Dolly Sods Wilderness · WV
Big Stonecoal Trail
Descends along Big Stonecoal Run through spruce and hardwood forest past a series of cascades and Big Stonecoal Falls, linking the high plateau with the Red Creek valley.
Live · updated
Today
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Today's best: hiking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
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Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Score breakdown
- ✓ 73°F air — Right in hiking's ideal range
- − 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 194 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 4.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1169 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
39.0081, -79.3744 — 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 Big Stonecoal Trail?
Big Stonecoal Trail is a 4.3-mile route with 1169 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 Big Stonecoal Trail?
Big Stonecoal 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 Big Stonecoal Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Big Stonecoal 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.