There were no trail makers that I could see, however it was pretty clear where the trail was until you get to the meadow and the creek. I would suggest rethinking this trail if you are looking for an easy trail. Once at the creek, there were plenty of campsites along the water as well as plenty of firewood. Like all of the trails in the Otter Creek Wilderness, attention has been given to keeping this trail very primitive. A modified loop of the original..Took my time doing some trail clearing..All trails are easy to follow..Green Mountain and Possession trails was pretty overgrown.. For some reason app. The lower part of Otter Creek Trail is very boggy. This map spans the northwestern tier of Monongahela National Forest, Fernow Experimental Forest, Otter Creek Wilderness, Laurel Fork … Runoff turns trail into impromptu streambed before it drains into Otter Creek This was a nice open trail for a ways, it winds along the creekside and crosses many times (5, if i remember correctly NOTE: The book we had said 4 crossings) The Ford crossings on the upper part of the trail were clearly marked with cairns, the water was swift and refreshing. Most sections of this trail are easy to hike and can be reached from many points along the motor road. You start off on Mylius Trail (the only trail that doesn't need maintenance currently), then take a right at intersection to continue onto Shavers Mountain Trail. It's called Otter Creek, and it passes through some of the wildest, most wonderful mountain country in West Virginia. This is my first review, so forgive me if it's too much: The plotted trail includes 4 trails. The next day, we began hiking the other part of the loop. Hope to do some overnight camping there soon. Otter creek Rd , Clintonville, WV 24931 is a vacant lot listed for-sale at $10,000. The Otter Creek Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness area located in the Cheat-Potomac Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, USA. However, confusing sections are marked with stone cairns. The rugged trail offers spectacular views and a moderate to challenging hike. The Wilderness sits in a bowl-shaped valley formed by Otter Creek, between McGowan Mountain and Shavers Mountain in Tucker and Randolph Counties. Jul 12, 2019 near Parsons, WV. The portion we did was a pretty easy hike. The wilderness area is almost 21,000 acres, and has more than 45 miles of trails, most beginning at 3 different trailheads. 3 of the 4 trails need heavy maintenance/rerouting to be enjoyable. The wilderness area has 42 miles of hiking trails. There were several great sites at that intersection including one hard to find on a little side trail on the right off of Otter Creek Trail. The gate on McGowan Mountain Road/Forest Road 324 at the boundary with the Fernow Experimental Forest is closed between April 15 and August 15. This trail was hard to follow due to the overgrown vegetation and lack of blazes. The Dry Fork Trailhead is off Dry Fork Road/SR 72 southeast of Parsons. Looking for a great trail in Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area, West Virginia? To reach the Condon Run Trailhead, take Stuart Memorial Drive/FR 91 1.4 miles north of US 33/State Route 55; go right at the fork (FR 303). Join TrailLink (a non-profit) to view more than 30,000 miles of trail maps and more! The rugged trail offers spectacular views and a moderate to challenging hike. Many campsites along the way. It is a bit rough and was overgrown in August, but there are wild blackberries along the entire trail. It was a little muddy at the start, need good boots or waterproof shoes. Your donation will help us to continue connecting more people to trails around the country. The elevations for this trail were really gradual compared to other trails in the area too, which was a … There is 1 campsite just before the final creek crossing as you start back up but nothing further until you get the the marked trail junction that heads back to the trailhead so if you are looking for a spot in that area grab it before heading across the creek... Also, water is sparse outside of the creek bottom so doing this loop counterclockwise allowed us to mitigate this by carrying in water at the start of the hike. I camped the first night at the ford about 7/10 mile north from the ford at the Mylius/Otter Creek intersection. We found the trails fairly easy to follow. Horseback riders are urged not to use the segment of the Otter Creek Trail between the Moore Run Trail and Green Mountain Trail; the trail is narrow through here and the drop-off steep. The rugged trail offers spectacular views and a moderate to challenging hike. 11.6 mi 18.7 km #1 Otter Creek Trail (TR 131) ... WV. We went south down otter creek trail to yellow creek, yellow creek to Mcgowan Mtn. Jul … Otter Creek Trail is a nice little out and back that meanders alongside its namesake creek. