Trails / West Virginia / Monongahela National Forest

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)

Dolly Sods is a high plateau of meadows, bogs, and spruce in the Monongahela National Forest, ranging from about 2,500 to 4,700 feet according to the Forest Service brochure. Its northern end is reached from the Bear Rocks trailhead on Forest Road 75.

This loop covers that northern section on four trails, with a ridge overlooking Canaan Valley and a stretch of wind-carved sandstone, and its 12.3 miles suit a relaxed overnight.

The hike

Hiking Project lists the loop at 12.3 miles with only about 890 feet of climbing, between roughly 3,700 and 4,150 feet. Backpacker puts the Bear Rocks trailhead about 0.2 mile south of the Bear Rocks overlook, with parking along the road.

The Bear Rocks Trail heads west through open fields and drops to a crossing of Red Creek about 1.25 miles in, which Hiking Project suggests doing barefoot. A climb of about 250 feet in half a mile follows, the loop’s only hard climb. At 2.4 miles, bear right onto the Raven Ridge Trail, which crosses long meadows and pine groves to a ridge above Canaan Valley.

Bear left on the Rocky Ridge Trail and head south along the ridge. Hiking Project mentions an unmarked spur near mile 4.1 to the westernmost viewpoint, then wind-carved sandstone with optional light scrambling. MyHikes reviewers say the trail is easy to lose in the boulder area, and Backpacker’s hint applies: “If you find yourself bushwhacking, you’ve gone the wrong way.”

Around mile 6, turn east and downhill on the Dobbin Grade Trail. Hiking Project says unmarked side trails branch off near mile 5.8 and the descent along a stream bed is often wet. At about 8.9 miles you choose: continue on Dobbin Grade through sphagnum bogs where the trail can disappear, or turn north on Raven Ridge for a steady 1.5-mile climb, the option Hiking Project calls easier. Backcountry Post forum regulars also say to avoid the muddy upper Dobbin Grade. Either way, rejoin the Bear Rocks Trail and retrace 2.4 miles to the car.

None of the trails are blazed. Wooden signposts mark junctions, but Hiking Project calls them sporadic, so carry a map.

For a longer trip into the southern half of the wilderness, see the Red Creek and Lions Head loop. The Roaring Plains lie just to the southwest.

Tips

• Check the roads first. Forest Road 19 west of FR 75 is closed to vehicles; plan to come in via Jordan Run Road.
• Don’t touch old military shells. The area was used for artillery and mortar training in World War II.
• Expect wet feet. Bogs, a Red Creek ford, and the Dobbin Grade mud are standard here.
• Take the Raven Ridge return if you want to skip the deepest bogs.
• Pack for cold. Freezing temperatures can occur any month.
• Hang your food. Backpacker recommends hanging food and toiletries for black bears.

Camping

There’s no permit. Groups larger than 10 are prohibited in the wilderness (order 09-21-12-03). Camping and fires are banned within 300 feet of Forest Roads 19 and 75, except at Red Creek Campground (order 21-94). The Forest Service brochure asks you to camp only at existing sites, not to build new fire rings, and to stay 200 feet from roads and streams. Camping is prohibited on the Bear Rocks Preserve, and forest-wide you can stay 14 days in a 28-day period. Treat all water.

Inside Intel: MyHikes describes a site with slate chairs and a fire ring just after the Red Creek crossing. Reviewers Emily (2016) and John Hick (2016) camped in evergreen and red spruce stands near where the Bear Rocks Trail meets Raven Ridge, and one couple (2014) camped under the pines just before the Rocky Ridge-Dobbin Grade junction, which they said sheltered them in snow.

Trail facts

• Distance: 12.3 miles (Hiking Project)
• Route type: Loop (Bear Rocks, Raven Ridge, Rocky Ridge, Dobbin Grade, Raven Ridge, Bear Rocks)
• Difficulty: Moderate; navigation and bogs are the hard parts
• Campsites: Dispersed, at existing sites
• Water: Red Creek (about mile 1.25), streams and bogs on Dobbin Grade; treat it
• Permits: None; groups of 10 or fewer
• Fires: Not within 300 feet of FR 19 or FR 75; 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. only during state fire seasons
• Dogs: Allowed under control
• Trailhead: Bear Rocks, Forest Road 75
• Last verified: October 12, 2026

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

• U.S. Forest Service: Dolly Sods Wilderness
• U.S. Forest Service: Dolly Sods Wilderness and Scenic Areas order
• U.S. Forest Service: Wilderness Restrictions order
• U.S. Forest Service: Forest Road 19 closed for maintenance (June 2026)
• Dolly Sods brochure (Forest Service, via WV Highlands Conservancy)
• Hiking Project: Dolly Sods Wilderness North Day Loop
• Backpacker: West Virginia: Backpacking the Dolly Sods
• MyHikes: Dolly Sods Lions Head hike
• Backcountry Post: 3 nights in the Dolly Sods
• Mon Forest Towns: Bear Rocks and Allegheny Front Preserve
• The Inter-Mountain: Mon Forest to open recreation areas (2026)
• WV Explorer: Monongahela National Forest road closures (2026)
• WV Department of Commerce: Fall fire season

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.