Seneca Creek Backcountry

“It was great to have someone take care of all the planning and routing so I could focus on enjoying the beautiful trails and really be present.” — Maggie, Washington, DC.

“Will is a blast to adventure with! I was especially impressed by his knowledge of public lands. He provides expert advice on what to pack, how to understand and minimize risk, as well as knowledge of the best trails. I’d highly recommend traveling with him.” — Amy, Washington, DC.

One of my all-time-favorite long-weekend mountain trips and one of the prettiest backpacking areas in the mid-Atlantic, Seneca Creek Backcountry in Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia is the perfect July 4 getaway.

Five Things You’ll Learn From This Post:

1. Where to go for the best homemade pie in West Virginia
2. When and where to see one of the largest Rhododendron blooms in the mid-Atlantic
3. How to pack for and successfully backpack in our U.S. National Forest system
4. How to protect yourself from bears
5. Where to see the best views from the highest point in West Virginia

About four hours west of our nation’s capital, lie nearly 60 miles of trails that wind through stands of red spruce, open meadows, and along fast-flowing mountain streams. The Seneca Creek Backcountry area makes up 20% of the 100,000-acre Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area in West Virginia. This, in turn, lies within the 921,000-acre Monongahela National Forest which is home to “at least 75 tree species, more than 225 species of birds, 8 federally-listed threatened or endangered species of birds, bats, salamanders and plants, 60 species of nongame/forage fish, 12 species of game fish, numerous other species of wildlife…and most of the highest mountain peaks in the state — including the highest, Spruce Knob (4,863 ft), also the highest point in the Alleghenies,” [USFS].

There are endless hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities possible in this region. Seneca Creek itself, was named one of the 100 best trout streams in the United States. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time here and it never ceases to amaze.

This Fourth of July weekend 2020, four friends, a dog, and I escaped the city heat and found solace and adventure in the woods above 3,000 feet.

Backpacking (aka: hiking to a location away from the parking lot with tent, sleeping bag, food, water, and everything else you need on your “back”) is a different experience than “car camping” (aka: driving to a designated site at which you can camp next to your vehicle, usually with a fire pit and nearby facilities such as a bathroom, camp store, etc). Backpacking can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be with the right prep and gear. In fact, the places I’ve been able to access deep in the wilderness by carrying everything I need on my back— on the top of a mountain peak under a dark sky full of stars, near a waterfall framed by flowering trees, at the edge of a glacier, on the banks of a lake that moose come to drink from at dusk — nearly always beat my top car camping locations. It’s a liberating experience that may push you out of your comfort zone but is intensely rewarding and brings new levels of self sufficiency and mental toughness.

Step 1: The Route

You can forget a lot of items and still make a backpacking trip work but if you get lost chances are you’re not going to have a good time.

This is where I would like to give a HUGE shout out to the website “Hiking Upward.”

This site has detailed trail descriptions, GPS coordinates, topographical maps with camp sites, water sources, and other points of interest embedded within, photos, and more.

I have used this site for dozens of hikes and camping trips around the mid-Atlantic over the years. I highly recommend Hiking Upward as a first stop for anyone interested in exploring the outdoors in VA, WV, PA, NC, and MD.

Another essential source of detailed trail maps, emergency contact information, and do’s and don’ts in the backcountry are the individual US Forest Service websites for the particular area you are looking to explore. USFS has landing pages for Monongahela National Forest, Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, and Seneca Creek Backcountry, with a detailed PDF map of the area: here.

Make sure to orient yourself with these maps before you go. There is no cell phone service out there. This is also a factor to plan for in your drive as the final two hours (at least) will likely necessitate navigating with Google Maps offline GPS feature. So be sure you print the entire route and/or take screenshots so you know exactly which turns to make.

Step 2: What to Bring

The answer to this question can look a million different ways but the way I break down what to bring on any backpacking trip is the “essentials” vs. the “luxuries.”

