Monongahela National Forest is a stunning gem in an already beautiful region. This area of West Virginia is an outdoor lover’s paradise with over 800 miles of hiking trails, dozens of campsites, incredible places to fish, bike, or rock climb, and plenty of scenic drives. While often overlooked, West Virginia is the ultimate destination for an adventure. It’s easy to tell why the state slogan is “Wild and Wonderful”.
Geographic Location
The Monongahela National Forest stretches across nearly 1 million acres in the north-central section of the state of West Virginia. Within this massive National Forest are 8 separate wilderness areas that connect one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the US. Undoubtably, when you visit this area, you will see some of the most remarkable and iconic places in the state.
Pronunciation muh·naang·guh·hee·luh or “Mon” for short
What I Love about the Monongahela National Forest
The Monongahela National Forest is about 3-5 hours away from me in Baltimore. I’ve spent so many long days and weekends exploring this area of West Virginia. I love the remoteness, even though it’s only a couple hours from one of the largest cities in the country. The astounding scenery and intense rock formations will leave you breathless. It seems that every time I go to the Monongahela National Forest, I find something new to love. And every time I leave, I can’t wait to go back.
My first visit to the Mon National Forest was to Blackwater Falls State Park. After waking up early and driving 4+ hours, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was surprised when I arrived. I quickly learned 2 things- 1. There is no cell service in the area. 2. West Virginia State Parks are an absolute gem.
West Virginia State Parks are surprisingly organized, hospitable, and accommodating considering the remoteness. Each park has a detailed trail map available for everyone to take with them. Most state parks have a lot of amenities like gift shops, restaurants and bathrooms. The staff are usually friendly and helpful.
The things I love most about West Virginia are the Appalachian pride, and the passion for the outdoors. This is demonstrated in the art galleries, the food and the people. Driving through this area, I feel instantly embraced by the culture. With the dirt roads and the corner mom and pop restaurants, you can’t help but start to love it. From the delicate rhododendron blooms to the raging waterfalls, West Virginia is filled with an unapologetic admiration of natural beauty.
Since that first trip, I have been back many times. I love exploring the area and finding new places to love like North Fork Mountain, Dolly Sods and Douglas Falls. My most recent trip was to Seneca Rocks. The rock formations at Seneca Rocks are very unique. A photo of this area is used in a lot of West Virginia tourism campaigns. It’s very recognizable. My last trip here was a redemption trip. I wanted to see the view in its full glory, rather than the obstructed foggy view I saw earlier this year.
Visiting in summer was the right move. I hiked the trail up to the overlook and basked in the scenery of rolling green hills. After my hike, I found a swimming hole at the base of the trail. Yes, there’s a swimming hole at the base of Seneca Rocks! I quickly changed into my suit and jumped into the crisp cool water. There is absolutely nothing better than a swimming hole on a hot July day. It was at that moment that I started pondering the perfect itinerary for the Mon National Forest and planned this article.
Getting Around
To get around this area of West Virginia, you will need a car or truck. Uber and Lyft are not an option, since cell service is hard to come by.
Cell Service
On most hikes there’s no cell service, not even roaming. In the towns, you may have some reception. Here are a few ways to prepare:
- Download a map of the area on Google Maps. Open the Maps app, click on your picture, then select “Offline Maps”. Choose “Select your own map” then roll over to the Monongahela National Forest area. Hit download and keep this map for your next trip to the area.
- Download any trail maps on AllTrails. Your GPS will work even though you don’t have cell service. You can use these to ensure you don’t get lost on the trail, and to find the trailhead.
- When hiking without cell service, turn your phone to airplane mode. This will keep your battery from draining all day.
Mon Forest Towns
The 12 towns that sit within the boundaries of the Monongahela National Forest, are charmingly known as the Mon Forest Towns. These towns vary greatly in size and amenities, but they all share the unique West Virginia character. Listed here are 3 of my favorites:
- Davis- This alluring mountain town is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. The quaint eateries, shops and pubs sit along the Blackwater river. The location and the welcoming feel make this town the perfect home base to explore the Monongahela National Forest.
- Thomas- This town is my personal favorite. Located right next to Davis, but a bit smaller, Thomas, WV brings all of the history, quirkiness and charm of West Virginia. With upscale coffee shops, inspiring galleries, delicious ice cream and the best pizza I’ve ever had, this town is worth a stop.
- Elkins- This charming college town is home of the official headquarters of the Monongahela National Forest. The town has a vibrant main street with unique shops, galleries and breweries. On the first Fridays of each month, you can catch live musical entertainment in downtown Elkins.
Ways to Stay
When choosing accommodations for your trip to the Monongahela National Forest, there are a great variety of places to stay. Ranging from lux resorts to tent camping, you can find the perfect place to experience the area.
