Loading...

WINTER SALE! 50% OFF Supporter Accounts — now through January 31st. Learn More.

Bear Rocks Trail

The Bear Rocks Trail in Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia, is a moderate 2.2 mile out-and-back hike to the intersection of Dobbin Grade Trail (TR-526) or an easy 4.8 mile out-and-back hike to the intersection of Raven Ridge Trail (TR-521) further west into Dolly Sods.

Along the way you'll find blueberry bushes and excellent scenery of the sods. You'll cross Red Creek, which lies just beyond the intersection of the Dobbin Grade Trail with a few primitive campsites nearby. If you plan to backpack further into the sods, make sure you fill up plenty of water from Red Creek as this is one of the last water sources available heading west.

Once leaving Red Creek, you'll hike up a hill and at the top you get stunning views of Dolly Sods. Hike another 0.8 miles to the intersection of the Raven Ridge Trail (TR-521).

Warning: Dolly Sods was used for military bombing training during WWII and there are still unexploded ordinances in the ground out in the wilderness. Most of these trails and the areas around them have been combed and searched, but not everything has been found. If you find any strange metal objects, especially bomb-shaped, do not tamper with them. Make a note of where you found it and alert the proper authorities. More information can be found at the wilderness trailheads.

Dolly Sods trail map PDF
Explore 45 trails near Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV

Know Before You Go

  • Bear Rocks Trail offers two hike options: a shorter 2.2-mile moderate hike to Dobbin Grade Trail or a longer, easier 4.8-mile hike to Raven Ridge Trail, both out-and-back.
  • The trail features blueberry bushes, scenic views, Red Creek (a key water source), primitive campsites, and panoramic views of Dolly Sods.
  • Be aware of potential unexploded WWII ordnance in the area and avoid tampering with any suspicious metal objects; report them to authorities.
Interactive topographic map for Bear Rocks Trail located in Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV. Click the "View Map" button to load GPS coordinates and trail markers.
Get directions
Distance
4.8 mi
Difficulty
Moderate
Type
Out-and-Back
Est. Time
2.4 hrs
Elev. Gain
547'
Rating
4.0
Added
July 30, 2016
Updated
October 25, 2018

Weather Forecast

This Afternoon
High 34°F
Chance Light Snow
Tonight
Low 25°F
Chance Snow
Thursday
High 28°F
Mostly Sunny
Thursday Night
Low 17°F
Partly Cloudy
Friday
High 22°F
Partly Sunny
Friday Night
Low -2°F
Mostly Cloudy
Saturday
High 6°F
Light Snow Likely
Saturday Night
Low 3°F
Light Snow
Sunday
High 14°F
Light Snow
Sunday Night
Low 4°F
Light Snow Likely
Monday
High 9°F
Chance Light Snow
Monday Night
Low -3°F
Slight Chance Light Snow then Mostly Cloudy
Tuesday
High 13°F
Mostly Sunny
Tuesday Night
Low 4°F
Partly Cloudy
Loading...
Total Change
261'
Ascent
547'
Descent
545'
Loading...

Download the GPX Data for Offline Use

Supporters get exclusive access to download trail routes to the MyHikes app for offline use. Stay prepared on your adventure, even without an internet connection! Become a Supporter today to unlock this feature and hike with confidence.

Download Bear Rocks Trail GPX Data to the MyHikes Mobile App

Features

Vista / Lookout Point
Dogs
Camping
Water Source
Biking

Points of interest

  1. Parking

    39.063644, -79.303177
  2. Main Trailhead

    39.063663, -79.303239

Safety information

For your own safety: plan ahead, let someone know where you'll be, and hike at your own risk.

Availability

Summer

Surface type

Dirt

Trip Reports (Reviews)

Rated 4.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating.

Ready to help fellow hikers? Add a trip report to share your experience and provide valuable insights for other hikers!

2.2 miles / 3.5 km
July 24, 2016
Hiking
No community routes found. To add your own hike as a Community Route for this Trail guide, leave a Trip Report with an attached GPX file.

Popular categories

Scenic mountain view representing vista trails
Vista trails
Scenic gorge of cascades representing waterfall trails
Waterfall hikes
Rugged mountain terrain representing summit trails
Summit trails
Scenic mountain view representing dog-friendly trails
Dog-friendly
Scenic campsite with a view representing camping trails
Camping trails
Appalachian Trail logo representing A.T. hikes
A.T. hikes

You May Also Like

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway - Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.
Explore

Colorado's Million Dollar Highway

Plan a day's drive adventure along the iconic Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Explore the best short trails, roadside stops, waterfalls, vistas, ghost towns, and hot springs within a ~6 hour road trip.

Read
🍪 We use cookies to learn about site usage and to serve map tiles. You may block cookies manually in the browser. By continuing you agree. Learn more