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| Hiking | 4.60 Miles |
560 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.60 Miles | 2 Hrs 15 Mns | | 2.21 mph |
| 560 ft AEG | 10 Mns Break | 15 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | This is the northern most trail into the interior of the Dolly Sods area, a wilderness area within the Monogahela National Forest,it does not lead to the Bear Rocks boulder formations but those and the trailhead for this trail can both be accessed from the nearby Bear Rocks Preserve parking area . I visited the boulder formations and this trail the same day but decided to do a separate triplog to hopefully avoid confusion. The Bear Rocks trail is within the USFS boundaries and Bear Rocks formation is within in the Nature Conservancy property. A German sheep farmer lived on the nearby Rohrbaugh plains area near current trail #508, his name was Dahle which phonetically became Dolly and sods was an old term for grasslands. To access this remote area from the east you will need to use forest road19 and or 75 turning off of Jordan Run road, FR 75 would bring you closer to the north end of the area,either way a passenger car can use these but potholes and wash boarding will limit you to 20 mph for the 8 to 10 miles of one way travel to reach one of the trailheads. Also this area is isolated and it’s either in or close enough to the national radio quiet zone that cell phone service is very limited. In addition in 1943 this area was used for WW2 artillery and mortar training , the area has been swept by demolition teams ,the last time they found 15 unexploded shells,acronym UXO,there is signage warning to stay on trails and to not create new campsites and the procedure if you see an UXO. Forest road 75 runs along a ridge that is the western edge of the Allegheny front and alongside the Eastern Continental divide, known for it’s high winds , the west side of the front reportedly receives 60 inch’s of rain a year the the east side in the “rain shadow” 30 inches a year.On the way along FR 75 I briefly parked and walked theWildlife Trail #560 but it was more of a small stream than a trail so if there is rainy weather be prepared for encountering mud and problems fording main waterways.I chose this hike as it crossed Red Creek near its formation from bogs further north. For this hike I parked at the Bear Rocks preserve ,from there you can observe a unique area of subalpine heath barrens, bogs, boulders ,one sided limbed spruce trees and open sky. It’s a short quarter mile walk down FR 75 to get to the Bear Rocks Trailhead.I would rate this trail easy to moderate as a day hike,starts with a wide two track gradually descending then leveling off,passed by junction with Dobbins Grade Trail #526 after a mile, then descending again ,approaching Red Creek there is a wooden boardwalk which helps immensely getting through the bog. Surprised to find enough dry rocks to Ford this upper part of Red Creek without mishap. Start ascending after this through a canopy of beech and maple trees .After this there were nice views from a grassy saddle,once I could see the junction with Raven Ridge Trail #521 I back tracked the same way. Temperature was 55 degrees with a brisk wind, saw 8 backpackers and just as many day hikers. No wildlife encountered unless I count the wild turkey and deer on the drive up.There are longer loop hikes that can be made in the Dolly Sods wilderness, to try another day.
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Route Editor
Route Scout
