Trails / West Virginia / Monongahela National Forest

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)

Otter Creek Wilderness covers about 20,700 acres between Shavers Mountain and McGowan Mountain near Parsons, with elevations from 1,800 feet at the mouth of Otter Creek to 3,900 feet, according to the Forest Service. Many of its 45 miles of trail follow old railroad grades and logging roads.

The Otter Creek Trail runs the length of the creek from the Dry Fork trailhead, which WVU DIY Outdoors says is closer to Parsons, to the southern trailhead on Forest Road 91, closer to Elkins. West Virginia Rails to Trails says it connects to seven other trails.

The hike

West Virginia Rails to Trails lists the trail at 11.8 miles on an abandoned logging railroad grade, and Hiking Project’s stats give 11.6. Hiking Project’s profile runs from about 3,050 feet near Condon Run, at the headwaters, down to about 1,790 feet at Dry Fork, so starting at Condon Run means mostly downhill hiking. Purple Lizard’s 2018 trip went the other way, upstream from Dry Fork.

At the Dry Fork end, off WV 72, Hiking Project describes a cable suspension bridge over the Dry Fork of the Cheat River about a quarter mile from the trailhead. The northern half is fairly level with many small stream crossings, and Otter Creek runs beside the trail most of the way, with waterfalls and swimming holes. Hiking Project counts two required fords of Otter Creek itself, up to about 2 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

Heading upstream, Purple Lizard lists junctions with the Big Springs Gap, Green Mountain, Possession Camp, Yellow Creek, Hedrick Camp, Shavers Mountain, and Mylius trails, and says the headwaters are marshy. West Virginia Rails to Trails says the stretch between the Moore Run and Green Mountain trails is narrow with a steep drop-off. Near the top, Purple Lizard describes leaving the wilderness on an old double-track road toward the southern trailhead.

The Forest Service says trails here aren’t signed or blazed, cairns appear only in some confusing spots, and deadfall is generally left in place. Hiking Project calls the trail unmarked but “sufficiently worn as to be obvious,” with near-total leaf cover in summer and a lot of deadfall to climb over or crawl under. Purple Lizard adds that the old shelters are gone and there’s no cell coverage.

The Forest Service brochure lists loops that use the Otter Creek Trail with the side trails, from 8.7 to 26 miles, if you’d rather skip the shuttle.

For another long creekside trip in the Monongahela, see the Laurel Fork Wilderness loop.

Tips

Watch the forecast. Fords that are easy in summer can strand you after heavy rain.
Arrange a shuttle between Dry Fork and Condon Run, or pick a brochure loop.
Carry a map. Junctions are mostly unsigned.
Wear long sleeves and pants, as Purple Lizard suggests, for brush and spider webs.
Watch for rattlesnakes.
Wear high-visibility clothing in hunting seasons, as the Forest Service recommends.

Camping

There’s no permit. Groups larger than 10 are prohibited in the wilderness (order 09-21-12-03). The Forest Service asks you not to camp within 200 feet of roads, streams, and trails, to keep fires small using dead and down wood, and encourages lightweight stoves. Forest-wide, you can stay 14 days in a 28-day period. There’s no potable water; treat what you take from the creek. The Lower Glady dispersed camping area, east of the wilderness via the Mylius Trail, opened for 2026 on April 15.

Inside Intel: Hiking Project describes many level, sheltered sites under Norway spruce, and singles out spots just east of the Big Springs Gap junction, on both sides of Moore Run, and near the Possession Camp Trail junction. Purple Lizard’s Dave Gantz says “campsites exist up and down Otter Creek” and mentions a large dry camping area at the Mylius Trail junction.

Trail facts

Distance: 11.8 miles (11.6 by Hiking Project’s stats)
Route type: Point to point; car shuttle needed
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous, depending on water levels
Campsites: Dispersed along the creek
Water: Otter Creek and side streams; treat it
Fords: Two required Otter Creek fords plus many small crossings (Hiking Project)
Permits: None; groups of 10 or fewer
Dogs: Allowed under control
Trailheads: Dry Fork (off WV 72) and Condon Run (Forest Road 91)
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Two required fords of Otter Creek:

The Otter Creek Trail has two required fords of the creek, up to about 2 feet deep and 40 feet wide, and this page warns they can strand you after heavy rain. Five tips for safer crossings.

Get the five 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.