Monongahela National Forest Guide Profile

Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Monongahela National Forest

Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia offers Forest Service recreation at Seneca Shadows Campground, Red Creek Campground. For a walking or hiking visit, start with Laurel Fork Wilderness, Dolly Sods Wilderness. Each recreation site has its own facilities and access rules; use the official maps and current site instructions to plan your visit.

Camping & reservations

The booking button opens the official reservation destination for Seneca Shadows Campground. Other campgrounds in this forest may have separate reservations, first-come sites or district permits. Read the current instructions for your chosen site.

Seneca Shadows Campground ↗

Seneca Shadows Campground overlooks Seneca Rocks and is surrounded by mountains on both the east and west. Hiking and nature study at Seneca Rocks are just a couple of the popular activities in the area. The North Fork South Branch Potomac River is nearby, making fishing a popular pastime. Two local caves beckon ambitious explorers, and the 900-foot high Seneca Rocks can be viewed from most campsites. Seneca Shadows is the newest campground in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area . Many sites offer outstanding views of the 900 foot Seneca Rocks . This is a modern campground with flush toilets, lantern posts, picnic tables and campfire rings. The large facility has a selection of walk-to tent sites, standard RV sites and tent-only group sites.

Reservations: Reservations can be made by visiting Recreation.gov. Reservations must be made 4 days ahead of arrival and can be made up to 6 months in advance for standard sites or 12 months in advance for group sites.

Reservations / current camping instructions ↗

Red Creek Campground ↗

Red Creek Campground is a primitive, small campground that sits on top of the Allegheny Plateau and within the Dolly Sods Scenic Area. The climate and plant life here resembles Northern Canada. A stone’s throw from the campground is Dolly Sods Wilderness which offers a unique wilderness hiking opportunity for those looking for adventure. This area features unique scenery and unusual plant communities. Flowering laurel, rhododendron and azaleas highlight this area from May through June. Huckleberry picking is popular during the month of July. And for those looking for wildlife, bird banding is performed in late summer and during the fall. Located approximately 20 miles northwest from Petersburg, West Virginia and 24 miles north of Seneca Rocks.

Reservations: Sites are on a first come, first serve basis. This campground is usually full every week-end.

Site rules: No camping is allowed within 300 feet of FR75 unless in a designated campground. Maximum length of stay is 14 days.

Laurel Fork Campground ↗

Located along the Laurel Fork River between Laurel Fork North and South Wilderness areas, this primitive campground offers visitors a nice camping opportunity in the Middle Mountain area on the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps location. D ay hiking and backpacking opportunities are available leaving from this campground as well through the Laurel Fork North and South Wilderness .

Reservations: Sites are non-reservable and are operated on a first come, first served basis.

Truck-camping & permitted overnight use

The official recreation inventory lists Spruce Knob - Seneca Creek Backcountry, Williams River Sites, Lake Buffalo for dispersed camping. Read each site’s current rules; this does not authorize camping on every forest road.

Spruce Knob - Seneca Creek Backcountry ↗ — The Spruce Knob Area offers hikers a vast backcountry to explore. Nearly 60 miles of trails wind through stands of red spruce, open meadows and along fast-flowing mountain streams. Beautiful northern hardwood forests of maple, beech, birch, cherry and other trees cover most of the area creating a brilliant display of fall color. This area provides cool shade in the summer with many opportunities to see spring and summer wildflowers, birds and other wildlife. Elevation ranges from 3,000 feet to over 4,800 feet above sea level. Freezing temperatures can occur any time of the year. Snow can be expected anytime from October through April.…

Williams River Sites ↗ — There are 30 separate, rustic campsites located along Williams River Road, designated as Forest Roads 86 and 216. Many of these sites are close to the river, and are very popular with anglers. These campsites, as well as Tea Creek and Day Run Campgrounds, are the only places camping is permitted along Williams River. Toilets are closed in winter. Campsites are scattered along the Williams River Road, from the Three Forks area upstream to a point near the river's headwaters.

