History Left A Definite Mark At This One Fascinating Spot In West Virginia
By Rachel Whetstone|Published October 27, 2017
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Rachel Whetstone
Author
Rachel is proud to live in wild and wonderful West Virginia. She enjoys nature walks, photography, and discovering new restaurants all around the state.
There are plenty of amazing places to visit within the Monongahela National Forest, but there’s one particular spot with an intriguing landscape and a fascinating history. The Dolly Sods Wilderness has been through logging, fires, climate change, and explosives, but nature refuses to give up on this spot, and its unrelenting beauty is unforgettable.
The high plateau of Dolly Sods was once covered in a dense forest of ancient spruce and hemlock trees.
David Hunter Strother wrote of the area in 1852:
"In Randolph County, Virginia, is a tract of country containing from seven to nine hundred square miles, entirely uninhabited, and so savage and inaccessible that it has rarely been penetrated even by the most adventurous. The settlers on its borders speak of it with a sort of dread, and regard it as an ill-omened region, filled with bears, panthers, impassable laurel-brakes, and dangerous precipices. Stories are told of hunters having ventured too far, becoming entangled, and perishing in its intricate labyrinths."
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In 1884, railroads were built to the area so that loggers could make use of the trees.
Most of the trees were cut down, and the change in landscape caused the area to become a desert. Several wildfires burned through the remains of the trees and other plant life.
It's quite possible that live explosives still remain in the area, so hikers today are encouraged to stick to the known trails and report any strange objects.
With the forests gone from the plateau, strong winds carved into the rocks and stunted the growth of new trees.
Despite its rough past, Dolly Sods continues to be a home to plants and wildlife, and remains one of the most impressive landscapes in West Virginia.
West Virginia is full of stunning beauty. Take a look at these 13 staggering photos that prove West Virginia is the most beautiful place in the whole wide world.
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