Dolly Sods Wilderness · WV
Bear Rocks Trail
Traverses the open high-elevation heath plains of the northern Sods near the iconic Bear Rocks overlook, crossing wind-swept meadows, bogs, and huckleberry barrens above 4,000 feet.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the hiking plan today.
Today's best: hiking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Dog walking
Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.
Score breakdown
- ✓ 73°F air — Right in hiking's ideal range
- − 15 mph wind — Gusty — bring a windbreaker
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
- − 89 min of daylight — You need at least 115 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 2.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 446 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.0640, -79.3231 — WV.
Park
Part of Dolly Sods Wilderness.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Bear Rocks Trail?
Bear Rocks Trail is a 2.4-mile route with 446 feet of elevation gain — moderate — some sustained climbing or technical sections; expect to work for it but no specialized skills required. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Bear Rocks Trail?
Bear Rocks Trail is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Bear Rocks Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Bear Rocks Trail is in Dolly Sods Wilderness, which is managed by the managing agency. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the agency. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.