Stay in a luxurious resort or Lodge
Canaan Valley Resort https://www.canaanresort.com/
Greenbrier Resort https://www.greenbrier.com/
Snowshoe Resort https://www.snowshoemtn.com/
Blackwater State Park Lodge https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/
Hotels
There are boutique hotels and Airbnbs near Davis, WV. As you get closer to Elkins, you can find more chain hotels like Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn.
Cabins
Blackwater State Park https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/
Canaan Valley Resort State Park https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/
I’ve concentrated this itinerary around Davis, WV in the northern portion of the National Forest.
Day 1
Blackwater Falls State Park
What better way to start your day than with a roaring waterfall? To start off at Blackwater Falls State Park, park at the Falls Parking area, which is also the location of Blackwater Trading Co. Here you will find clean bathrooms and a gift shop. The trail to the falls consists of about 200 steps down, and a boardwalk path.
This park is well-known for the namesake waterfall, but don’t let that be the only thing you see here. After visiting Blackwater Falls, drive to Pendleton Point overlook. You can choose to hike to the lake for some breathtaking views, but the view from Pendleton overlook is my favorite.
On the south side of the park, there are a couple more overlooks of Blackwater Falls and Lindy point, which overlooks all of Blackwater Canyon. After exploring by car, park at the Blackwater Visitor Center and Blackwater Lodge. To the left of the parking lot is the trail to Elakala Falls. This is my favorite trail in the park.
Elakala Falls is mossy, shaded and looks like middle earth. The trail is covered with Rhododendron. In the spring and summer, you will be treated to a beautiful pink petal-covered path.
You can keep your car parked at the Visitor Center and walk inside to have lunch at Blackwater Lodge.
Douglas Falls
After lunch, you can head out to chase some waterfalls in rural West Virginia. Douglas Falls is located just outside of the town of Thomas. This falls is not in any park, so the trail is not marked and there is no park staff to assist. The parking area is off of Douglas Road- a one lane, rural, unkempt backroad. This kind of trek is classic West Virginia and although it’s daunting, it’s an authentic experience. You will pass some landmarks along the way including Albert Falls, and some informative historical plaques. The trail to the falls is relatively easy, until you reach the actual waterfall. After maneuvering down the steep hill, you will be rewarded with a huge raging waterfall. The water is a cool blue flowing across bright orange rocks, both discolored from years of coal mining in the area.
Thomas, WV
You won’t want to miss the shops and galleries in Thomas. This tiny mountain town sits along the Blackwater River. What this town lacks in square footage, it makes up for in personality. Browse the galleries and art shops, grab a coffee at Tip Top Coffee. You can get an ice cream and pick up some gifts in the shops. It won’t take long to explore main street. You can choose to have dinner at Riverside pizza or the Purple Fiddle, or head to the neighboring town of Davis.
Day 2
Spruce Knob
On the second day of your trip, you’ll be spending most of your time in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. Start your day at Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia. You can drive to the overlook and see the views from the observation deck. It doesn’t even require a long hike.
Seneca Rocks
Seneca Rocks is an iconic hiking area in West Virginia. The unique rock formations make for dramatic scenery and a thrilling hike. This area is very popular for rock climbing too. You will likely see people hanging from the rocks. There are multiple parking areas, but they all lead to the trail in some way. You will see detailed maps posted throughout the area.
Hike to the overlook at Seneca Rocks. The hike up the mountain is winding and beautiful. You can hike to the viewing platform, or keep going up the rocks to get a stunning 360* view of the valley. After the hike back to the parking lot you have a few choices for what to do next, depending on the season.
Swim at Seneca Rocks Swimming hole
In the summer, I would fully recommend going swimming in the river at Seneca Rocks.
Seneca Caverns
If spending some time underground sounds like fun, visit Seneca Caverns.
Seneca Rocks Discovery Center
For some indoor fun, head over to the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center to learn about the area, visit the gift shop and see the amazing art displays.
North Fork Mountain
Not far from Seneca Rocks is North Fork Mountain trail, also known as Chimney Top. This trail is one of my top 5 favorite trails, hands down. It’s about 5 miles out and back. When you get to the top, you could sit and stare at the view of the Monongahela National Forest for days.
Canaan Valley Resort
You can’t leave the Mon National Forest without a stop at Canaan Valley. You can bask in in the views of rolling hills while you have dinner at one of their restaurants. If you time this correctly, you can hike up to Bald Knob in time for sunset. It would be the perfect way to end your trip to the Monongahela National Forest.
Other Points of Interest
- Red Spruce Knob
- Backbone Mountain
- High Falls Trail
- Cranberry Glades Botanical Area
- Spruce Mountain
- Dolly Sods: For more intense hiking and adventures, you can visit Dolly Sods. I left the Sods out of this itinerary because this is for the casual adventurer, but it’s definitely worth a visit. I will be posting another article on the sods soon!
- West Virginia is also a great destination for winter sports. Stay at Snowshoe resort or Canaan Valley Resort for skiing.
References:
Interactive Map of the area
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