Hiking up to Seneca Rocks

This Series Hiking up to Seneca Rocks

In the Appalachian mountain range where highways 33, 55 and 28 meet up is the Spruce Knob Seneca Falls National Recreation Area. Nearby is the tiny town of Seneca Rocks, about an hour drive east from Elkins. The town is more of an intersection with a hotel, general store and some touristy stuff. But Seneca Rocks is well-known for the amazing hiking around in the wilderness, spelunking in the caverns, or the beautiful mountains roads which motorcycle riders dream of.

Seneca Creek

Where Creeks Meet

About where the aforementioned highways merge and the Seneca Creek meets the North Fork South Branch Potomac River is a lush green park adjacent to Seneca Rocks. Having been cooped up in the car for an hour, our three dogs and us two humans erupted from the vehicle and took to the trail. Almost immediately is a footbridge over the river, and then the trail winds into the lush forest and begins to climb towards to summit.

Trail Conditions

Seneca Rocks

The trail is not difficult and the summit can be attained within an hour’s stroll. The first stop is a sturdy wood platform just shy of the summit. The trail continues up to the rocky mound of the first peak. Casual adventurers can opt to climb out onto and between the sharp, knifelike ridges which are massive chunks of Tuscarora quartzite eroded by hundreds of millions of years of geological forces. For the mountaineers out there, 900-foot Seneca Rocks is no El Capitan but still offers fun yet challenging climbing routes up the fairly sheer rock face. Being more of a rock hopper than a climber I enjoyed scrambling around on the rocks while delighting in the broad view of the valley below.