Dolly Sods Wilderness
In the mid-1800s, the Dalhe family used open grassy fields called "sods" for grazing sheep in this area, which now bears the name Dolly Sods Wilderness. The region, located high on the Allegheny Plateau, is known for its extensive rocky plains, upland bogs, and sweeping vistas. In the lower elevations, you'll find a forest of northern hardwoods and laurel thickets. Higher up, groves of wind-stunted red spruce stand near heath barrens where azaleas, mountain laurels, rhododendron, and blueberries grow. The bogs are unique depressions of sphagnum moss, cranberries, and the insect-eating sundew plant–an ecosystem you'd expect to see in northern Canada. Beaver ponds dot the Wilderness and the headwaters of Red Creek spill out of the area.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | West Virginia |
| Size | 17,777 acres |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.02° N, 79.36° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 3 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
19 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 48 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Red Creek Trail ↗ | 6.3 | |
| Blackbird Knob Trail ↗ | 4.7 | |
| Dobbin Grade Trail | 4.3 | |
| Big Stonecoal Trail | 4.2 | |
| Rohrbaugh Trail | 3.6 | |
| Rocky Ridge Trail | 3 | |
| Raven Ridge Trail | 2.8 | |
| Breathed Mountain Trail | 2.5 | |
| Bear Rocks Trail | 2.4 | |
| Fisher Spring Run Trail | 2.4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.2 miRohrbaugh Cabin ↗Petersburg, WV
- 6.7 miMeyer, Herman August, House ↗Davis, WV
- 6.9 miDay--Vandevander Mill ↗Harmon, WV
- 8.4 miSites Homestead ↗Seneca Rocks, WV
- 9.1 miCottrill Opera House ↗Thomas, WV
- 9.2 miBuxton and Landstreet Company Store ↗Thomas, WV
- 9.2 mi
- 9.6 miBoggs Mill ↗Seneca Rocks, WV
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for West Virginia
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Dolly Sods Wilderness?
17,777 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Dolly Sods Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Dolly Sods Wilderness in?
West Virginia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Dolly Sods Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Dolly Sods Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Dolly Sods Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.017° N, 79.356° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Dolly Sods Wilderness?
The National Register has 17 listings within 15 miles, including Rohrbaugh Cabin and Meyer, Herman August, House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.