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View Full Version : Need help finding maps and planning backpacking trip to dolly sods.



JoshAuerbach
12-19-2012, 15:34
So we'd like to spend a week backpacking in the wilderness and are looking close to home.. The Dolly Sods Wilderness looks amazing and perfect for what we want though it is a little small for a week.. So I came across this site: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/new_wilderness.html

that shows a Dolly Sods North and Roaring Plains to the south with connecting trail systems.. I assume this would be a much better option for a week to do the loop suggested on the link with a bunch of side trips to see as much as possible.

So my questions:

1. Where can I find detailed maps for all of these areas that show water sources and trail networks?
2. Do we need a back country permit or need to pay for parking?
3. Is there any limit on nights allowed out there?
4. Has anyone been to these areas that could provide an extra useful information?

Cookerhiker
12-19-2012, 16:14
I suggest your first stop would be the Monongahela National Forest website. This map of the Dolly Sods area (http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5152038.pdf) will get you started. You can either print it on-line or order it from the Forest Service. Here's the accompanying brochure (http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5090664.pdf). There's other info on the website - this link (http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=12366&actid=51) provides an overall description of Dolly Sods and can connect you back to the MNF home page.

No permits or limitations on overnight stays as far as I know.

Re. others' experiences, I notice that you posted this in the "General" forum. Suggest you go to "Other Trails" and do a search with "Dolly Sods" as key words. You'll find some more input.

Keep in mind that at this point, conditions will be very winter-like so make sure you're prepared.

JoshAuerbach
12-19-2012, 16:59
Thank you very much! We won't be going until Spring. Any idea when the peak crowds are there?

Cookerhiker
12-19-2012, 18:22
The only time I would avoid is holiday weekends such as Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Columbus Day. Especially if you hike mid-week, you're not going to run into crowds. I backpacked 3 weekday in July '08 and hardly met anyone. Camped 2 nights completely alone.

Since you want to hike a week, I suggest adding the Otter Creek Wilderness area (http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5195789.pdf) to your plans. It's only about an hour, maybe less from Dolly Sods. I've also done a 3 day backpack there in the second half of May '07 and really enjoyed it. It's in the Cheat Ranger District which you can find by browsing around the MNF home page.

rpcv
12-20-2012, 11:46
I agree on the crowding on holiday weekends. The other thing to know about Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains is that the weather can be frightfully bad up there. It is usually dramatically cooler/colder than the surrounding valleys and it catches every bit of bad weather. It isn't a reason not to go, just something to be aware of and be prepared for, particularly in spring and fall. Pay attention to the weather forecast for Davis, WV before you go. Davis is still lower than the Dolly Sods plateau, but it is about the best forecast that is out there for that area.

The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy has excellent maps (http://www.wvhighlands.org/Pages/Maps.html) of the area.

Mid-Atlantic Hikes has some nice itineraries on his West Virginia page (http://www.midatlantichikes.com/wv.htm) that could be combined to make a longer trip.

MDSection12
12-20-2012, 12:13
Looks like these guys have covered the basics, but just my own personal opinion; make sure to include 'the forks' as one of your sites... It's a beautiful area where a couple small streams flow into Red Creek and create some small waterfalls. Another highlight is Lion's Head, or Rocky Point. When you come to the little overlook you actually rock scramble up from there and after a somewhat difficult scramble up there you come out onto an amazing summit.

Have fun, Dolly Sods is my favorite place to hike in the mid-Atlantic. :)

JoshAuerbach
12-20-2012, 15:12
Thanks so much everyone for the info. I printed out the maps and cut them and taped them together and now have a huge map to work with for Dolly Sods north, Dolly Sods WIlderness, and Roaring Plains. I would like to do a loop around the entire three areas with a bunch of side trips in the Dolly Sods areas. Two questions I still have:

1. Does anyone know any info about how to connect the Roaring Plains trails to the Dolly Sods Wilderness? Looks like perhaps a road walk on one side and as easy as following a stream on the other side but it's hard to tell from these maps.

2. Assuming I was able to do that and did all of the side trails in Dolly Sods areas and a loop around all three areas, would that be enough to fill up a week? Keep in mind we don't plan to do more than 8 miles of total hiking a day.

Cookerhiker
12-20-2012, 15:20
You can add up the trail mileages and figure the math with your 8 mpd. Dolly Sods is not particularly difficult hiking up/down wise because the base elevation is about 3,000' - you don't have any 1,000' ascents and descents. As I said previously, with a week I'd personally divide the hike between Dolly Sods and Otter Creek but that's me.

Tipi Walter
12-20-2012, 15:22
I'm a clueless idiot but is there anyway to connect Otter Creek to Dolly Sods ON FOOT??

Also---For Dolly Sods, what's the best place to leave my car for 18-20 days?? Is there a Ranger station at Red Creek trailhead??

MDSection12
12-20-2012, 15:43
There's a parking lot at the southernmost point of Red Creek Trail (off FS19) that we left our cars in for a few days last Spring. I couldn't tell exactly what the buildings were for as we arrived late, but it seemed to be an overnight parking lot and we had no issues. I believe there are also spots at the Red Creek Campground further North off of FS75, but I'm not sure if they require permits or anything.

