[yew]

Not enough time to write up a comprehensive trip report but here's a 4+ minute movie of vistas, birdsong, wind and forests from a recent trip to Virginia and West Virginia.

After 3 days near Gaudineer Knob and Allegheny Trail on Shavers Mountain, West Virginia, I hiked from Spruce Knob down to High Meadows Trail. The High Meadows Trail has old pastures with very nice views of Allegheny Mountain and other hills.

Spruce Knob observation tower

Spruce Knob trailhead sign

looking down to farm and houses on Laurel Run from road to Spruce Knob

Spruce Knob

looking northwest from Spruce Knob Trail

Spruce Knob trail

meadows and red spruce on Huckleberry Trail

cherry blossoms on Huckleberry Trail near Spruce Knob

northern hardwood forest on Lumberjack Trail

bleeding hearts on the soggy, north end of the Lumberjack Trail

old pasture and orchard trees at north end of Lumberjack Trail where it meets High Meadows Trail

looking north into Seneca Creek valley from the upper High Meadows Trail

looking north into Seneca Creek valley from the upper High Meadows Trail

High Meadows Trail above Judy Springs

forest on trail # 533 south of Judy Springs

High Meadows trail in the Spruce Knob Nat'l Recreation Area

high country on Huckleberry Trail north of Spruce Knob

looking southwest into Monongahela National Forest from near Spruce Knob

Next day, the weather was not that great so I did short sampler hikes to areas I wanted to scout out. I hiked part of Lauel Fork South, the Allegheny Trail near Wymer and on Canaan Mountain

sunset over Shavers Mountain from FR 14 south of Wymer from clearcut

sunset over Shavers Mountain from FR 14 south of Wymer from clearcut

Laurel Fork South

Laurel Fork South

Laurel Fork South

Laurel Fork South

Laurel Fork South

wildflowers on Laurel Fork South Wilderness Area

Laurel Fork Campground in Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia

Allegheny Trail trailhead on US 33 east of Alpena, WV

Allegheny Trail just south of US 33 west of Wymer, WV

Allegheny Trail just south of US 33 west of Wymer, WV

Allegheny Trail just south of US 33 west of Wymer, WV

Allegheny Trail #701 south of the Canaan Loop Road

wildflowers on the Allegheny Trail just north of the Canaan Loop Road

A few days later we visited George Washington's Birthplace National Monument and Westmoreland State Park on the Northern Neck of Virginia. There are few miles of paths through the historical part of George Washington's. There's a also a gorgeous sandy beach on the Potomac River that makes for a nice, short walk.

swamp that drains into George Washington's Birthplace Monument beach

frog hiding in sand at George Washington's Birthplace Monument beach

George Washington's Birthplace National Monument house built in 1920s not an exact rebuild

pigs at George Washington's Birthplace National Monument

pig at George Washington's Birthplace National Monument

beach on Potomac River at George Washington's Birthplace National Monument

George Washington's Birthplace Monument beach where swamp drains into Potomac River

Westmoreland State Park has a nice network of trails. This hike is in Leonard Adkins' northern Virginia guidebook. We hiked the Turkey Neck Trail down to Yellow Swamp and looped back around. We saw a nutria in the swamp.

mountain laurel on the coastal plain Northern Neck of Virginia in Westmoreland State Park's Turkey Neck Trail

Yellow Swamp in Westmoreland State Park

yellow irises in Yellow Swamp

Yellow Swamp with yellow irises

near observation tower in Yellow Swamp Westmoreland State Park Virginia

cardinal off turkey neck trail in westmoreland state park virginia

Colonial Beach, Virginia before the thunderstorm hits.

walking the beach at Colonial Beach, Virginia before a thunderstorm

osprey in Colonial Beach

The weather was pretty bad for the next week with heavy downpours. We returned to West Virginia. We toured the Fernow Experimental Forest, hiked the Zero Grade Trail and looked at forestry experiments.

