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Stay on designated trails. Do not create new trails Camp at existing campsites. These usually have a fire ring and show bare ground around them. If you camp at a place without a fire ring DO NOT create one. Use a backpacker-type stove for your cooking needs and enjoy a night without a campfire.
Map: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5152038.pdf The 17,371 acre Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is located in Grant, Randolph, and Tucker Counties, West Virginia. The Dolly Sods Wilderness contains much of the Red Creek drainage and contains bog and heath eco-types, more commonly typical to southern Canada. Elevations range from 2,500 to over 4,700 feet. For more information, see Dolly Sods Wilderness Brochure, Trail Map, and Expansion Map.
Practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics: do not build a camp within 200 feet of roads, streams and trails. Dolly Sods Wilderness has 47 miles of trails, many of which follow old railroad grades and logging roads. There are fords on some of the trails that may be a problem to cross during high water events. There may be additional small stream crossings as well.
Recreation areas with activity Dispersed Camping: There are at least 7 dispersed camp sites Along Canaan Loop Road.
Camping Tips Bring drinking water; otherwise, treat water from streams and springs before drinking to kill harmful pathogens. Vigorously boil local water for at least three minutes, or use a filter which is specifically labeled for removal of Giardia. Chemical treatments (iodine and chlorine) are not considered effective. Freezing temperatures and snow can occur anytime of the year, but mainly between October and April. Dress for the weather. Practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics: do not build a camp within 200 feet of streams. Light weight camping stoves are encouraged. If using firewood it must be dead AND down branches only. Keep fires small. During hunting seasons, hikers are encouraged to wear high visibility clothing.
Map: https://wvdnr.gov/wmamapproj/pdf/pdf300/EdwardsRunFinal11x17_300dpi.pdf
Primitive camping is provided as well as parking, a pit toilet and trash cans. Get your DNR permit and enjoy a day in the woods.
The 397-acre Edwards Run Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is principally forested in oak and hickory though it includes approximately 17 acres of brush and scattered clearing. Deer, squirrel, and turkey are the principal species hunted in the management area. Edwards Run, a tributary of the Cacapon River, accommodates fishing for trout and is stocked from February until May. Six primitive campsites with pit toilets have been developed in the management area.
Directions: Edwards Run Wildlife Management Area is located in eastern Hampshire County two miles north of Capon Bridge, WV. To reach the area from Capon Bridge, follow highway US-50 to WV-15 north.
Edwards Run WMA is managed by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. It was formerly known as the Edwards Run Public Hunting & Fishing Area.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed areas and other campers. Dispersed camping requires extra responsibilities and skills.
Keep a pack-in pack-out camp. Amenities like water, restrooms or trash cans are not provided.
There are no fees or permit required for dispersed camping in small groups. Group size is limited to no more than 10 people in a designated Wilderness.
Camping stay is limited to 21 consecutive days.
Please camp at least 200 feet from any stream or other water source.
Contact the local District Office to see if any restrictions are in place.
Use a good map to ensure you are not on private land.
Be bear aware: keep a clean camp and keep food out of reach of bears.
Ranger
Sites are located less than a mile from the paved highway. We found 5 spots just off the road. All were easily accessible by cat or with a small teardrop trailer.
True boondocking, haul it in, pack it out. Evidence of a cat hole in the site we picked
Sites were quiet at night. Some traffic related to logging activity. Looks like a popular weekend camp spot for locals.
We camped during the week and had nobody else camping on weekdays.
Guide
This was our first night ever for dispersed camping for us. Did have nice secluded spots for camping. Road was a little rough so take your time.
RangerThe road leading to the camp site from Wardensville was in excellent condition all the way to the camp site. There are e total of 9 campsites.
Most sites have a paved parking platform and then a second tier for the camp site. All sites are quite large and include picnic tables, fire rings and large tent platforms.
The campsite itself is beautifully wooded. Each campsite is mostly secluded from the rest of the park.
The campground has vaulted toilet and communal garbage receptical. There is a large day use area. There are several trails that intersect with the campsite ànd day hikers are a common site.
TravelerLoved camping here! We found a nice site in the pine trees! Perfect for 2 vehicles and 5 people hammock camping!
GuideAs I pulled in there was a kiosk with a sign that said $10 camping fee but no info on how or where to pay. I tried to look at the WVDNR website but couldn't find it there either, However no one came by. Other than that the site was level and grassy. Nice camp site.