Of course, the essentials will always be:

• Expedition backpack (usually 20–40 Liters for a weekend trip, I personally love Osprey packs)
• Tent or hammock
• Sleeping pad (either collapsible foam or inflatable pad — I prefer the latter since they are generally much more comfortable)
• Sleeping bag (down is comfy, warm, and light but synthetic does much better when it gets wet or humid)
• Water + water purification (can be iodine tablets, water pump filter, etc but VERY important to A. bring enough water and B. to know where water sources are to keep filling up throughout the trip — again refer to maps and planning the route BEFORE you go)
• Food (freeze dried is lighter than cans, bring anything else that’s non-perishable)
• Multiple pairs of socks (you can wear the same outfit for days but a change of socks is a golden ticket to happy feet in the backcountry)
• Emergency kit (basic kits are available at REI or any outdoor store)

…And then there are the luxuries that I personally love to bring with me to make the trip a little more enjoyable. These are:

• Bluetooth, waterproof speaker
• (2) large inflatable pillows
• Firestarter kits
• Lightweight foldable ground chair, similar to: this
• Walkee talkees in case the group splits up (again, no cell service and no one should venture off on their own without some way to stay in communication with the group)
• Coffee
• Some sort of adult beverage (bourbon takes up less space than beer or wine…)

Of course, there are a million other things I could put on either of these lists including hygiene products, knives or multi-tools, compasses, insect repellent, and more. What you decide to bring will be determined over multiple trips and with lots of trial and error. As long as you have the essentials — with water really being the most important thing on a 2–3 day trip — you can experiment with everything else and see what items help make your backcountry experience the best.

Step 3: How to Plan the Day Hikes

As mentioned, Seneca Creek Backcountry has over 60 miles of trails. There are multiple places to park and hike in and, once base camp is set up, many day hike options from high meadows to waterfalls to dense forests. The forest service maps and Hiking Upwards trail descriptions can shed light on the types of trails that are best for your comfort level and the experiences you’d like to have.

On this 4th of July trip, we parked our cars at the Seneca Creek trailhead off Forest Service Road 112 (for exact location refer to the links and maps I referenced earlier). We hiked from the parking lot along a flat trail paralleling the creek, passing small waterfalls and crossed the creek a couple times (I always recommend waterproof hiking boots), about 4.5 miles to our campsite (about 2 hours of hiking with full packs).

There are many campsite options in this area and it was “busy” during the holiday weekend. Some of the most “luxurious” sites have built up fire pits, stone slab “chairs,” and are on the banks of the creek near tumbling waterfalls that provide excellent ambient sleep sounds.

Generally speaking in backcountry areas, and in most Forest Service lands, you can camp anywhere as long as you’re off the trail a little. This is different than National Parks which have designated camp sites that require reservations. No reservations or permits are required for Seneca Creek. There are also no amenities.

Once your base camp is set up, you’re free to explore as many trails as you can with a lighter day pack. We did this on Saturday and hiked a beautiful high meadow trail loop of about 8 total miles. There’s also Seneca Falls at the end of the Seneca Creek Trail. Multi-stories tall, it provides an excellent swimming hole on a hot summer day.

For the flower lover, nearly every trail will also provide opportunities to see Rhododendrons (the state flower of West Virginia), in pink, purple, or white, Mountain Laurel, and many other spectacular wildflowers and flowering plants and bushes. The 4th of July weekend is usually a great target for peak bloom in Seneca Creek Backcountry but we were a little early this year. Nevertheless, just in the three days we were there, many flowers began opening up.

Step 4: Leave No Trace

When exploring backcountry areas it is essential to practice “Leave No Trace.” For a full description of Leave No Trace and the seven principles to follow click: here. Essentially the key is to pack out everything you packed in and to minimize your impact on the natural environment. This is important when thousands of people are visiting the same place each year. Small things that people leave behind can add up and pollute the area very quickly.

Here are a couple additional practices to follow:

• Do NOT throw food particles into the woods, even if they are biodegradable. Pack out your apple cores, banana peels, and anything else in a trash bag in your pack. Bits of foods attract bears and other wildlife and thousands of people leaving their trash in the woods degrades the natural environment.
• Bury your poop with a little pack shovel (available at REI and elsewhere) and pack out your used toilet paper or other used hygiene products in your trash bag in your pack.
• Leave camping sites exactly as you found them, with as little human impact as possible.
• If you bathe in streams or ponds, use soap that is biodegradable and non-harmful. Wilderness Wash is a great option.

