Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / West Virginia / Monongahela National Forest

Laurel Fork Wilderness South Loop

Laurel Fork South Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest (Forest Road 14, Middle Mountain Road, south of US 33 at Wymer)

The Laurel Fork Wilderness protects the valley of the Laurel Fork of the Cheat River in two units, Laurel Fork North and Laurel Fork South, on either side of the small Laurel Fork Campground. The Forest Service says it’s reached by Middle Mountain Road (Forest Road 14) from US 33 or from WV 28 near Bartow. The Forest Service says its 11,839 acres range from about 2,900 to 3,700 feet, and many of its 18.5 miles of trail use old railroad grades and logging roads.

This loop, from the Forest Service’s list of suggested routes, follows the river south through the Laurel Fork South Wilderness and returns on Middle Mountain Road.

The hike

The Forest Service brochure lists the loop at 10.25 miles with two Laurel Fork fords, rated moderate: the Forks Trail, the Laurel River Trail south, the Camp Five Run Trail, and back on Forest Road 14. The Forest Service gives directions to the campground area: US 33 east from Elkins about 16 miles to Wymer, then Forest Road 14 (Middle Mountain Road) south about 11 miles.

MyHikes describes the Laurel River Trail south from the campground, and its route matches most of the loop. The Forks Trail joins from the west about half a mile south of the campground and is easy to miss. The trail follows the west side of the Laurel Fork, passing the Beulah Trail junction at about 1.5 miles.

At about 2.7 miles, a level, swampy stretch is where MyHikes says the trail can disappear; cross the fields, look for a stone cairn, and stay near the stream rather than climbing the slope. The trail rejoins the river around 3.5 miles, with a campsite visible across the stream. At about 4.1 miles there’s a series of campsites under hemlocks at the Camp Five Run crossing, which MyHikes says can be tough in spring.

Turn right up the Camp Five Run Trail, which crosses the run four times in a short stretch beginning around mile 5, then leaves the wilderness near a fishing pond and the Middle Mountain Cabins before reaching Forest Road 14. Walk the road back north to close the loop.

Purple Lizard’s Dave Gantz, who hiked the full Laurel River Trail in 2019, describes swampy, muddy conditions, summer undergrowth that hides the route, and a beaver dam and lodges in the southern section. He suggests waiting quietly at dawn or dusk to watch for beavers.

The brochure lists a 10.5-mile loop in the Laurel Fork North Wilderness too, and the whole Laurel River Trail runs about 17 miles, per Purple Lizard. For another creekside wilderness trip, see the Otter Creek Trail.

Tips

Camping

No permit is needed. Groups larger than 10 are prohibited in the wilderness (order 09-21-12-03), and the brochure asks you not to camp within 200 feet of trails or streams. Removing plants, stone, or moss is prohibited. Forest-wide, you can stay 14 days in a 28-day period. The Laurel Fork Campground borders the wilderness if you want a developed site before or after; it has no potable water.

Inside Intel: MyHikes’ route author describes a hemlock grove by the river about half a mile south of the campground, roughly 100 yards off the trail, and says a ranger called it “the best campsite in the entire national forest!” The author also points to the cluster of sites under hemlocks at the Camp Five Run crossing, about 4.1 miles south of the campground.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Laurel Fork and Camp Five Run fords:

The South Loop has two Laurel Fork fords, and Camp Five Run is crossed four times in a short stretch and can be tough in spring. Here are five tips for safer crossings.

See the water-crossing tips →

Where this comes from

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

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.