Trails: Middle Ridge, Promised Land, Ridge Top, Club Run, Back Hollow,
and Mill Run Trails
Hike Location: Canaan Valley Resort State Park
Geographic Location: south of Davis, WV (39.02416, -79.46745)
Length: 5.1 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: June 2020
Overview: A rolling loop hike through dense forest and wet
meadows.
Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/park/canaan-valley-resort-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=817002
Photo Highlight:
Directions to the trailhead: From Davis, take SR 32 south/east 9.8 miles to the signed entrance for Canaan Valley Resort State Park on the right. Turn right to enter the park, and drive the main park road 1.9 miles to the signed Balsam Swamp Overlook trailhead parking on the left. Park here.
The hike: Established in 1963, Canaan Valley Resort State Park occupies 6014 acres in the highest valley east of the Mississippi River. The valley's altitude of greater than 3000 feet means that the forests in Canaan Valley more resemble those of places further north such as New Hampshire or Michigan than they do the forests of West Virginia. The valley gets its name from its idyllic setting that reminded early settlers of the biblical promised land of Canaan.
Canaan Valley is best known as a winter skiing destination, and in 1959 the first ski development in West Virginia was built on Weiss Knob at the southeast corner of this valley. A ski resort associated with the state park still operates on Weiss Knob today, as do several other ski resorts on adjacent mountains. Thus, Canaan Valley and its surrounding mountains form the birthplace of West Virginia's burgeoning ski industry.
Canaan Valley makes an appealing destination during the warmer months as well. The park offers a 160-room lodge that doubles as a ski lodge in the winter, a golf course, 23 cabins and cottages, a cozy 34-site campground, and a vast system of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and (in the winter) snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The 184 mile Allegheny Trail runs through the park, and it connects this park with famous Blackwater Falls State Park just 5 miles to the north. The route described here is not the longest possible hike in this park, but it provides a rolling course through both forest and meadow, thus offering a nice overview of the habitats this park preserves.
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| Balsam Swamp Overlook |
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| Trailhead at Balsam Swamp Overlook |
The Balsam Swamp Overlook trailhead parking offers an excellent view northwest over a wet meadow. This meadow featured a tranquil pond with a beaver lodge on my visit. Two trails start at this parking area: the Promised Land Trail marked with purple plastic diamonds and the Middle Ridge Trail marked with green plastic diamonds. This hike starts on the Middle Ridge Trail and uses the Promised Land Trail going across the road as its return route, thus forming a counterclockwise loop. The Middle Ridge Trail descends with the wet meadow on your right. After crossing a stream on a wooden footbridge, the trail enters the woods and reaches a major intersection that forms the Middle Ridge Trail's loop. Turn right to begin heading counterclockwise around the Middle Ridge Trail.
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| Hiking the Middle Ridge Trail |
For the next mile the Middle Ridge and Promised Land Trails repeatedly cross each other as they head north with Middle Ridge rising to your left. The Promised Land Trail seems to follow a wider, better-maintained, and less undulating grade here, so you can use whichever trail you prefer. Being a purist, I stuck to the green plastic diamonds of the Middle Ridge Trail.
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| Wet meadow north of Middle Ridge |
Another wet meadow comes into view as the trail curves left to round the north end of Middle Ridge. At 1.2 miles, you reach a signed intersection where you need to turn left to remain on the Middle Ridge Trail; a spur trail to the Railroad Grade Trail continues straight across a short boardwalk. The Railroad Grade Trail is also this area's route for the Allegheny Trail, and therefore continuing straight here would eventually lead you to Blackwater Falls State Park.
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| Climbing Middle Ridge |
Just past the spur trail, the Middle Ridge Trail crosses the Promised Land Trail for the last time. A long gradual climb up the north face of Middle Ridge ensues, and the lush forest here includes lots of maple trees with some birch, hemlock, and spruce. After gaining roughly 225 vertical feet of elevation, the trail tops Middle Ridge and begins switchbacking down the ridge's south face. After the first switchback, you reach a trail intersection where the Ridge Top Trail exits right. If you are getting tired or running out of daylight, then you should stay on the Middle Ridge Trail, which quickly returns you to the Balsam Swamp Overlook trailhead parking. To see more of the park, turn right to begin the Ridge Top Trail. Marked with white plastic diamonds, the Ridge Top Trail is only 0.12 miles long, and it serves only to connect the Middle Ridge Trail with the Club Run Trail by running atop a low ridge. When you reach the Club Run Trail, turn left to head for the park's cabin area. Marked with red plastic diamonds, the Club Run Trail descends gradually and crosses several other trails as it heads in the general direction of southeast.
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| Intersecting the Club Run Trail |
At 2.3 miles, the Club Run Trail ends at an intersection with the park's cabin area road. To continue this hike, turn right and walk the paved park road through the cabin area. At the cul de sac at the rear of the cabin area, look to the right for a green vehicle gate that marks the start of the Back Hollow Trail, the next segment of this hike. Walk around the vehicle gate and climb gradually on the two-track gravel/dirt road that is this part of the Back Hollow Trail.
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| Start of Back Hollow Trail |
Just after the Monarch Trail enters from the right, you reach a primitive campsite that sits on the edge of a meadow. This campsite offers a fantastic view of Canaan Mountain to the west. I saw several deer along this meadow's edge, and some picnic tables make great places to sit and rest near the midpoint of this hike. Past the campsite, the single track grass/dirt trail descends through a meadow-like setting to reach a trail intersection where the Back Hollow Trail splits. The option going right dead-ends at the park office, so you want to continue straight. |
| Canaan Mountain across the meadow |
The next segment of trail follows a power line corridor, and therefore it is not the most scenic hiking in this park. The trail crosses the main park road at 3.5 miles, and 4 miles into the hike you reach another trail intersection. We will continue straight on the Back Hollow Trail later, but to see another wet meadow overlook, turn right to begin an out-and-back on the Mill Run Trail.
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| Hiking along the power line corridor |
Marked with green plastic diamonds, the Mill Run Trail heads east on a grassy track through a wet meadow. Some wet areas will need to be negotiated, so waterproof boots are in order here. At 4.5 miles, you reach the Mill Run Trail's wet meadow overlook. This overlook provides a fantastic view down a narrow spruce-lined meadow with the ski slopes on Weiss Knob in the distance.
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| Weiss Knob across the meadow |
Trail conditions on the Mill Run Trail deteriorate past the overlook, so I turned around and retraced my steps to the Back Hollow Trail. Turn right to continue the Back Hollow Trail. The trail climbs gradually to reach the park's swimming pool and skating rink, where the Back Hollow Trail ends. The rear of the park's lodge stands uphill to the left here. Angle left and pick up the Promised Land Trail, which descends gradually to return to the Balsam Swamp Overlook trailhead parking and complete the hike.
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