Top Backpacking Trails in West Virginia
11 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
Backpacking in West Virginia on this site centers on the Monongahela National Forest in the eastern highlands: the high, boggy plateau of Dolly Sods, the faint routes of Roaring Plains West, the Otter Creek, Laurel Fork, and Cranberry wildernesses, Spruce Knob and Seneca Creek, North Fork Mountain, Canaan Mountain, and the Tea Creek backcountry. One trip, the Glade Creek Trail, is in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve to the south. Expect unblazed or sparsely signed trails, mud and sphagnum bogs, unbridged creek crossings, and rocky ridges. The Dolly Sods North loop is a moderate overnight, while the 24-mile North Fork Mountain Trail follows a dry ridge with one unreliable spring.
No permits were found for the national forest trips here. Camping is mostly dispersed, with groups limited to 10 in wilderness areas and 8 at New River Gorge, plus a few first-come shelters on Canaan Mountain and in the Tea Creek area. A food storage order covers the Cranberry and Tea Creek areas.
Late spring through fall is the usual season, but the Forest Service says freezing temperatures can reach the high country in any month, and creeks can flash flood. Some forest roads are gated in winter. Forest Road 19 near Laneville has been closed to vehicles since June 2026, so plan Dolly Sods access via Jordan Run Road. Deer seasons run from late September through December, and parts of Dolly Sods may still hold unexploded World War II shells.
Quick picks
- Easier overnight: Dolly Sods North Loop (Bear Rocks, Raven Ridge, Rocky Ridge)
- Longest trip: North Fork Mountain Trail
- Waterfall campsites: Spruce Knob and Seneca Creek Loop
- Creekside point-to-point: Otter Creek Trail (Otter Creek Wilderness)
- Route-finding challenge: Roaring Plains Circuit (Hidden Passage and Canyon Rim)
Monongahela National Forest
- Canaan Mountain and Table Rock Loop Canaan Mountain Backcountry, Monongahela National Forest (from Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis) 17.8 miles Moderate Dispersed backcountry camping and three first-come shelters; no permit
- Cranberry Wilderness Big Beechy and Middle Fork Loop Cranberry Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Gauley and Marlinton-White Sulphur Ranger Districts; North Fork/Big Beechy trailhead on the Highland Scenic Highway, WV 150) 16.7 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit
- Dolly Sods North Loop (Bear Rocks, Raven Ridge, Rocky Ridge) Dolly Sods Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Cheat-Potomac Ranger District; Bear Rocks trailhead on Forest Road 75) 12.3 miles Moderate Dispersed wilderness camping at existing sites; no permit
- Dolly Sods Red Creek, Rocky Point, and Lions Head Loop Dolly Sods Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Cheat-Potomac Ranger District; Red Creek trailhead near Laneville) 8.5 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping at existing sites; no permit
- Laurel Fork Wilderness South Loop Laurel Fork South Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Forest Road 14, Middle Mountain Road, south of US 33 at Wymer) 10.3 miles Moderate Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit
- North Fork Mountain Trail Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, Monongahela National Forest (Cheat-Potomac Ranger District; Smoke Hole Road near Petersburg to US 33 west of Franklin) 24 miles Hard Dispersed ridgetop camping; no permit
- Otter Creek Trail (Otter Creek Wilderness) Otter Creek Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Cheat-Potomac Ranger District; Dry Fork trailhead off WV 72 and Condon Run trailhead on Forest Road 91) 11.8 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit
- Roaring Plains Circuit (Hidden Passage and Canyon Rim) Roaring Plains West Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Cheat-Potomac Ranger District; South Prong trailhead on Forest Road 19) 12.8 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping; no permit
- Spruce Knob and Seneca Creek Loop Spruce Knob-Seneca Creek Backcountry, Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, Monongahela National Forest (Cheat-Potomac Ranger District; Spruce Knob summit area) 16.5 miles Hard Dispersed backcountry camping; no permit
- Tea Creek and Gauley Mountain Loop Tea Creek Backcountry, Monongahela National Forest (Marlinton-White Sulphur Ranger District; Highland Scenic Highway, WV 150, near Marlinton) 12.7 miles Hard Dispersed backcountry camping and two trail shelters; no permit
Southern West Virginia
Backpacking in West Virginia: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in West Virginia?
No backcountry permit was found for the Monongahela National Forest trips on this site, but the forest's wilderness areas, including Dolly Sods, Cranberry, Otter Creek, Laurel Fork, and Roaring Plains West, limit groups to 10 people. At New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, groups in undeveloped backcountry are limited to eight people and two tents, and the park's backpacking page doesn't say whether a permit is needed. Rules vary by managing agency, so confirm with the ranger district or park before you go.
Can you camp anywhere in the Monongahela National Forest?
Dispersed camping is allowed in much of the forest, and the Forest Service asks wilderness campers to stay at least 200 feet from trails and water, use existing fire rings, and stay no more than 14 days in a 28-day period. Some areas add limits: in Dolly Sods, camping and fires are banned within 300 feet of Forest Roads 19 and 75 except at Red Creek Campground, and in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Creek area within 300 feet of forest roads. At New River Gorge, camp at least 100 feet from trails and water and 300 feet from any cliff top or bottom. Check the managing agency's current rules for your trip.
Do you need a bear canister in West Virginia?
Not across the state, but a Forest Service food storage order covers the Gauley and Marlinton-White Sulphur ranger districts because of bear activity, which includes the Cranberry Wilderness and Tea Creek trips on this site. It requires a bear-resistant container or a food hang at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet out from the tree. Elsewhere, guides recommend hanging food for black bears, and New River Gorge asks backpackers to store food and trash securely.
When is the best time to backpack in West Virginia?
Late spring through fall suits most trips on this site, but the Forest Service warns that freezing temperatures can reach high areas like Dolly Sods and Canaan Mountain in any month, with snow possible from October through April. Many creek fords run high in spring and after heavy rain, and several areas can flash flood. Forest Roads 19 and 75 to Dolly Sods are usually gated from January to about mid-April, and the Highland Scenic Highway isn't plowed. During fall fire season, October 1 to December 31, state law bans outdoor burning from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Are any roads to the trailheads closed right now?
Yes. Forest Road 19 has been closed to vehicles from the gate near Laneville to Forest Road 75 since June 22, 2026, with no end date announced; the Forest Service says Dolly Sods can still be reached via Jordan Run Road near Hopeville, and walking the road is allowed. Forest Roads 76 and 86 in the Cranberry area are also under construction closures in 2026. Check the Monongahela National Forest alerts page and call the ranger district before you drive in.
Is it safe to backpack in West Virginia during hunting season?
Hunting is allowed in the national forest, including its wilderness areas, and seasons overlap fall backpacking. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' 2026-2027 regulations list deer archery from September 26 to December 31, buck firearms season from November 23 to December 6, and muzzleloader season from December 14 to 20, and require hunters to wear blaze orange during firearms seasons. The Forest Service recommends bright or blaze orange clothing for hikers too, so wear it in fall and check dates with the DNR.
Where this comes from
- U.S. Forest Service: Monongahela National Forest alerts
- U.S. Forest Service: Wilderness Restrictions order
- U.S. Forest Service: Monongahela wilderness areas
- Parsons Advocate: Forest Road 19 closed for maintenance (June 2026)
- National Park Service: Backpacking at New River Gorge
- National Park Service: New River Gorge road and trail closures
- WV Division of Natural Resources: 2026-2027 hunting and trapping regulations
- WV Department of Commerce: Fall fire season
- WV Emergency Management: Fall fire season starts October 1
- Mon Forest Towns: Alerts