Monongahela National Forest

This Forest offers a wide range of recreational activities due to eight Wilderness Areas, a National Scenic Byway, and the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area.


Park Photo

Photo credit: USDA Forest Service

Welcome to the Monogahela National Forest! Considered to be an area of global ecological importance, the Monogahela National Forest is comprised of 1 million acres in West Virginia. An abundant number of species of plants and animals reside in the Forest with at least 75 tree species, more than 225 species of birds, 60 species of non-game fish, and 8 federally listed threatened or endangered species of birds, bats, salamanders, and plants. Much of the diversity can be attributed to the wide range in elevation and the resulting precipitation patterns. The Forest offers a wide range of recreational activities through eight Wilderness Areas, National Scenic Byway status for the Highland Scenic Highway, and the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. Visitors can visit the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center to explore an exhibit hall, auditorium, events and programs as well as wander a native plant garden and nature trail. Rock climbing is popular at Seneca Rocks while Lake Sherwood Recreation Area features swimming beaches, a boat ramp, a picnic area, and several hiking trails.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/mnf

Wilderness Areas/Wild & Scenic Rivers

Big Draft Wilderness - Big Daft Wilderness is located on the Southern tip of the Monongahela National Forest, just south of Blue Bend Recreation Area and about five miles north of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Cranberry Wilderness - The 47,815 acre Cranberry Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Dolly Sods Wilderness - Dolly Sods Wilderness contains much of the Red Creek drainage and contains bog and heath eco-types, more commonly typical to southern Canada.

Laurel Fork Wilderness - Laurel Fork Wilderness is characterized by its narrow valley floor with regularly dissected slopes and long narrow ridges.

Otter Creek Wilderness - Otter Creek Wilderness’ vegetation consists of second-growth timber, rhododendron, and a variety of mosses and lichens.

Roaring Plains West Wilderness - Roaring Plains West Wilderness consists of mixed hardwoods, red spruce and brush, and has an under-story of bogs, grasses and rhododendron.

Spice Run Wilderness - There are no system trails within Spice Run Wilderness and elevation ranges from 2,000-2,800 feet.

Invasive Species

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