Scout
Camped here several times and I love it.
TravelerMy partner and I like to camp here every year, this year being our third. We’ve found a few nice little spots to set up camp. Great trails nearby with wonderful views.
TravelerI spent a night here. There's a lot by the road that looks like it's where they want you to camp but there are better sites on in. Just gotta hike to em. Fun place to teach the kids the basics of fishing, but the campground area leaves a little to be desired.
ScoutBerries abound. Gorgeous views. Be sure to hang your food. Make sure you see bear rocks! Take a map. This place is just magical.
GuideWe arrived in the late afternoon and found a very pleasant back-in spot about a mile or so in. Hiked a few of the nearby trails. Saw some bear scat, but past that the only animals we saw were a few frogs.
Very, very damp.
GuideI really enjoyed the Caanan Loop Road. It all dispersed camping and if you have a 4x4 you can complete the loop. If you come in from the east, it's a very well maintained road for any vehicle (RVs may have trouble turning around), but the last mile or two you need a 4x4. This will take you to Blackwater Falls state Park.
GuideExcellent weather. There will always be puddles / ponds in the middle of the trails in Dolly Sods, but conditions were generally excellent. Camped at the Forks and most sites ended up full there, but plenty of dispersed camping off other trails.
GuideStill snow on the ground and very wet in early April, but great dispersed car camp and walk-in camp sites.
TravelerWe camped here on a winter road trip fully prepared for the worst weather and this mountain top dispersed site delivered. It was muddy and snowy but our Subaru made it fine about half way into Canaan loop road. All of the sites were mud pits but they were easily identified by big fire rings.
The scenery was gorgeous but don't come here in the winter unless you are prepared for any kind of weather event. It's very secluded and you need to definitely be self sufficient
TravelerWith the incredibly varied landscapes and diverse vegetation, Dolly Sods truly feels like you are somewhere far north from WV. The ferns and evergreens reminded me of being in Maine, the vast meadows felt like I was in Wyoming or Montana.
I spent Labor Day weekend in Dolly Sods. With the parking lot packed full of vehicles at Bear Rocks Trailhead, I thought it might be difficult finding any decent campsites on the trail. Thankfully I was very wrong. There are so many incredible spots to camp pretty much everywhere along the trail. Finding water near camp is difficult in some areas, but some simple planning negates this.
(I lost my Oakley Frogskins somewhere on the Rocky Ridge Trail, free to anyone that finds them lol)
Legend
Brushy Ridge Road is Forest Service Road 75 and is in decent condition. There are several pull off campsites along this road on the way up to Dolly Sods wilderness but this primitive group of three large unmarked campsites with stone fire rings is before you get to the Bear Flats Plateau and the Red Creek camp grounds. It is a 2.5 mile, 2000’ climb to get to the trailhead for Bear Rocks Trail in Bear Rocks Preserve which is about a half mile past the entrance to this unmarked group site. I camped in the middle of these three large campsites that are each about 100 feet away from each other. Firewood was available on a self serve honor system (put $5 cash in the box for each bundle you take) at the farmhouse across from the turn on to Brushy Creek.
GuideLots of spots along the trails. Sites in the more popular areas by the rivers fill up on busy weekends. The trails can be muddy and rocky but a gorgeous area. Bear country so bring a cannister or hang your food. But 100% worth the trip.
TravelerReal dispersed and nice for meditation and views. Beautiful scenery
ScoutSo many different landscapes packed into on area. We did an overnight trip and had so much fun. 10/10 recommend.
LegendThe sods are a truly wild and remote place in an increasingly crowded East coast. For years Dolly Sods has been my go-to backcountry destination, even for chilly winter stays. Many places carry the “wilderness” moniker in the East, but this place lives up to it. No cell service, no car camping, no trail markers, no toilets, and no running water. It’s the real deal. During the off season you can hike for days and not see another person. There are some opportunities to camp closer to the trailhead for those only looking to dip a toe into wilderness travel, but you could hike for miles to a remote site as well. Be advised, a good physical map and compass, the skills needed to use them, are vital here. There are no trail marks and the path can be confusing. Come prepared and have a great adventure.
RangerDolly Sods is a wilderness area within the great Monongahela National Forest. I backpacked here in early March a few years ago. Definitely be prepared for high winds and rain. We hiked in in warm weather and once we reached the top of a long entrance road (where one trailhead was) we found snow. A lot of the snow had melted making the ground very soggy and oversaturated in some areas. Despite this, our short Dolly Sods backpacking trip was an amazing first trek for myself and a fiend. Dolly Sods is absolutely gorgeous and is a completely different and unique ecosystem than the surrounding area. I also have friends who have camped here later in the year - mid to late summer - and have highly, highly, recommended that I go back during that time.
