Dolly Sods Scenic Area
Monongahela National Forest Surveying for Lord Fairfax in 1746, Thomas Lewis described the region as “…a swamp, which is very uncommon in places of ye kind, prodigiously full of rocks and cavities, covered over with a very luxuriant kind of moss. The spruce pines roots grow out on all sides and the laurel and ivy are so well woven together that without cutting it away it would be impossible to force through them.” Nearly 200 years later, the Dahle family (later Americanized to Dolly) burned these rich grounds to create areas of grass, “sods” to feed their cattle. Today, an interesting mix of massive boulders and intriguing landscape remains. Directions: Go East from Elkins on US-33 [SR-55] for 22.4 miles Turn LEFT (West) onto SR-32 for 3.9 miles Turn RIGHT (East) onto CR-32 [Bonner Mountain Rd] for 1.0 mile Turn LEFT (North) onto CR-32 [Red Creek] for 3.5 miles Road name changes to CR-45 [Lanesville Rd] for .5 miles Turn LEFT to stay on CR-45 [Lanesville Rd] Turn RIGHT (East) onto CR-45 [Jenningston-Lanesville Rd] for 1.4 miles Road name changes to Public Road 19 for 3.7 miles At near Hopeville, turn LEFT (North) onto Public Road 75 and travel north for Wilderness and Scenic Areas
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