Spruce Knob offers a ton of options to meet anyone’s hiking timeline. Here are some things you will experience on this trail system.
- WV HIGH POINT; GOTTA COLLECT THEM ALL
- PANORAMIC VIEWS
- MEADOWS
- WATERFALLS
- PLENTIFUL CAMPSITES
- MOUNTAIN VISTAS
I always start from FR(Fire Road) 104. You can get driving directions to the Spruce Knob parking lot here on Google Maps. Grab your high point badge by the fire tower, take in the view and snap some fantastic photos. The GPS Decimal Degree location is 38.699867514 -79.532791614 sitting at 4,863 feet. Even the drive itself has spectacular views. This is a great place to have a picnic lunch too!
From the parking lot, I use the Huckleberry Trail (TR 533). The beginning is a bit rocky, so make sure you stretch your ankles before you leave the parking lot. It would be a tragedy to roll an ankle before you even get started. I usually print out a copy of the map I’m using, then seal it in a Ziploc bag. I will also take a picture of the map on my phone to have a digital copy. One time, I was rushed, running late, and forgot my map. No problem I took a snapshot of the trail board at the trailhead.
Liberty enjoys this hike; there are tons of smells in the Spruce forest that she gets to investigate. It’s downhill for the most part. This trail is well marked, the first time I backpacked it, I spent about 5 hours hiking in the dark because I had run into Friday traffic, almost doubling my driving time. I decided to hike until I was tired.
There are tons of great dry sites in the first 4.5 miles. If you’re looking for a quick overnighter, this may fit the bill, though there aren’t any water sources this high up. At the end of the Huckleberry Trail is where your adventure begins, leaving you with a few follow on trail options to choose from. I took the Lumberjack trail towards TR 564. I swear, every time I hike this system, it always rains on us. While Liberty doesn’t mind and I’ve never had a bad day of hiking, wet socks at an incline or decline aren’t my ideas of fun! The weather doesn’t control my hike; it just dictates my clothing while I hike. Lumberjack trail is a swamp-fest after it’s been raining!
There are tons of trees here making it a hammocking paradise. I’ve done both, ground camped and hammocked these trails. Normally the temperature will decide if I ground it or swing it. If you are looking for some tips to get your dog acclimated to a tent, check out this 🐕RELATED ARTICLE – HOW TO PREPARE MY DOG FOR AN OVERNIGHT CAMPING TRIP🐕 I like to ground camp when it’s too warm to have Liberty in the hammock with me.
I like to follow the High Meadows Trail (TR 564) towards Horton Trail (TR 530). There are a couple of meadows here and if the season is right, some wild fruit. Once I get through the open fields and back into the woods, I make a right onto Horton Trail 530 and take that down to Seneca Creek. I like to camp by the creek, so I’ll look for a sweet spot to pitch my tent. Once I’ve done that, I take Liberty to the waterfall to romp around some.
This hike is great during the warmer months. Sometimes it can be a little busy, but camping by the water will keep you cool while sleeping. Kids like to jump from the waterfalls and be kids. I haven’t mustered the courage to take that jump myself – maybe next time!
Once camp is set up, and Liberty has been watered; I’ll start dinner. I make a mean trail chicken and vegetables with gravy and rice. Liberty always looks funny to me when she’s a naked puppy, and I think she knows it too, she still has that awkward face. Or maybe she’s trying not to look so interested in my food; she’s not fooling anyone! After we eat, I let her lick my mug clean before I wash it. Liberty only eats a cup of food per meal. I’ve never really adjusted her portion sizes even when we hike. She’s never complained or seemed to be extra hungry. I may try dehydrating some chicken livers and then turning them into a powder. I can add a spoonful of that for an extra kick on longer backpacking adventures! I do feed Liberty Orijen 6 Fish dry kibble. It helps keep her coat healthy, and she loves it. Sometimes we’ll swap it out to a regional red to keep it interesting; this high-quality kibble gets the job done. Dog Food Advisor gave it 5 stars in their breakdown review.
The next day it’s choosing your adventure day again. If you are looking to hike out today, then take Seneca Creek Trail 515 to Judy Springs 512 to Horton Trail 530. I don’t know who Judy is, but she’s a beast! This section of the trail will be your steepest. Take the Horton Trail back to the intersection of Lumberjack Trail 534 and Huckleberry Trail 533. Take this back the way you came to the parking lot to finish up your almost 17 mile hike.
IF you are looking for a longer journey, you can continue on Horton Trail 530 to the Allegheny Trail 532. At this point, you can backpack to intersecting trails 531, 529, or 559. Take any of those intersection trails back to Seneca Creek Trail 515, following Seneca Creek to Judy Springs Trail 512. Hike the Judy Springs Trail 512 to Horton Trail 533 meeting up at the intersection of Lumberjack and Huckleberry.
Trail Tails
The longest part of the trail, hands down is Huckleberry Trail. The whole time your hiking out, you’re saying to yourself, oh I remember this, we’re almost there! I think I said that for the majority of the 4 miles! The weather here can be a bit dicey, so plan ahead. Once I left the first day at 75°F and got back to my truck a day later at 36°F. I had my cold gear, so I was fine. If I didn’t, I would have had to break out my SOL Survivor Blanket that I always carry with me for weather shockers like this.
If this Article was helpful, please share it. If you have backpacked these trails before, leave a comment on your thoughts. As always, keep those puppers safe, and leave no trace when hiking those hikes!