From reading your posts and trips I think Dolly Sods will be your kind of place Walter. Make sure to plan on a few days at the forks. That may be my favorite campsite ever.

rpcv
12-20-2012, 15:52
I should have noted in my earlier post that Dolly Sods is _amazing_ and I think you'll love it. The earlier poster who mentioned making sure you get to the Forks of Red Creek is spot on. My favorite part of the area is the open high plateau of northern Dolly Sods. Lions Head is a close second.

Parking: There is a lot of parking up on FR 75 along the eastern boundary of the wilderness area. They are basically just pullouts at the various trailheads (Bear Rocks, Blackbird Knob, etc.). I've left a car there for overnights and it has been fine. I suspect that you wouldn't have any trouble leaving your vehicle up there, but you could call the ranger station in Petersburg, WV to be on the safe side. As someone else mentioned, there is parking at the Red Creek trailhead as well. There is probably other parking on the west side of the wilderness, but I haven't ever parked over there.

You cannot get from Dolly Sods to Otter Creek on foot (well, you could, but....it would be a long, unpleasant road walk).

JoshAuerbach
12-20-2012, 16:14
Is it alright to leave base camp set up for the day and stay a second night at the same spot? It looks like that may be a good option due to all of the criss crossing trails and the amount of time we have. Our main goal isn't to pass through any of it quickly or to put miles behind us. We like to go slow and stop a lot and really take everything in.

Cookerhiker
12-20-2012, 16:15
I'm a clueless idiot but is there anyway to connect Otter Creek to Dolly Sods ON FOOT??

Also---For Dolly Sods, what's the best place to leave my car for 18-20 days?? Is there a Ranger station at Red Creek trailhead??

Last question first: at the Red Creek Trailhead is the Lane Wildlife Management Cabin. I don't know how often it's staffed or open, especially in the winter so you may want to call the MNF HQ or the Ranger District which is in Petersburg (it's the Potomac District). But if you intend to hike between the WAs, then you could park at Canaan Valley SP or the NWR. Which leads to the next question...

Can you hike between the 2 wilderness areas? I think so, especially someone as intrepid as you Tipi. I've poured over my MNF map, the area trails maps for Dolly Sods and Otter Creek, and another excellent recreation map of the entire Canaan Valley area* with larger scale inclusions of both wilderness areas. As you might expect, you can't connect via entire wilderness walking but it appears you can minimize the hard-pavement walking and walk on Forest Service & State Park roads instead.

From the western end of the Dolly Sods WA, you can connect to Forest Service Rd. #80 to the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Walking through the refuge, you cross State Rt. 32 into Canaan Valley SP where you pick up the Allegheny Trail southbound. It appears that from the ALT, you can take County Rt. 12 into Otter Creek but a better option is the Mylius Trail, described in the ALT guidebook as a "...good but steep access trail to the Otter Creek Wilderness." The mileage for the latter part of the transition is as follows: Pick up the ALT in Canaan Valley at Mile 7.7 near the Park's cabin area. Hike south to Mile 25.1 junction with the Mylius Trail. Part of this involved a roadwalk on County Rt. 45.

You can also connect by simply walking out the aforementioned Rt. 45 on the east end of Dolly Sods but I think you'd find it less desirable because it becomes hard-paved and goes past houses. I think this is the roadwalk RPCV spoke of.

One warning: winter is peak season in Canaan Valley so be careful crossing Rt. 32.

I think you can do it Tipi! I think you'll find WV and the MNF to your liking.

Oh BTW, both Canaan Valley and Blackwater Falls SPs rent cross-country skiis.


* this is called the Canaan Valley Adventure Map and well worth it but I can not find an easy on-line link - only references to it. It's sold throughout the Canaan Valley.

Cookerhiker
12-20-2012, 16:28
Is it alright to leave base camp set up for the day and stay a second night at the same spot? It looks like that may be a good option due to all of the criss crossing trails and the amount of time we have. Our main goal isn't to pass through any of it quickly or to put miles behind us. We like to go slow and stop a lot and really take everything in.

No problem - no restrictions on that front. If anything, as you will have hopefully seen from reading the MNF materials, the Forest Service encourages camping in existing sites i.e. where others have camped.

Tipi Walter
12-20-2012, 16:37
Wow, thanks guys for the info. I'm going to copy out this thread and start my "pre-mission briefing" of the Dolly Sods. Newbs to an area can never be over-prepared.

Cookerhiker
12-20-2012, 17:02
If you come up to WV, you may also be interested in the Cranberry Wilderness (http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=12368&actid=50) with miles of back-country trails.

Tipi Walter
12-20-2012, 17:23
If you come up to WV, you may also be interested in the Cranberry Wilderness (http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=12368&actid=50) with miles of back-country trails.

See, it's this kind of post which will make my head explode. Now I'm trying to figure out a way to link up Otter and Cranberry and Dolly ALL ON FOOT.