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on … There were many areas where the trail had been completely washed out. Overall, the hike was absolutely beautiful just a little overgrown in places but all in all not bad. OCT003. There is a spur trial around the 6th mile that you should take to avoid a few near washouts along the edge of the creek. The Otter Creek Trail, the most popular, follows an abandoned logging railroad grade along Otter Creek between Condon Run and the Dry Fork River. Numerous day hikes and backpacking options exist. Help defend and expand trails nationwide. Beautiful trails. The Wilderness sits in a bowl-shaped valley formed by Otter Creek, between McGowan Mountain and Shavers Mountain in Tucker and Randolph Counties. We hiked up 1.5 miles and camped at the campsite (literally the campsite is where the trail splits, you can’t miss it), then did the rest the next day. There are no signs or blazes. We ran into some very dense mountain laurel and down trees. I do not recommend this trail to Novice Hikers and someone that does not have a topo map and or GPS in addition to Wilderness survival Skills because It is real possible to get into a very bad Situation out there if you are not prepared. Check or FAQs for more common login questions. Had fun on the many stream crossings, some flowing pretty good. Saw chipmunks, birds, and other wildlife. We did see quite a few other families making a day of it. Begin by crossing the Dry Fork River from the Otter Creek parking lot on an impressive swinging bridge. We decided to go south and make a loop with Hedrick Camp and Shavers Mountain Trail. Trails in Otter Creek Wilderness - 4. Unlike the trails in the area’s state parks, the Otter Creek Wilderness trails are longer and more difficult. Otter Creek Wilderness is part of the Monongahela National Forest located in Eastern West Virginia, near the cities of Elkins and Parsons. Areas, where you literally had to hold onto the roots of the trees above you so you did not fall 20ft into the creek bed below. Equestrian users should instead take the Possession Camp Trail to bridge the gap. There are a number of stream crossings along its path and, depending on the season, some are quite significant, with fast, rushing water. You then turn left onto Mylius trail again, which is comprised of following mostly dried up and boggy areas until you head up in elevation again to the Intersection of Shaver Mountain trail and Mylius, where you continue down Mylius to the trailhead. You could start at the Otter Creek Trailhead and complete this loop if you wanted to eliminate one of the climbs and around 3.5 miles. The views at the creek are beautiful, we had lunch on the water, and the stream crossings were only up to knee deep if you found the best route. The Otter Creek Trail, the most popular, follows an abandoned logging railroad grade along Otter Creek between Condon Run and the Dry Fork River. After the intersection with Shavers Mountain Trail its pretty easy going. Otter Creek Trail West Virginia. The trail follows the ridge of Allegheny Mountain through hardware forests and clearings, according to the National Park Service. The next day we continued on Green Mtn Trail. Trails Map ID Length Trail Name TR 128 2.5 Miles Mylius * We camped just past the intersection of Green Mtn Trail and Possession trail. Otter Creek Trail is a 15.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Harman, West Virginia and is rated as difficult. For additional information on this area contact the Cheat Ranger District, PO Box 368, Parsons, West Virginia 26287 at (304) 478-2000. Once the trail crosses Otter Creek with a mild ford (We went in August after a lot of rain the day or two prior) it becomes very overgrown with many logs to maneuver over/under. Jul 20, 2019 near Parsons, WV. (1) Follow the Mylius Trail 1.5 miles northwest up the southern face of Shavers Mountain to a four-way junction. The acres ( sq. The Otter Creek Wilderness is West Virginia’s second largest wilderness, and it has 42 miles of established trails. Did this loop with the kids, we had a great time. Otter Creek Wilderness is located on the Cheat-Potomac Ranger District of the Monongahela National Forest in Tucker and Randolph Counties, West Virginia. The area is known as Otter Creek Wilderness, within the Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area. It’s the largest trail in the wilderness. There were many times when I wasn't sure if we were on the right trail. We get lost on the trail and have to survive by finding a natural spring gurgling out of the mountain. Otter Lake Loop Trail (0.9 miles) Provides scenic views of Otter … The first 4-5 miles after that are okay, but there are places that I believe a Horse will not be able to navigate, if they made it past the first rough spot. Flattens out after half mile or so and gets easier. All in all we enjoyed it! We camped a little ways above the falls in an established campsite. The Otter Creek Wilderness is a great alternative to the Dolly Sods Wilderness. Beautiful area, little tough going at start from lower end. 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