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2 nights camping and hiking a 24 mile loop across Dolly Sods Wilderness of the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. The Sods hold a special place for me as it's where I experienced my first backpacking trip. The return to the area marked exactly four years from my initial excursion. This time I would be bringing along Kim; introducing her to the magic of the Sods.
Our route began from the Bear Rocks Preserve parking lot, hiking through the open meadows and bogs the area is known for. We then traversed the western ridge overlooking the Canaan Valley, passing over and around numerous wind shaped sandstone rock formations. After getting caught in a late afternoon thunderstorm, we were able to set up camp near the sandy beaches of the Big Stonecoal Creek.
We began the second day hiking in downpour after it had rained steadily throughout the night. Water levels were gushing and we were able to see Big Stonecoal Falls at full force. The weather began to break and we ditched our packs for an out and back to the iconic rocky outcrop known as Lions Head. While the cloud cover subdued the views, the peace and serenity we experienced was worth the scramble up the unofficial trail to get there.
From Lions Head, we hiked back to our packs and descended down Big Stonecoal to the raging Red Creek. We crossed the Red Creek just upstream from the confluence with Big Stonecoal Creek. This was the toughest crossing of the trip and, while doable, we would not have wanted to cross if the water levels were much higher. Please be aware the southern portion of the Red Creek can be impassable during high water events.
Feeling energized from lunch, we continued hiking upstream along the Red Creek, passing by numerous feeder streams and cascades, including Stairstep and Curtain Falls. The southern section of the Sods felt like a jungle, with rhododendrons and dense hardwood forest typical of Appalachia. We eventually meandered past the well known ‘Forks’ area where the Left Fork of the Red Creek joins the main branch. This is a beautiful area with numerous campsites, but it is also very popular.
We continued on, ascending to the base of Blackbird Knob, returning to the exposed bogs and scattered spruce forest reminiscent of southern Canada. Shortly after, we found home for the night at an inviting campsite on an island in the Red Creek. Temperatures were unseasonably cool so we made a fire and watched the moon rise before calling it a night.
On the final day we navigated our way through muddy meadows mixed with stands of paper birch. We elected to take the Ravens Ridge Trail back to Bear Rocks in order to avoid the notoriously muddy Dobbins Grade. Finally, we retraced our steps along the Bear Rocks Trail under sunny clear blue skies.
I’m still blown away by the diversity of landscapes found at Dolly Sods. It’s unlike any place I’ve backpacked and I’m happy to say it still holds up four years after my initial trip. While muddy trails and wet feet are a part of life in the Sods, it’s totally worth it.
Recorded June 21st - 23rd, 2021.
Day 1 - 9.87 miles
Trails: Bear Rocks → Raven Ridge → Rocky Ridge → Big Stonecoal
Day 2 - 8.58 miles
Trails: Big Stonecoal → Rocky Point (Out and back to Lions Head) → Big Stonecoal → Red Creek → Blackbird Knob
Day 3 - 5.35 miles
Trails: Blackbird Knob → Upper Red Creek → Dobbins Grade → Raven Ridge → Bear Rocks
Total Distance: 23.8 miles
Kim and I were able to split up some gear to save some pack weight. Below are links to our full gear loadouts.
My loadout: lighterpack.com/r/a4w9pr
Kim’s loadout: lighterpack.com/r/1co4hf
For navigation we used the Gaia GPS app and a Purple Lizard Paper Map.
This was filmed using the Galaxy S21 Ultra, iPhone 11, and DJI Osmo Pocket
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