We didn’t take a long hike at New River Gorge on Saturday, but the trails made up for that by being very steep.

Location: New River Gorge
Trail: Big Branch Trail
Distance: 1.5 miles
Elevation: 1256 – 1713

We hiked counter-clockwise, so for the first half of the trail we were gasping for breath and wondering why anyone wanted to hike this trail.

Then we started down, following the creek.

This was less of a hike and more of a wander, but it was gorgeous and fascinating.

Not many pretty wildflowers out right now, but I found a few yesterday hiking at New River Gorge.

OK, not flowers, but I still found them pretty.

Since we drove past it on our way to and from Seneca State Forest, we made a quick stop at Green Bank.

My favorite vehicles are still there and running!

Seneca State Forest is NOT where Seneca Rocks are located. It in the south eastern part of the state, and is the oldest state forest (1925). It is a very rural state park, with rudimentary facilities (ie, the cabins have out houses), but that’s a good thing, because it’s undeveloped and beautiful and isolated.

Location: Seneca State Forest
Trail: Thorny Creek Trail (half)
Distance: 4.6 miles
Elevation: 2625 – 3213
Time: 2:20 (moving time)

There is also a lake.

ADDENDUM the First: We’ve now visited 78% of the WV state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas!

Kumbrabow is not a busy forest (nothing like Coopers Rock) and we didn’t see another person on the trails, which is how I like it.

But the thing is, it should be visited, because it is beautiful and a good place to feel like you’ve gotten away from the world. Because you have. Most of the roads are gravel (although in very good shape) so you have to slow down as you drive, enjoying the view around you.

Location: Kumbrabow State Forest
Trails: Meatbox Run, Raven Rocks, and Fire Trails
Distance: 3.9 miles
Elevation: 3077 – 3841 feet
Time: 2:06

I mostly left my camera in my backpack, and although I took some pictures with my phone, they were low light and mostly terrible.

The view from the overlook at Raven Rocks trail was gorgeous, but not very photogenic. Which happens sometimes.

If I am remembering correctly, Kumbrabow is a second generation forest, so there are plenty of fallen trees, decaying where they lay, and so very many of them are fascinating.

There are also plenty of trees that grew up around stumps, which decayed and disappeared, which make fascinating shapes, but every picture I took like that was fuzzy and out of focus. Sorry.

At the Meatbox Run picnic area, they’ve damned up the stream a little bit–Michael things to reduce erosion.

It was quite peaceful.

It was a beautiful day for a hike at Coopers Rock on Sunday, and once again we went early and avoided the crowds.

Location: Coopers Rock State Forest
Trails: Rhododendron, Mount Chateau, Ridge, Rock City, and “casual” trails
Distance: 4.8 miles
Elevation: 1366 – 2011
Time: 2:27 (moving time) 3:06 (including playing in the stream)

So, I’ve been disappointed the past couple hikes on Mont Chateau Trail that no one has created any more balanced rock art. Then I realized that I was nobody, so I made my own.

It was really lovely.

A lot less water this visit.

They’ve got the new signs up!

Alas, they haven’t done anything about this sign…

After visiting Grandview, we stopped at the bridge area on our way home.

Location: New River Gorge
Trails: Endless Wall (Diamond Point)
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation: 1781 – 1913

We found the oddest mushroom. I have no idea what it was, but it was most definitely green.

Total slacker this month. Eight books. That’s all. I even took books when we took our long weekend at Canaan, but never got around to reading them.

The best books of the month were The Very Best of Charles de Lint by Charles de Lint. I love Charles de Lint, so this shouldn’t be a surprise. This is also an anthology I was reading for several months. Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older, and Summer Campaign by Carla Kelly. Three very different books from very different genres, but all were very good and all are highly recommended.

Urban Fantasy

The Very Best of Charles de Lint (2010) Charles de Lint (9.5/10)

Supernatural Fantasy

Half-Resurrection Blues (2015) Daniel José Older (8.5/10)
Wickedly Dangerous (2014) Deborah Blake (7.5/10)

Mystery

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005/2008) Stieg Larsson translated by Reg Keeland

Historical Romance

Summer Campaign (2012) Carla Kelly (8.5/10)

Short Story / Novella

The Girl of Hrusch Avenue (2013) Brian McClellan (7/10)
Spellbinder (2015) C.C. Hunter (6/10)
Unbreakable (2014) C.C. Hunter

All the books I read were eBooks, in fact, I haven’t read a single mass-market paperback this year. One book was a re-read.

Genre-wise, I’ve read mostly fantasy, with a smattering of other genres.

Fantasy: 6
Mystery: 1
Romance: 1
YA: 2
Anthology: 1

Genre-wise, on the face of it I read more male authors, however, it was really evenly split.

Male: 4
Female: 2
Initials: 2

Saturday we visited one of the southern portions of New River Gorge: Grandview.

This is not a wilderness hike, although parts are rocky and along a cliff.

But it truly is a grand view, and well worth the visit.

Location: New River Gorge: Grandview
Trails: Grandview Rim & Castle Rock Trails
Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation: 2360 – 2587

Stairs, for klutzes like me to get to the top!

Oh! Look! A sign for me to disregard!

Castle Rock Trail

Got up early to take a short hike at Coopers Rock before it got busy.

It was some lovely quiet.

Location: Coopers Rock State Forest
Trails: Underlook & Rattlesnake Trails
Distance: 1.4 miles
Elevation: 1991 – 2133 feet

Because it’s typically so crowded and loud, I often forget how much I like the overlook.

NOTE: The first two pictures were taken last week, by Michael, when he was on site for work.

The rest were taken by me, this evening, because I can.

The change in this sign amused me.

Where the triangular house was:

The new sidewalk? The new curb? Random cement pouring?

The road is covered in dirt–it has not been torn up yet.