Dolly Sods Wilderness

The trails of the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area are some of the most popular hiking destinations in West Virginia, as such the trails will typically be crowded. The scenery is worth the lack of solitude and the trails should be considered a priority hike.

The 10,215 acre Wilderness is similar to the more Northern forests of Canada or New England than the more traditional Appalachian Mountains. The entrance is on the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail, which has a marked trailhead. You will go over a small hill, then cross the old woods road at .5 miles in. You will cross streams and go through a nice fern meadow. At 1.4 miles the hike goes through a rhododendron tunnel. You will then come to an open rocky vista about 2.3 miles into the hike. The Red Creek Gorge about 1000 feet below is visible from this vista. At 3.0 miles the trail to the right is the Wildlife Trail, bear left to stay on the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail for another .5 miles to the intersection of Fisher Spring Run Trail. Continue on Fisher Spring Run Trail to the junction of Red Creek Trail, at Red Creek Trail(on the left) turn right fording Red Creek (you should be on Rocky Point Trail). At 7.2 miles is the junction of Big Stonecoal Trail, then quickly come to a nice 30 foot waterfall at 7.4 miles before turing on Dunkenbarger Trail at 7.8 miles. At 9.4 miles turn left onto Little Stonecoal Trail. At 11.9 miles turn left onto Red Creek Trail. At 14.1 miles you will intersect back to Fisher Spring Run Trail where you will follow it and Rohrbaugh Plains Trail back to the trailhead.