View Full Version : Multi-Day Trails in Northern WV?
Chance09
05-30-2008, 12:48
I'm looking for a few good multi-day trails to test my gear out on before my thru hike this spring. I go to school at WVU in Morgantown and was wondering if there is anything worthwhile within an hour or 2 radius?
Cookerhiker
05-30-2008, 13:16
There are many places in Monangahela National Forest (http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/sp/wilderness_areas.htm). The one I"ve had first hand experience is the Otter Creek Wilderness area (http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/rec/wilderness_areas/Otter_Creek_Wilderness_brochure.pdf). Just about a year ago in May '07, I did a 3 day/2 night backpack there. As a wilderness area, the trails are not marked (blazed) and maintenance is minimal but I found the USFS map to be adequate. It's fairly easy to orient yourself because the wilderness area surrounds Otter Creek along which a very picturesque trail wends its way. Other trails emanate from it up the mountains on the side and around the perimeter.
My hike was largely a circuit, hiking the Otter Creek trail for a few miles and then veering off uphill (more than 1,000' climb on the Green Mountain Trail) and returning to Otter Creek circuitously. While unblazed, there are cairns marking trail junctions.
I highly recommend Otter Creek and it's convenient to you from Morgantown. And check out the other Monangahela sites as well. I've day-hiked in Dolly Sods and the Plantation Trail on Canaan Mountain. The latter can be part of a loop with the Allegheny Trail.
This summer I hope to hit more WV trails.
Two other trails to consider are the Laurel Highlands hiking trail in Pennsylvania and the Allegheny hiking trail in West Virginia. I believe the Allegheny trail starts not far from Morgantown.
http://wvscenictrails.org/index.html
Cookerhiker
05-30-2008, 17:52
Two other trails to consider are the Laurel Highlands hiking trail in Pennsylvania and the Allegheny hiking trail in West Virginia. I believe the Allegheny trail starts not far from Morgantown.
http://wvscenictrails.org/index.html
Of course how could I forget the Laurel Highlands Trail? I hiked it (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=7356) 2 months ago. Of course, I was still in my 50s then.:D