Roaring Plains Camping, Monongahela National Forest, WV

Photos by Michael Juskelis, 2003/06/14-17.

Day 1 (Seneca Rocks Warm-up Hike)

Seneca Rocks.

Dan and Betty, Mike, Carol and Don before the climb.

Betty up, Don down.

Mountain Man Dan climbing to the REAL top.

View from the rocks looking northwest toward the Roaring Plains with storm clouds moving in. The North Fork of the Potomac is below us.

Day 2 (Roaring Plains)

One of many boulder fields on the Roaring Plains. This one is along the South Prong Trail.

It was rainy and cloudy that day so there were no views. The flora warmed our spirits though. Bunch Berry flowers shown here.

Azaleas at the entrance to the "Hidden Passage" between Red Creek Plains and the Roaring Plains.

Donald with your pants so red won't you guide us through the Hidden Passage? (Sing to the tune of Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer.)

A blooming hawthorn tree (with big nasty thorns).

A black cherry tree in bloom.

We made it! The group stands in front of a campsite at the infamous "Meadows on the Plains". From here out we're on the map.

Golden Ragwort grew all along FR70 on our way to the Boar's Nest Trail.

Crossing the headwaters of the south fork of Red Creek. It may be raining, but at least its passable. Now look at the picture below of the same crossing, but from the May 10 scouting expedition. NO WAY JOSE!!!

Painted Trillium. Note the translucent petals!

View looking west from Flat Rock Plains.

Carol re-crossing Red Creek at the end of the hike. Dan and Betty finally got their feet wet on this one.

Don is a reptile kind of guy. This green snake made his trip!

Day 3 (Dolly Sods)

Hiking Blackbird Knob Trail in the Sods.

North fork of Red Creek before Blackbird Knob.

This neat bridge built by energetic hikers gives new meaning to the phrase "Necessity is the mother of invention".

The left fork of Red Creek flowing through a heath meadow.

British Soldiers growing on a rock with other mosses, grasses, lichens, etc. I stopped counting at 8 different species growing on this one rock.

Don viewing Canaan Valley from Harmon's Knob, the turnaround point of this linear hike.

The clouds lifted just enough to give us this obscure view of the valley and ridges beyond.

Fields of cinnamon ferns line the trail.

Other pictures from Roaring Plains, WV: