This autumn I am thinking about going back to West Virginia again.
One of my favorite places to camp is up in Canaan Heights on Forest Road 13 outside of Thomas.
There are some really nice, but small sites notched into the mountain laurel.
The mountain laurel is thick and grows all over in places up in the Cannan Heights.
But there are also some areas of open sods.
Sitting by the fire.
Taking in the beauty.
Definitely a nice place to explore.
Evening update from camp at Cannan Heights in West Viriginia.
A little further on US 33 north of Brandywine, WV with shadows creeping out over the roads and valley well illuminated from the evening's sun.
Scenic views outside of Moorefield, WV in the Sweedlin Valley between Shendoah Mountain and Sweedlin Mountain on the other side. The South Fork of the Potamac River runs through this valley.
I regret not spending enough time in the more southerly portion of the Monongahela National Forest, maybe driving down further south to see some of the coal mining towns and learn more about that part of the state. I did visit Corridor “H” and the Mount Storm Power Plant and saw some of the coal mining operations there, but I would have liked to see more.
I would have liked to visit some more of the impoverished parts of state — although I guess Thomas and Davis, WV aren’t exactly wealthy nor are the communities I’ve driven through in Sweedlin Valley and Morefield. But I guess growing up in rural, essentially Appalachia, near Greene County, New York I wouldn’t have noticed that.
I also think I made a mistake not to drive up Spruce Mountain, the tallest in the state. There were some really nice views from the top of the mountain state. I liked camping on the Gandy Run in 2015, and driving that back road through the forest, but that got missed this year. And there is so much of the Monongahela National Forest that I haven’t seen.
I did enjoy my drive the Blue Ridge Parkway northbound from Otter Peaks. But honestly, I think much of Virginia is a tourist trap, and I don’t know if I want to deal with the traffic or developed campgrounds the next time I take this big autumn trip. I prefer the wild country where there aren’t people out there checking to see if you paid your tribute for the tiny little campsite crammed against otheres.
I think I want to camp at Dolly Sods next time I come to West Virginia. Not the developed campground on the summit but maybe the road along the way up there. It’s a short drive or a longer walk up to the top to watch the sun set or rise. And then maybe do some of the hiking trails in the wilderness.
I also think the night I spent at Ohiopyle was a waste. But at least I know what the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania are like. Ohiopyle, with the natural peninsula is kind of interesting and the water falls are neat. But the campground is tightly packed, enforcement is aggressive (hide your beer!), and $26 a night seems steep even with taking a hot shower both before bed and getting up. Ohiopyle wasn’t as wild as I expected. Too much of a tourist trap downtown. The farms and the landscape of the Laurel Highlands could easily be much of Upstate New York or Pennsylvania.
I hate losing two days in both directions going up through Pennsylvania and Maryland to get to and from West Virginia, but I’m really unwilling to make the trip in one day. I don’t like driving more then 4 hours a day total, not including stops and parks. Anything more then that gets tiring for me and means I’m rushing to get camp set before darkness sets in early.
I probably won’t be back to West Virginia until October 2019. But I have some ideas what I will do differently — spend the bulk of the week in West Virginia, exclusive of the weekends for travel. There is much of West Virginia I would like to explore — and I could definitely pass on all the commotion and craziness of Virginia.
