Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in West Virginia is known for its incredible landscapes and dreamy scenery. However, few people know about this secret waterfall or what’s hidden behind it. Here’s how to find it.
You can park at the Red Creek Campground.
John and Trudy Phillips From the campground, take the Blackbird Knob trail west until you reach the Red Creek Trail, then head south.
Red Creek Trail will take you to the Forks of Red Creek.
Tom Potterfield
This is where the forks of the creek join and become one. There’s a small waterfall here.
Continue to follow the Red Creek south.
WikiMedia Commons/Knotnic
You’ll have to navigate around a thick patch of rhododendrons.
WikiMedia Commons
You’ll soon reach a bigger waterfall.
Rocking With The Rocks
The water flow levels can vary depending on recent rains and the time of year.
Flickr/Peter Howe
As you approach the waterfall, you’ll notice that there’s a space behind it.
Flickr/Peter Howe It’s big enough to duck under the waterfall and check it out. Be careful wading in the water on slippery rocks.
There’s a coal seam in the rock that the waterfall flows over.
Rocking With The Rocks
Best of all, there are fossils in the rocks!
Rocking With The Rocks You might have to look closely, but you can see parts of plants and plant indentations that have become part of the rocks. Here you can see the indentations of a root system.
Some words of caution: the roads to Dolly Sods can be narrow and treacherous. The trails are not always well marked. Cell phone signal is spotty to nonexistent. Take a paper map and good directions for the best experience, and be aware of your surroundings.
John and Trudy Phillips
From the campground, take the Blackbird Knob trail west until you reach the Red Creek Trail, then head south.
Tom Potterfield
This is where the forks of the creek join and become one. There’s a small waterfall here.
WikiMedia Commons/Knotnic
WikiMedia Commons
Rocking With The Rocks
Flickr/Peter Howe
It’s big enough to duck under the waterfall and check it out. Be careful wading in the water on slippery rocks.
You might have to look closely, but you can see parts of plants and plant indentations that have become part of the rocks. Here you can see the indentations of a root system.
To get to the Red Creek Campground from the nearby Seneca Rocks, go North on WV 28 for 12 miles. Take a left on Jordan Run Road. Go one mile up Jordan Run Road and take a left on to Forest Road 19. In 6 miles, Forest Road 19 comes to a T on to Forest Road 75. Take a right, heading north on the gravel Forest Road 75. Drive for five miles until you see the Red Creek Campground parking on the left.
If you’d like to see more waterfalls in West Virginia, take this West Virginia waterfall road trip.
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