I know its ski season and everything, but im already planning my camping trips for the summer. I was just wondering, when the best time to go to dolly sods to pick some blueberries would be? And what trail you guys recommend for that...

Middle/End of July is a good time to go up there if you are in the mood for berries. Any of the trails around Bear Rocks are good. We did really well last year just exploring out actually on the rocks. It is nothing but heath all around them. And the further you explore from the parking area, the more berries there are.

Don't forget your camera!!!

I've been the first two weekends of August and there are still plenty of berries (blue and huckle). I started at Bear Rocks and did a loop to Cabin Mtn and back. There are a ton of blueberries along Cabin Mtn and along most of the trails in patches. David is correct. The area around Bear Rocks is good, but the further north you go from the rocks, the more berries.

The hike detailed in the link below is great, but any combination of the trails works. I would just avoid the Dobbin Grade trail between Raven Ridge and Beaver Dam Trail unless you like hiking in bogs and mud.

DS Map

trail info/trip report

This is good advice. Anywhere between Mid-July and Mid-August and there will be plenty of berries for good eating. That section of Dobbin's is almost always a mess. Once you get further up the trail youll still encounter wet and boggy sections but they are much easier to avoid. Just take note of the LNT practices and beware that you are traveling in a Wilderness Area and the rules and maintenance, as well as the hazards involved w/ hiking there are slightly different than in other areas of the Nat'l Forest.

Any of the info on midatlantichikes.com is good info and you can get in on a group hike w/ mrhyker if youre looking for someone to show you around the area. Dolly Sods is one of my favorite spots on this earth.

Here are photos from 3 of my hikes there last fall:

http://guyforget.week4paug.net/travel/mon/dolly_sods/

yeah man, this past year there were blueberries and huckleberries into october! late july is usually peak. dont worry about it being ski season and talking about the sods, because tons of people ski up there

i see someone is a phish phan too! got my hampton tix dude?

I've hiked/biked in the Sods over the past 15 years and find "peak" berry season variable. Depends how late spring is. I find that August is premo for the berrys. Yum, yum!

Todd?

Remember #week4paug....?

Thanks guys...I'll have to make my trip sometime in early august maybe...starting at bear rocks it looks like...

Hey that pic on your website of seneca creek...the waterfall...Where exactly is that located?

And the waterfall on canyon rim trail...is that the one out next to the olson fire tower? I think its called falls of big run?

Falls of Seneca Creek are at the end of Seneca Creek Trail, past the junction w/ Huckleberry Trail, and at the junction w/ Horton Trail. The trailhead is on the way up Spruce Mountain, the long gravel side from Job and Whitmer, not the Seneca Rocks side. Its a pretty easy 5 mile hike along Seneca Creek to the falls. If you go out there, dont backtrack back out, try to make a loop w/ the other trails, using High Meadows Trail as a connector to the upper circuit of Lumberjack or Huckleberry trails.

Falls of Big Run are out Canyon Rim trail, but theyre definitely not "next to Olson Fire Tower." Its a little more than 3 miles out the trail if you start at the fire tower. Its an easy hike out to the falls from the tower, mostly a slight downhill grade when traveling in this direction. The trek back is slightly more difficult. If you had a high clearance vehicle you can actually drive right out to the falls using the FR that turns off to the left from the road out to the tower, but I prefer to hike the Canyon Rim because its such a great trail. Ive hiked that one once a year for the past few years, never gets old. Still trying to recreate a shot I got years ago with better light, so far to no avail.

http://guyforget.week4paug.net/travel/mon/canyonrim/DSC00674.JPG.html

If you plan on hiking extensively in the Mon, Id definitely recommend buying the Mon. Forest Hiking Guide from the Highlands Conservancy if you dont have one already. Not only is the donation greatly appreciated and put towards a good cause, but its also the single best source for guide info on the MNF.

http://wvhighlands.org/store/pages/mnf8_hg.html

Huckleberry and Seneca Creek are amazing mountain bike trails too! Ran into a couple out there last summer from California that came out to ride there on their honeymoon which i thought was a testament to how special the area and riding is! We park at seneca creek trail head.. ride the fire road up to the top of spruce knob, enjoy the epic view for a bit, then decend down huckleberry trail to judy springs trail to seneca creek trail back to car. Think thats an 18mile loop? bring the full-suspension tho if you bike it!

While I prefer to hike, Canyon Rim Trail is also very popular w/ the MTB crowd.

And c'mon, crunchy, you cant post back w/out acknowledging my question:



Dr. FOB Schoeps? Not like I expected there to be another crunchy in DC.

I got nothin on Hampton. Not even trying to go anymore. Hopefully Ill get some turns in over those days to quell the urges.

You keeping up w/ the rumor mill? Supposedly frequent practices in NYC. Red Rocks in July / August? Im down.