Trails: Yellow Birch and Gentle Trails
Hike Location: Blackwater Falls State ParkGeographic Location: southwest of Davis, WV (39.10767, -79.49561)Length: 3.7 milesDifficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)Date Hiked: June 2020Overview: The back road to fantastic Blackwater Falls.Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/park/blackwater-falls-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=817014Photo Highlight:
Directions to the trailhead: From Davis, take Blackwater Falls Road west 1.2 miles to the major road intersection at the entrance to Blackwater Falls State Park. Signs direct you to continue straight to reach the falls, but to reach this trailhead turn left to follow signs for the lodge, which is reached in another 1.6 miles. Park in the large lot in front of the lodge.
The hike: Established in 1937 as one of West Virginia's earliest state parks, 2358-acre Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the crown jewels in West Virginia's state park system. The park is centered around 62-foot Blackwater Falls, a major waterfall on the Blackwater River's 34-mile westward journey from Canaan Mountain to the Black Fork of the Cheat River and ultimately to the Monongahela River. The river and falls get their name from the water's tannin, which is produced by decaying spruce needles and other vegetation common in Canaan Valley, where the river originates.
Blackwater Falls State Park offers many amenities, including a 54-room lodge, 39 cabins, a 65-site campground, and 20 miles of hiking trails. Nevertheless, Blackwater Falls remains the park's main attraction, and the most popular way to see the falls is by descending the short series of wooden stairs on the falls' north side. For hikers wanting to escape the crowded stairs or wanting a different view of the falls, the hike described here has appeal. Rather than taking you to the base of the falls from the north, this hike uses lightly-trafficked trails from the south to reach an ADA-accessible overlook high above the falls. Thus, it makes a nice alternative to the more traditional and touristy falls-viewing option.
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| West end of Yellow Birch Trail, near lodge |
From the lodge parking lot, walk back out to the main park road and then find the signed start of the Yellow Birch Trail, which is located on the south side of the main park road between the two entrances to the lodge parking lot. Marked with yellow aluminum squares, the Yellow Birch Trail embarks on an eastbound course over rocky, rooty, and wet terrain that parallels the main park road. Despite the rough and primitive trail surface, traffic noise from the nearby park road prevents this hike from taking on a secluded backcountry feel. |
| Hiking the Yellow Birch Trail |
At 0.8 miles, the trail passes through a bouldery area that forces you to either boulder scramble or wiggle through a fat-man's-squeeze. Next a steep descent carries the trail across the paved road that leads to the park's petting zoo and down to a creek that must be rock-hopped. After crossing the creek, you rise to reach an intersection with the Davis Trail, which goes left and right. Continue straight to remain on the Yellow Birch Trail. The 184-mile Allegheny Trail joins our route here, and turning right would lead south several miles on the Allegheny Trail to Canaan Valley Resort State Park, which was featured in the previous hike.
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| A small wet meadow |
The trail goes up and over another low ridge, and at 1.5 miles it traces the edge of a small wet meadow. A boardwalk and some gravel keep your feet dry near the meadow. Some mountain laurel was in bloom when I hiked here in mid-June, and despite the trail's name the forest here contains more spruce and hemlock trees than yellow birch trees.
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| Gentle Trail, approaching the overlook |
1.8 miles into the hike, you reach a maintenance area road that marks the east end of the Yellow Birch Trail. Turn left to walk out to the main park road, and then turn left again to find the trailhead parking for the ADA-accessible Gentle Trail. The asphalt Gentle Trail reaches the ADA-accessible Blackwater Falls overlook at its end in only another 500 feet. The water tumbling over sandstone is an impressive sight. The Blackwater River provides plenty of water to fall, and the boulder-filled canyon combines with the spruce-covered surrounding slopes to make a colorful setting. Some benches near the overlook provide great places to rest and enjoy the area.
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| Blackwater Falls, from ADA-accessible overlook |
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| Blackwater Falls, from base-level overlook |
From this perch high above the river, you can see the wooden overlook platforms on the other side of the river at the base of the falls, but there is no way to get there from here via trail. Thus, the best option is to turn around and retrace your steps to the lodge to complete the hike. While you are at the lodge, the area behind the lodge is an overlook area that provides fantastic views of the Blackwater River's canyon below the falls. Of course, the touristy falls access on the river's north side is worth a visit on your way out as well.
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| Canyon below Blackwater Falls |
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