Has anyone hiked Gauley Mtn in WVa?

“Gauley Mountain in the Monongahela NF lies west of US 219 north of Marlinton. It is not one of the more popular hiking destinations in the Mon, but it is a RARE II area, and Tea Creek Mountain is a fairly popular hiking destination lying south of Gauley.

Anybody familiar with the area?”

“Is that near the Williams River? My parents camp used to be near Marlington and I recall a campground called "Tea Creek" located on the Williams. It all sounds familliar but as I was a kid when I visited most of these places I don't remember, but I will ask my parents.”

“I've been to Tea Creek Campground. It is indeed just above the Williams River near the Highlands Scenic Highway. There is a trailhead near the campground that goes to the summit of Tea Creek Mountain. There are some old Forest Service roads on top of Gauley Mountain that should make for an interesting hike. The ridge lies above 4,000 feet. Should also be interesting vegetation there, since it's the highest western ridge and would get lots of rain.”

“The campground is now within a black bear sanctuary, so trashcan raids are popular evening traditions that the bears try to carry on.

I think there is a move afoot to allow hunting there (so much for sanctuary). It may be one of the areas where they take problem bears from Shenandoah.”

“Okay, I've definately been there as I distinctly recall the black bear sanctuary signs posted in the area. I used to ride my mountain bike up and down the Scenic Highway and swim in the Williams--I spent a good deal of my child years in the area. I believe we used to go ramp hunting on the Gauley Mountain as there are several trails that aren't used a lot that go up and down the mountain. For the most part anything in that area of Monongahela NF is outstanding. In probably a month all the mountain laurels and rhodedendrons will be blooming, then a little later you should be able to find wild edible berries.”

“Mmmmmmmmmmmm, ramps.

From the map Gauley Mountain looks like a fairly nice hiking destination. Thinking of heading there this spring, early May. Probably do some car camping, day hiking, and perhaps an overnighter.”

“Okay, looks like another Loser and Cluck expedition to parts unknown. Cool!”

“Tea Creek Campground, huh?

That was one of the many places that Linus promptly soaked his shoes and his backup shoes within an hour of arrival.

This, when he was about six to ten years old.

Those were the days. >8^]

There would be several pairs of socks wrung out and hanging on the roof rack of the old Bronco.”

“Geobeet, have you been to Laurel Fork Campground?

That was another spot where I took the kids car camping in the Monong a number of times.

We did some great day hiking up and down the Laurel Fork trail and some dippin' in the creek.

Wet shoes were the order of the day there as well.”

“I have backpacked along Laurel Fork trails and been through the campground, but not camped there (yet).

Laurel Fork used to have a host of beaver colonies, but the floods of the late 80s and the 90s seem to have flushed them out of the valley.”

“I like that!
"Flushed them out of the valley."

Laurel Fork can be a real zoo on popular weekends.

I made the mistake of going there on a Memorial Day weekend once.

The place was packed with trailers practically wall-to-wall.

Some of those people brought lawn mowers and generators and chainsaws.

I was nearly run over by several kids on bicycles.”

“Yeah, Memorial Day is no time to be in a campground. Creek Dancer and I were at Seneca Shadows last year and people were running generators all night and partying. The campground manager ran himself ragged. The meadow as wall to wall tents and people. Looked like a Civil War camp with the fires going all over the place.”