The most photographed spot in West Virginia – or one of them, at least – is finally getting the national recognition it deserves. Bear Rocks Preserve, adjacent to the Dolly Sods Wilderness, was recently named America’s 600th National Natural Landmark.
Jagged grey boulders jut from a vast tundra speckled with colorful shrubbery. Trees grow, but they are few, stubby, and lopsided from a constant, prevailing wind. Range upon range of blue mountains stretch as far as the eye can see.
Located just adjacent to the Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest and making up part of the Allegheny Front and the Eastern Continental Divide, Bear Rocks is a 477-acre preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy.
Many visit Bear Rocks Preserve and the surrounding areas each year for the beautiful views (from Bear Rocks proper, on a clear day, you can see all the way to Virginia's Shenandoah National Park) and the beautiful sunrises and sunsets.