Hikerhead
12-20-2012, 17:30
I know a sweet isolated/hidden camping spot on the back/western side of Dolly Sods near the Red Creek trail. If you have a map I can almost pinpoint for you. It comes with rock chairs and a fire ring. You'll like Dolly Dods.

Cookerhiker
12-20-2012, 17:43
See, it's this kind of post which will make my head explode. Now I'm trying to figure out a way to link up Otter and Cranberry and Dolly ALL ON FOOT.

Let's see - via the Mylius Trail from Otter Creek, hike south on the Allegheny Trail. Either make your way to the Greenbrier River bike trail at Marlinton or hike further on the ALT to Watoga SP where you cross the Greenbrier. You might be able to make most of your way to Cranberry on back country roads.

That stretch of the ALT is nearly 100 miles and includes the ALT's highest point; it's on the long Shavers Mountain ridgeline and at over 4,100', you're walking through spruce forests.

BigRing
12-20-2012, 19:07
The Gendarme climbing shop, located next to Yocums General Store in Seneca Rocks has a great map they sell with DollySods trails that are coded, with mileage.....much better than the national forest maps.

Cookerhiker
12-20-2012, 21:01
The Gendarme climbing shop, located next to Yocums General Store in Seneca Rocks has a great map they sell with DollySods trails that are coded, with mileage.....much better than the national forest maps.

That sounds like the Canaan Valley Adventure Map which I referred to above. It also has contour lines.

JoshAuerbach
12-21-2012, 13:33
http://www.thegendarme.com/index.php/books-maps/dolly-sods-south.html

http://www.thegendarme.com/index.php/books-maps/dolly-sods-north.html

MDSection12
12-21-2012, 13:38
Just FYI, we did this (http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id116.html) hike for our three day out there. It was a blast, but I would have liked to cover more of the Northern end... That's where the landscape is a really dramatic change from the rest of the mid-atlantic. You should have plenty of time to cover a bit of both.

BigRing
12-21-2012, 19:26
The map I previously referred to is "not" the Canaan Valley Adventure Map. The map is sold at the climbing center, 18x24, sealed in plastic, and there is a link printed at the bottom; Mary Ann Honcharik Photography.....not sure if you can order direct.

rpcv
12-23-2012, 08:58
BTW, to answer your question about connecting Dolly Sods and Roaring Plains, I haven't done it, but it looks like it would be pretty easy with a small amount of road walking. If you hiked the Rohrbaugh Trail (TR 508) to its southern trailhead, you come out on FR 19, which is just a gravel forest road. From there, turn southwest on the road and walked less than a mile, you'll run into the furthest east trailhead in Roaring Plains on your left. It is the furthest east portion of the South Prong Trail described here (http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id121.html) up on Red Creek Plains. Here is the map (http://mrhyker.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/mnf-roaringplains-rev1-w.jpg). You could do any number of loops in there. If you came out of Roaring Plains on the other side of the South Prong Trail, you would be back on FR 19, just a couple of miles above the Red Creek Trailhead in Dolly Sods.

Hope this isn't too confusing.

Country Roads
12-23-2012, 19:07
For a spring hike, definitely get on the Mon National forest web site before your trip; sometimes the gates to Dolly Sods wilderness do not open until just before Memorial Day and you can check that out on the site. They have some decent maps you can print out, but topo maps for a first time visit might be a good idea, along with a compass and perhaps a GPS. (you will need 4 quad maps: Blackbird knob, Blackwater falls, Hopeville and laneville for the Dolly Sods area; you might need others if you hike the Roaring Plains West Wilderness). The topo maps are notorious for inaccuracies as to the trail locations, especially around Blackbird knob and Red Creek trail from Blackbird knob trail, down Red Creek Trail to the forks. With the bad weather we have had here this fall the gates to the main Dolly Sods Wilderness might be closed later this spring; they opened around mid-April in 2012. You most generally can get to the Roaring plains area most times. As others have said, be prepared for fast weather changes. It can go from nice to really, really, bad in a very short time. The mountains make their own weather. Also, be aware that, in rainy weather, Red Creek can rise from barely a trickle to near raging river conditions during the night. The trails see light maintenance since it is wilderness. To get to the Roaring Plains West Wilderness (after Feb 28th, the gate for FS70 along FS19 will most likely be closed), it is a minimum of 3 1/2 miles just to get to the wilderness boundary. It is a spectacular area to explore! There are 2 official trails (there are a couple of other trails that are outside the wilderness, namely South Prong and Boars Nest) and many unofficial trails. I think this area rivals the Sods and has a more "wild" flavor. Whatever route you choose to take, enjoy it!

rustmd
12-23-2012, 20:47
great website is www.midatlantichikes.com lots of info, great detailed maps.

dolly sods is a jewel.

.com

Studlintsean
07-12-2013, 14:34
Anybody been in the Dolly Sods area around this time of year that can comment on bugs (mosquitos)? I recently picked up a new tarp that I would like to try but im thinking the bugs could be an issue and might need to wait a few more months. If it helps at all, im going to try to do the loop that MDSecrtion12 linked. Thanks in advance.