I’ve been sickly for about two weeks, getting over some kind of cold/respiratory thingy. So yesterday we wanted to hike somewhere close, and take a hike that wasn’t too strenuous.

Apparently, we have a strange definition of strenuous.

We ended up going to Thomas/Davis because it’s a short-ish drive, and there are tons of places to hike. We were considering the Canaan Wilderness, but I looked through the hiking books on the way down, and decided we should try some more hiking in the Blackwater Canyon (across the gorge from Blackwater Falls State Park).

Location: Blackwater Canyon
Trails: Allegheny and Limerock Trails
Distance: 8.2 miles
Elevation: 2863-3118 feet (590 feet rise)

It seems that for us, 8.2 miles turned out to be taking it easy. We did have a much slower pace than we normally hike (30 min mile vs 20 min mile) and the majority of the hike was on a railroad grade trail, so it was a slower elevation rise. Essentially, we parked, and hikeed out until we decided we were ready to turn around.

The temperatures were perfect for hiking, the weather was lovely, and aside from one dirt biker on the RR grade trail, we didn’t see anyone else while we were out.

So: a good day.

Sunday was our annual hike up Seneca Rocks in memory of my cousin Ben. Ben died in 2012, and every year since then we’ve hiked up Seneca Rocks on his birthday. And since we’re doing it in memory of Ben, we have to go all the way to the top without stopping.

—

I was chatting with Tania the night before, and she asked if I was still mad at Ben. I said much less than I had been.

I changed my mind about 2/3rds of the way up.

I’m not as mad at him as I used to be (once I catch my breath, that is) but it’s still hard for me to accept. And it most likely always will be.

—

Although there was rain throughout the day, it held off for our hike, as well as while we were enjoying the view.

Location: Seneca Rocks
Distance: 3.6 miles
Elevation: 1546-2407 feet (919)
Temperature: 75 F

Hike up:
Distance: 1.2 miles
Elevation: 1578 – 2319 feet (740); 11.6% grade
Time: 32 minutes

We’d hoped to spend some time hiking in the southern part of the state after I finished teaching in Charleston, but thunderstorms nixed that plan, so we came home, and had a day trip to Canaan.

This is one of the places we go frequently, because it’s relatively close to Morgantown, and there are SO MANY places to hike.

Location: Canaan Wilderness
Trail: Lindy Run, Plantation, Fire Trails
Distance: 4.0 miles
Elevation: 3459-3652 feet (397 feet gain)
Temperature: 82 F

Wet trail.

Wet crossing.

Dry trail.

Gorgeous creek.

Our original plans for the weekend were thrown into disarray, so we went to Canaan Valley on Saturday for a little hiking, and to see what spring wildflowers were out.

Answer: lots and lots.

The boardwalk is lovely, but .8 miles and flat is not a hike, so we decided to go out a bit on the Cow Pasture Trail, in the hopes there would be wildflowers.

There are LOTS of wildflowers.

We hiked parts of the other end of the trail, but hadn’t walked any of the western part of the trail.

It was gorgeous.

There are so many trails I want to hike in the Cranberry Wilderness, but most of them are long and would require an overnight stay–which we can do, but haven’t been able to do. (Because rain, work, reasons.)

Location: Cranberry Wilderness
Trail: Cow Pasture Trail
Distance: 4.9 miles
Elevation: 3347-3462 feet (364 feet rise)
Temperature: 59 F

If you haven’t been (and really, why haven’t you?), Cranberry Glades is an amazing area. It’s an area of bogs with plants typically found much farther to the north (like Canada).

It’s a very brief walk, and usually handicapped accessible, however, a section of boardwalk currently needs repaired, due to beaver activity.

It was a gorgeous day, and there were quite a few people on the boardwalk (by quite a few, I mean there there were about six cars in the parking lot).

If you have the chance, head there now, while the flowers are in bloom.

Location: Cranberry Glades
Trail: Cranberry Glades Boardwalk
Distance: 0.8 miles
Elevation: 3620-3659 feet (46 feet rise)
Temperature: 55 F

Not finding a lot of flowers at Canaan, we went to Blackwater Falls, in hopes some drier trails might have more wildflowers.

They didn’t, but it was a gorgeous day for a hike, so it’s still a win.

Location: Blackwater Falls
Trails: Elakala and Shay Trace Trails
Distance: 1.2 miles
Elevation: 3082-3228 feet (212 feet rise)
Temperature: 68F

Trails: Dobbins House and Pace Point Trails
Distance: 2.9 miles
Elevation: 2993-3160 feet (274 feet gain)
Temperature: 72F

We went out to Pace Point, in the hopes we’d see lots of flowers. Not many flowers, but still a lovely hike. Then we spent a bit of time at the top of Pendleton run.

And since we were on Elakala Trail, we of course scrambled down.

It was such a lovely day!