 100 feet I would come to another downed spruce tree with limbs pointing all over. The forest made bushwacking around a chore sometimes and once I had trouble finding the trail. Halfway thru you pass by the namesake creek and a nice campsite.

Dunkenbarger creek

For some reason this always reminds me of Minnesota or somewhere further north, this is one of the charms of the area. Eventually I made it to the Big Stonecoal trail but it probably took twice as long as last year. A short ways down the Big Stonecoal you pass the Rocky Point trail which I took. This intersections the Red Creek trail a mile up. Along you way you pass a side trail to large rock outcropping known as the Lion's Head. I took the trail up and ran into some fellow Buckeyes. There were great views of Red Creek from the top.

View of Red Creek Canyon from the Lion's Head

After taking pictures I continued on my way to the Red Creek trail. Picking up the Red Creek trail I headed back down to Red Creek. Half way down I realized my map was no longer in my pocket and I had to hike back up about 5 minutes to find it. Eventually I made it down to Red Creek and had another shoes off crossing. I had originally intended to go further but I was tired and found a nice campsite by the creek. I set up and spend the rest of the day relaxing.

First Night's campsite by Red Creek

I woke the next morning and started the day with a climb. My plan for today was to take a trail called Fisher Springs up to the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail. The Fisher spring trail connects Red Creek to FR 75 which forms the eastern boundary of Dolly Sods. I began my short climb up to the Rohrbaugh plains. Part way up I lost the trail once again due to the lack of blazing. After wasting 15 minutes I found the trail and made it to the Rohrbaugh plains. From here it was about 3.5 miles to FR 19. Along the way I passed another outstanding view looking at Red Creek Canyon. Across from here I could see the Lion's Head where I had been yesterday.

View of Red Creek from the Rohrbaugh Plains trail

The trail was full of blowdowns again. This didn't deter the large number of people I saw on the trail that morning. I made it to FR 19 by noon and stopped for lunch. The Dolly Sods part of my trip was done. Now I would be entering the Roaring Plains. A short walk down the road brought me to one of the trailheads of the South Prong Trail. I was to walk 2 miles down the trail to the start of the unofficial trails that would take me to the canyon rim. Unlike the trails in the Sods the South Prong trail had no blowdowns at all. I attribute it to the fact that it is not a wilderness area in this section. I preceded down the trail and arrived at the area where I needed to start looking for the hidden passage trail. I should take a moment to thank Mike at Mid-Atlantic hikes whose maps and write-up of the roaring plains makes accessing the canyon rim possible (http://midatlantichikes.com/rp2.htm). In any case I found the start of the hidden passage trail. Although it is unofficial, the trail is used enough that it was easy to follow. The trail takes you to the rim the Roaring plains. Along the way I ran into the only hiker I would see in the Roaring Plains. He took me to a secret vista that was spectacular.

Secret vista from the Canyon Rim on Roaring Plains

We said goodbye and I continued on the hidden passage trail. I got slightly confused when I missed a cairn but I eventually made my way to an area know as Seneca Meadows.  This is another large open meadow like in Dolly Sods right on the rim of the plateau. My original plan was to continue on the next segment of the trip, another unofficial trail called the canyon rim trail and camp somewhere along it. This would take me to an official trail, the Roaring Plains Trail that I would use to return to my car the next day. Given the trail conditions I had seen and the fact that the Canyon Rim was not an official trail I was leary of continuing since I needed to be out early the next day. I decided to camp at Seneca meadows and take a day hike further along the canyon rim. I was near a gas line that offered easy access to the trail back to the car the next day. I set up my tent and unloaded my pack. I went off with a must lighter load to explore the canyon rim. From my campsite I walked through the meadows to the gas line.

Senaca Meadows

Down the gas line was the start of the Canyon rim trail. The tread was not as obvious as the Hidden Passage. Despite MR Hyker's notes I made slow time and eventually came to my first vista on the rim.

First View on the Canyon Rim Trail

By this time it was 5 pm and I felt like I should turn around as there was no way I was going to get out to see the highlight vistas down the trail. I headed back to my camp and spent the evening relaxing. The view from my camp was probably the best I have every had.

View from my campsite at Seneca Meadows

I had a relaxing dinner and was in bed before dark.

The final day was uneventful. I returned to the gas line and a 15 walk took me to FR 70. From here I went to the Boar's Nest trail which led down to my car. After a tiring descent (about 1500 feet) I made it to my car by 9 AM.

The views from the Canyon Rim were some of the best I have seen in the Mid Atlantic. I will return to check out more of the canyon rim trail. Also for people seeking solitude I saw about 100 people in Dolly Sods and 1 person in the roaring plains despite the fact that they are right next to each other and the scenery in the Roaring Plains is at least as good as Dolly Sods.