West Virginia mountains from Lead Mine Road north of Thomas

Cheat River north of Parsons, West Virginia after days of heavy rains

view of hill north of Otter Creek from mainstem road into Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

beginning of Zero Grade Trail in Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

single tree selection logging in Fernow Experimental Forest

individual tree selection in Fernow Experimental Forest

Fernow Experimental Forest

prescribed burn in Fernow Experimental Forest

We hiked the Allegheny Trail through Canaan Valley State Park. The trail was very wet and soggy.

bog view in Canaan Valley State Park

soggy, flooded Allegheny Trail in Canaan Valley State Park

pastures on Allegheny Trail on south end of Canaan Valley State park

pastures on Allegheny Trail on south end of Canaan Valley State park

Blackwater Falls after days of heavy rains

Blackwater Canyon

lodge in Blackwater Canyon

balsam fir in Blackwater Canyon

windmills (renewable but not "green" power) on Backbone Mountain in western Maryland

We drove south to Cass and rented cheap, mountain bikes for a 2 hour ride during a short window of good weather on the Greenbrier River Trail which the Allegheny Trail .

trailhead in Cass near Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail

Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail near Cass, West Virginia

Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail

Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail

azaleas on Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail

Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail

Allegheny Trail / Greenbrier River Trail

campsite on Allegheny Trail and Greenbrier River rail-trail

Cass, West Virginia and Greenbrier River

Next day, we headed north to the Lee Ranger District of the George Washington National Forest and hiked Tibbett Knob. On the way down we went for a short stroll on Shenandoah Mountain gated road across from the Confederate Breastworks but go rained out. We hiked around Braley Pond near West Augusta, Virginia.

gated FR 396 south of Confederate Breastworks before the rain

wildlife meadow on FR 396 on Shenandoah Mountain in rain

rock layers on Braley Pond

Braley Pond

wildflowers on Braley Pond

wildflowers on Braley Pond

wildflowers on Braley Pond

wildflowers on Braley Pond

wildflowers on Braley Pond

Braley Pond near West Augusta

Tibbett Knob has great views and is an easy trail. Flies and gnats were pretty bad, kamikaziing into eyes and ears.

recent shelterwood cut south of Wolf Gap on FR 94

rocky trail to south of Tibbett Knob. Now that's a trail!

runaway campfire was suppressed with a small fireline near top of Tibbett Knob

Trout Run valley from Tibbett Knob

ridge north of Big Schloss from Tibbett Knob

looking southwest from Tibbett Knob

looking southeast from gap in canopy on Tibbett Knob

pink azaleas on Tibbett Knob

many flies and gnats on south end of Tibbett Knob Trail

Last day, we hiked the Crack Whip Furnace Trail from Rockcliff Lake which involved a short ford since the creek was so high from recent heavy rains. We saw wild turkey chicks and a barred owl near Trout Pond.

barred owl (?) near Trout Pond

prescribed burn on FR 344 on Buck Mountain

We didn't have much of our normal equipment for car camping, just a notch up from backpacking gear because we only had luggage we could check on the airplane and were in a compact rental car.

Rockcliff Lake

rock outcrop north of Rockcliff Lake

creek that drains Rockcliff Lake

sign on trail north of Rockcliff Lake

wildlife opening on Crack Whip Furnace Trail

wildlife opening on Crack Whip Furnace trail

sign on Crack Whip Furnace Trail

wild turkey chick

old clearcut and grassy wildflower opening on Crack Whip Furnace Trail

rocky part of Crack Whip Furnace Trail

Except for the heavy downpours, it was a fun trip. I miss the Appalachians and think the lush, green eastern deciduous forests are beautiful. The Pacific Northwest has more variety with high mountains, sagebrush steppe, lowland Westside forests, eastside pine forests, the coast. The mid-Atlantic has some diversity with the Appalachians, Chesapeake Bay and Piedmont but it all has the same green, humid feel to it.

[Scrooge]

Spruce Knob observation tower

looking northwest from Spruce Knob Trail

Dang. Things have gotten pretty fancy up on Spruce Knob, in the fifty-odd years since I used to go camping in (what used to be) the meadows south of (what used to be) the fire lookout. There was an area of big granite boulders, much more spread out than the ones in your pics, about a hundred yards up from the road that made a great place to set up camp. To this day, that spot up on Spruce Knob remains one of the two places from which I have ever seen the Northern Lights, in spite of all my years here in Washington. Anyway, Yew, thanks for the memories.

[GaliWalker]

A number of familiar views...I feel less lonely. Thanks for the report!

[yew]

[EastKing]

Been to Spruce Knob back in my college years. Pretty area. Glad you got to enjoy this area.