Dolly Sods, WV

    After hearing about this place for a few years, I finally made it happen.  I opted for a three night, two day trip; completing a 24-mile circumnavigation of the Wilderness area.  The map and trail guide can be found here:  http://midatlantichikes.com/dst-mod1.htm

September 8, 2017

    I parked at Bear Rocks trailhead about two hours before nightfall.  I exited the car and surveyed the area... the wind was stiff and the air was cool.  The windswept plateau of Dolly Sods... I had finally arrived!

Actually taken on Rocky Ridge Trail.

    I was aiming for a campsite where the Bear Rocks trail crosses Red Creek, about one and a half miles from where I parked.  However, when I arrived there was a lone tenter with a dog.  I opt to push onward down the trail in search of another campsite.  Right below the highland meadow, I spot a campsite in a section of deciduous trees.  I spend the night by myself; tired but excited for my first full day in Dolly Sods tomorrow.

September 9, 2017

    I sleep in, fulling enjoying the start of the weekend being spent in the woods.  When I do begin hiking for the day, the trail jolts uphill and opens up into a highland meadow and I am soon at the Raven Ridge trail junction.  The views are quite impressive to my left and right.  To my right, I can survey the valley below and to my left, is a view onward to the highlands of Dolly Sods.  I stop to take a break and can see the windmills turning on the horizon.  The low vegetation, such as blueberry bushes, ferns, and shrubs have started turning different shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown.  Fall has arrived to the 4,000 foot plateau!

Autumn on the Dolly Sods plateau.

    To my surprise, the trail isn't as muddy or boggy as I was expecting.  You always hear about this aspect about Dolly Sods because drainage is somewhat poor and the plateau is laden with bogs.  I follow the ridge to a rather large boulder, that my print-out guide mentions.  As is the case with Dolly Sods, there are no blazes; only signs at [most] trail intersections and the guide likes to list landmarks, when available.  It was around this boulder that I lost the trail.  While I was on a trail, I could tell that is wasn't the main trail.  I backtracked to where I think I went wrong... only problem is I still don't find the main trail.  I opt to turn on my GPS, go back to the faint trail, and start navigating (yes, at times, bush-wacking) to the main trail.  It is displayed on my map on my phone as a dotted line.  How convenient!  I pop out upon a wide meadow that slopes down toward the valley below and a few cotton plants line the trail next to yellow ferns.  I'm happy to be back on the tread-way.

Such diverse flora & fauna!!

    I follow the trail to Rocky Knob and cross a scree field to where I meet two women on a bench.  A bench is like finding gold, if you're a hiker.  They ask me where I'm going to camp and I tell them I'll be taking Harman Trail down to Red Creek (but will need to take a short jaunt on the Blackbird Knob trail to get there).  One of the women asks me if I'm carrying maps, with a curious eye.  I respond "yes, I'm actually carrying several maps".  She replies:  "good... you look like someone that would be carrying maps".  Now, if you know me, this is far from accurate.  But I did take the necessary precautions while navigating this particular wilderness area.

Views, for miles!

    I finally come to the trail junction for the Harman Trail and it goes through a meadow that is somewhat overgrown but solitude abounds because you can tell that this is one of the lesser traveled trails.  I navigate down to Red Creek where I will camp tonight.  While I camp by myself, I am within hear shot of a rather large group of hikers that are talking about felonies, girls they've hooked up with, and they're singing this really bizarre song (that I just HAD to look up once I returned to civilization because they kept singing it over AND over!).  Turns out, it is a Scout song.  It can be found HERE.

September 10th, 2017

    I wake and roll out at a fairly reasonable hour.  Today I will view Lion's Head.  The trail is mostly uphill from camp as it climbs back to the ridge.  I come to the intersection for the Big Stonecoal trail.  This section of trail had everything.  I navigated through tall pines, spruce tunnels, bogs, along mountain laurel and rhododendrons, cross small creeks, and there's a few waterfalls, too!  I soon come to the Rocky Point trail and even though I walking on an old railroad bed, the rocks are relentless and pointy.  My feet soon start to hurt.  I pick a place to turn uphill and arrive near the Lion's Head outcropping.  I survey the steep valley walls and the pending fall foliage that is now just a dusty green of light yellows.  I bush-whack back down the trail because I didn't like how convoluted the way up was and didn't want to go back that way.

Lion's Head

    I hike until I reach an area called The Forks, where the Red Creek drainage comes together.  I pick a sandy camp spot and have a fire pit ring with several slate chairs and a "dining table" with two slate chairs that look out to the creek.  I dally and read most of a Backpacker magazine that I packed.  I mostly have this whole area to myself and I can't believe it.  This is a tremendously popular camping spot... but it is Sunday evening.  I used my new water filtration system (Sawyer Squeeze).  You can read about my review HERE.  I make a fire for about an hour and then let it die; just in time to look up and see millions of stars.  That never gets old!

Red Creek.  Campsite is just to the left.  Tannin water, included.

September 11th, 2017

    I wake up before 8AM and am hiking by 8:30AM.  The trail goes up from camp and the trail is soon going through alternating highland meadows and forest.  I soon come to the trail junction of Dobbin Grade and Raven Ridge trail.  I opt to take the longer (and drier) Raven Ridge trail.  It's more scenic (thanks, guide!)  I hike briskly through highland meadows.  Although, over the weekend, a big group of horse riders have used this trail and I make my way around piles of horse shit and a clobbered muddy trail in places, thanks to their large hoofs.

Morning in the Highland Meadow

    I arrive back at the intersection for Raven Ridge and Bear Rocks trails.  I retrace my steps along the Bear Rocks trail back to the car.  Successful trip, all in all!  I would love to come back in Spring or Summer when the blueberries are in season... but something tells me that it's more crowded and wet / muddy.  We'll see...

Until next time, Happy Trails...  :)

~Soulslosher