Roaring Plains vs Dolly Sods

“Always wanted to go to the Sods but I have an inkling that they get alot of use. How about Roaring Plains? Will be through in October. Any other ideas about primo hiking in WVa (secret paces solicited) e-doc@charter.net”

“oh man - Monongahela NF is a sweet place and you can find some remote places. Dolly Sods is a place to avoid due to crowds. Roaring Plains is just as nice and higher, 4700 feet I think. The North Fork Mountain Trail is also really cool. I really enjoyed the Seneca Creek Trail, High Meadow and Huckleberry trail that lead to Spruce Knob.

There is a guide book for Monongahela that has a lot of good info in it and it's by Allen DeHart and Bruce Sunquist.”

“I have deHarts book as well as the deHart/Sunquist book I personally have found both books to be confusing, the latter worse. I have the topos for the Sods/Roaring Plains area. Have moved back to Tarheelia and always wanted to check out Monongahela NF. I've hiked about everything there is to hike in NC, with a few exceptions. The best way to figure the books out is get the Monon NF map and use it to figure out trail locations”

“yeah, the maps in the books suck.”

“http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/581.php
Here is a trip to check out.

Roaring Plains is indeed less travelled but quite a bit more than twenty years ago.

The Long Run Holler(Canyon) is something to see.
It starts from two branches at the west end in a box and four miles along it joins Roaring Creek.
From the rim to Long Run it is a 2,000 foot drop and its about a mile wide.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/563.php
Roaring Plains at Winter Solstice.

I've done quite a bit of map and compass navigation on that plateau.
last edited: 6/14/06 6:08:15 AM”

“The northern part of Dolly Sods is very underused. Most hikers head down to Red Creek, and even more precisely to the forks where tent cities spring up on weekends.

Roaring Plains is also underused, but has been discovered in recent years and is getting more use. Still, it's a wonderful place. These are two different areas, and both wonderful.

The maps for the WVHC guide are being updated for a forthcoming edition, but I'm not sure when it might hit the streets. You can go to http://www.wvhighlands.org/Hiking%20Guide/%20CD%20Hikikg%20Guide.html and order a CD of updated and reliable maps, which you can print out.”

“I did some map and NO compass navigation there too.

It didn't work out too well.”

“Anybody ever do this circuit on my site: http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id121.html

It requires a good GPS and GPS skills and follows Roaring Run and Long Run canyon rim. It's posted as being 12.6 miles. That's the base loop. You can do a couple of out and backs and at least one loop off of it leaving your packs at camp.”

“I haven't done that curcuit but I've been on those trails.

Memorial Weekend last year:
http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/581.php

We bagged the knobs on Roaring Plains starting and finishing at the South Prong Trailhead on FR 19.
We returned from Roaring Plains by way of the RP Trail and FR 70, having seen the Rim Trail on the way out.

This involved map and compass bushwacking.
Our last knob was Porte Crayon from No Name Knob.
We got to within 20 feet of the benchmark on Porte Crayon.”