Lake Buffalo ↗ — Lake Buffalo is a 22-acre lake that offers fishermen a quiet retreat. It is regularly stocked with trout by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Lake Buffalo is located near the town of Bartow. Facilities include a parking lot, a picnic area, and a concrete boat ramp. While the lake is open year-round, toilets are closed in winter. For those looking for an extended stay there are dispersed campsites in the area. Also located close by is Island Campground .

Activities, hiking & trails

Laurel Fork Wilderness ↗
The Laurel Fork of the Cheat River is characterized by its narrow valley floor with regularly dissected slopes and long narrow ridges. The continuous forest cover of primarily Beech, Maple, Birch, and Cherry is occasionally broken up by beautiful meadows along the river. Within the combined 11,839 acre Wilderness Area the elevations range from 2,900 feet to over 3,700 feet. Laurel Fork Wilderness has 18.5 miles of trails, many of which follow old railroad grades and logging roads. S everal possible loop hikes can made by combining trails. Fords of streams may be a problem to cross during high water events. There may be additional small stream crossings depending on water levels. Additional Resources Laurel Fork Wilderness Brochure Laurel Fork Wilderness Map

Dolly Sods Wilderness ↗
The 17,371 acre Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is located in Grant, Randolph, and Tucker Counties, West Virginia. The Dolly Sods Wilderness contains much of the Red Creek drainage and contains bog and heath eco-types, more commonly typical to southern Canada. Elevations range from 2,500 to over 4,700 feet. For more information, see Dolly Sods Wilderness Brochure, Trail Map, and Expansion Map. Practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics: do not build a camp within 200 feet of roads, streams and trails. Dolly Sods Wilderness has 47 miles of trails, many of which follow old railroad grades and logging roads. There are fords on some of the trails that may be a problem to cross during high water events. There may be additional small stream crossings as well.

Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area ↗
Encompassing 100,000 acres, the scenic Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area (NRA) contains the highest peak in West Virginia, some of the best rock climbing on the east coast, outstanding views and a chance to enjoy America's great outdoors. Visitor facilities include the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center , Seneca Shadows and Big Bend Campgrounds , and the Spruce Knob Tower . Many thousands of acres of unspoiled quiet land await discovery. Use your imagination to see how the area may have looked to the early settlers, as they crested the mountain ridges or moved up the river. Imagine living a self-sufficient life on a high hillside farm. Envision the Native Americans gathering food on hunting forays. You will discover not only beauty, but a sense of history in the NRA.

Maps & road access

Consult the current Motor Vehicle Use Map for permitted motor routes, vehicle classes and seasonal designations. A route on an MVUM is not a guarantee that it is maintained or passable. Check current road closures and conditions with the district; carry an offline map.

Use the official directions for the exact named campground or trailhead; forest boundaries and administrative offices are not campsite entrances. Official directions / site access ↗

Before you travel

Check the forest’s current alerts, seasonal services, fire orders and campground rules. Download the relevant official maps before entering areas with limited reception.

Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. USDA Forest Service official information ↗

Photograph sources & licensing

Banner: Dolly Sods sunset at Beaver Dam Trailhead
20191409-FS-Monongahela-KHG-011 Sunset and fall colors at Beaver Dam Trailhead (TR 520), Dolly Sods Wilderness, Monongahela National Forest, September 14, 2019. (USDA Forest Service photo by Kaylynne Goins)
Credit: Kaylynne Goins / Forest Service, Eastern Region. Original source ↗ · Public domain ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Mower Tract, Greenbrier Ranger District
20181003-fs-monongahela-kmb-490 View of the Mower Tract, Greenbrier Ranger District, Monongahela National Forest, Randolph County, West Virginia, October 3, 2018. (Forest Service photo by Kelly Bridges)
Credit: Kelly Bridges / Forest Service, USDA. Original source ↗ · Public domain ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.