LegendDolly Sods Wilderness Area, part of the Monongahela National Forest, offers something for every hiker, backpacker, camper.
Having visited Dolly Sods numerous times at the Red Creek Campground, using that as the base camp to launch off to explore the myriad of trails. We decided to use the backcountry as a primer for the following year's longer westerly backbacking trip.
Know that it will likely rain on you in Dolly Sods, so always bring rain gear. Also realize, that with climate and conditions similar to the Canadian Tundra, temperatures and winds vary and fluctuate often, any time of year. Those two conditions often dissuade less hearty souls...but they are also exactly what creates and sustains a very beautiful environment.
During our excursion, we spent three nights and four days on what I will term the perimeter trails...camping at Raven Ridge, Big Stonecoal Run creek, and at Reds Creek at the forks. Numerous websites offer insight and directions and all are beneficial to study. We chose to travel counter-clockwise from Bear Rocks, parking in the grass across from the trailhead. Note: leaving valuables in or on your vehicle while you traipse about in the Sods is always iffy, just like anywhere else, so use wisdom. I've read of thefts...but the vehicle parked to us had two high end full-suspension mountain bikes on a roof rack for days without issue.
If you are unfamiliar with Dolly Sods Wilderness trails...choose footwear that either dries fast or is waterproof...has a robust sole to fend off bruises from the brutal amount of sharp, ankle buster rocks on the trail...and won't pull off and be lost in the countless bogs and areas of shoe sucking mud. We wanted to rename one particular trail "pointed rock trail." Our expensive boots were actually a fail for this trip...which was a valuable education.
We saw people run this trail in a day...but there's no way you can enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells moving that quickly. I felt we should've taken more time and explored much more...although soggy weather became a deterrent. The amount of brightly colored fungi, snakes, crayfish and salamanders were astonishing. So if you move too quickly, you miss them.
Do practice "leave no trace." The heavy summer and weekend use by careless and selfish hikers or backcountry partiers...has left the woods adjacent to Reds Creek camping sites littered with toilet paper...dig your cat hole and bury your "goods!"
The rocks on the trail may be a pain, but the formations and views from Raven's Ridge, Lion's Head and Bear Rocks rival the best.
Do your homework, choose your camping gear and wardrobe wisely and launch off into the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area...you'll be glad you did!
GuideDone the drive out twice for extended weekends. Peaceful, quiet, and beautiful. No other place really is like this. Terrain changes, lots of mud, and not over-crowded
RangerDid a four-day hike of the 26-mile loop in Dolly Sods Wilderness, first night we camped was at Ravens Ridge. There were some camps already in that area but in the woods, however we chose to set up camp on the ridge with a view of Canaan Valley. The next day we hiked to Big Stone Coal Creek, where we set up for the night, a campsite had been left from other hikers with a makeshift fire pit and stone chairs. On day 3, we hiked up to Lion’s head where there were lots of campsites from past hikers, but we continued on to Red Creek where we camped for the night. Lots of weekend warriors’ hike into Red Creek for the weekend, so lots of campsites but also be weary of the people who don’t know how to use the restroom in nature, lots of flies and toilet paper lying about. The trails were all well marked, I would still bring a map of the trails and know which ones you want to take before heading out into this vast wilderness. Also, be aware that during the summer lots of rain fall so trails will be muddy and some trails almost completely underwater, Dobbins Grade is one of the trails that typically is wet and muddy most of the summer and fall.
You can backpack in any season of the year here, but both roads (Forest Road 19 and 75) leading to Dolly Sods are winding and steep so in snowy or ice conditions could be dangerous. You can park at Bear Rocks or right in front of the trail head, you will see a good majority of cars parked in those areas from people backpacking in or day hiking. There are multiple ways back into the wilderness, the first is close to Red Creek campground along the Blackbird Knob Trail, Dolly Sods picnic area has the trailhead for Rohrbaugh trail, Red Creek trail starts on Forest Road 19, then Forest Road 19 turns into 75 and you have multiple Trailheads along that route until Bear Rocks.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Lonaconing, MD is Dolly Sods Backcountry with a 5-star rating from 11 reviews.
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