Again, this is different from National Parks which may have trash cans and other services for waste disposal. It is your responsibility in the backcountry to not pollute the natural environment and take out 100% of what you took in.

Step 5: Staying Safe in Bear Country

Bears are wild animals that can be a threat to humans but with a few simple steps they are unlikely to come anywhere close to your campsite. I have seen bears many times while hiking and camping and never had a problem. Usually they run off before I can get my camera out of my pocket. Keep in mind you are entering their home and should do everything you can not to disrupt their environment.

1. Follow the steps of Leave No Trace. This will ensure bears or other wildlife aren’t drawn to bits of food scattered around your campsite.
2. Before retiring into your cozy sleeping bag for the night, put all of your food, snacks, instant coffee, or anything else that may be “smelly” and of interest to an animal into a (preferably) waterproof bag. Even a tent bag or stuff sack will do in a pinch. All your cooking utensils and pots should go in there as well. Hang the bag from a tree on a line of rope. This can get interesting depending on how high up a tree branch is but I usually make it into a game by tying a rock around the end of the line and seeing how many tries it takes for each person in the group. The rock will weight the end of the rope so that it comes back down to your hand. Take off the rock, tie one end of the rope to the “bear bag” and hoist it into the air as high as you can by pulling the other side of the rope. Once it’s in position, tie the end of the rope a few times around a nearby tree and make a series of simple knots to lock it in place for the night. For the style of rope, a quick visit to REI can give you what you need. Usually about 30-50 feet (coiled, it packs down pretty small) will do.
3. I cannot stress enough how inexperienced someone looks if they go backpacking with a gun or some sort of “weapon.” A knife is an essential tool for any wilderness adventure. A weapon is not and you are much more likely to hurt yourself or someone else. The MOST effective tool to defend yourself from a bear attack is bear spray. It’s basically extremely powerful pepper spray but it works better than any gun. Keep the bear spray on your hip for easy access while you’re hiking or OUTSIDE of your tent door at night. An accidental discharge of bear spray inside your tent could potentially kill you. It’s strong stuff. Again, you are entering a bear’s home when you go into the backcountry. Even in the unlikely event you are charged by a bear, do you really want killing a bear on your conscience? Bear spray will stop a bear in its tracks in a non-lethal way and leave you safe at the same time. Talk to someone at an outdoor store who knows the best methods for using bear spray and other bear safety tips. Respect nature and the wilderness, don’t try to “conquer” it.

Step 6: Highpoints and Homemade Pie

After hiking back out to our cars, we drove back along Forest Service Road 112 to the top of Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia at 4,863 feet. There’s a parking area, restroom, and small hiking loops through stands of spruce trees that lead to a firetower you can climb for 360 views. As the trees in the area grow taller each year, however, I’ve found the best views are actually at pullouts along the road to the top of Spruce Knob. These vistas look across the million-acre landscape of Monongahela National Forest and, depending on the direction, may look into other favorite backpacking spots of mine that will be the focus of future trips such as Dolly Sods Wilderness.

With the backpacking trip and highpoint complete, driving back down Forest Service Road 112 to the juncture of Route 33 will take you to Gateway Family Restaurant. The double bacon cheeseburgers, homestyle chili, and ice cream shakes satiate the “hiker hunger” built from the previous days’ activities. But it is certainly the pies that make the stop unmissable. The menu ranges from peanut butter custard, lemon meringue, blueberry, apple, chocolate mousse, coconut, pumpkin, cheesecake, and more depending on the day.

With a full stomach (and perhaps a cup of coffee) one can make their way back to the city. But don’t hurry home too quickly. There are many more great places along the way to stop including farmer’s markets, general stores (with excellent WV craft beer options — Big Timber IPA is fantastic), Seneca Rocks rock-climbing area, Lost River Trading Post and Antique Shop, and more. Stopping at many of these places over the years has added meaningful local connection to my trips. Take the time to explore even if it means getting to the unpacking the next day. By doing so, you’ll see why West Virginia has become a home-away-from-home for so many in the mid-Atlantic.

Will Hackman, Hackman Guided Adventures

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