In addition to hiking, there are many other ways to discover this beautiful wildness. Inbox. PO Box 6018 | 2001 Recreation Center Drive | Morgantown, WV 26506 Awesome Canoe trip down the Smoke Hole Canyon in West Virginia! Both of those places have good portage access if you want to avoid trouble. Paddling through the Barron Canyon is one of those canoe trips that is on everyone's bucket list due to the sheer natural wonder that it is. The dry, prairie-like areas along the upper knobs and ridges of the Canyon are home to a variety of typically western plants such as prairie flax. Entering Smoke Hole Canyon you will see Cave Mountain and Eagle Rock, two very noteworthy natural monuments. The Canyon is a prime area for neotropical migrant birds i.e., those that spend their summers in the US but migrate to South America for the winter. No information on Parking & Fees has been added yet for this paddling location. Parking may be limited at many of our preserves. Production on a small scale had been a local tradition long before the institution of Prohibition (1919) and continued to be so long after its repeal (1933). The excess fabric at the top of the structure is the smoke hole and smoke flaps. The earliest settler families the Steeles, Fulls, Eagles, Coxes, Boars, Shreves, and Van Meters were sustained by smallholder farming, supplemented by hunting and fishing. The main and traditional entrance into the Smoke Hole is from the south through a water gap between Big Mountain and Cave Mountain about two miles north of the community of Upper Tract. We did fully swamp one canoe but was still fine.Royal Glen Rapid.This one definitely has some nasty rebar scattered across the river but has a nice line on the river left. It was wonderful! Looked like the was a rock at the entrance that could wrap a canoe if you got sideways on it. 1 . About 185 million years ago, a seven-mile thick sheet of sedimentary rocks began to buckle and fold. Sunday morning we considered putting in at Big Bend and paddling down to Petersburg through the canyon as a day trip, but that would have involved running at least 3-hours of shuttle and paddling 15 miles from Big Bend to Petersburg. Drinking water is not available so remember to bring your own. Look on the inner side of the bend for gold hung up in plant roots or cracks in. About 3 miles on (mile 20.7), the river debouches from the Canyon. 250cfs is my lowest starting point. This is a landscape in which surprises seem to lie beyond each ridge. He helps Eagles nest out in the summer on occasion. Good luck! Here is a very different world from that of the sunlit surface above. 200 Sycamore Street The canyon is very remote for most of its length after Big Bend Campground until you get close to Petersburg. The area is known for its unique rock formations, including towering cliffs and natural arches. The area is rather isolated and remote with parts accessible only by boat or on foot. Book Now Smoke Hole Resort 8290 N Fork Hwy Cabins, WV 26855 304-257-4442 info@smokehole.com It lies in the Allegheny Mountains and was created by the flow of the South Branch Potomac River. The southernmost forests of native red pine clothing Pike Knob. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Despite its distance from the GTA area (about a 6-hour drive), it is a very popular area of Algonquin Park and can be quite difficult to book during the summer months. I looked at my notes and we did a three day float back in 2015. You can grab a canoe from the Canoe Lake Portage Store, and put in at Smoke Lake, across the highway. It was a great time filled with swift waters, beautiful scenery, and big smiles. West Virginia provides. Midwest prairies nestled within the Smoke Hole canyon. Some old timers call the canyon "Smoke Holes" and claim Native Americans used the caves for smoking meat. Great camping, fishing and plenty of rapids to run. There are 113 registered voters in the Smoke Hole, and of these 81 are members of one of seven families, all early settlers, the Alts, Ayres, Judys, Kimbles, Selfs, Shreves, and Shirks, with the Kimble clan alone boasting 29 votes. Global sites represent either regional branches of The Nature Conservancy or local affiliates of The Nature Conservancy that are separate entities. Remember: Using others' images on the web without their permission may be bad manners, or worse, copyright infringement. (Not uncommonly, an offender would serve his term, be released, and promptly resume production.) Wind and water wore away the softer layers, wearing down the mountains, and creating a region of rolling plains. This is an overnight trip on the Smoke Hole Canyon section of the South Branch of the Potomac River. U.S. Pensioners, 18181872 Record for William Eagle - PRIVATE, Eagle enlisted in the Continental Line at age 15 on 24 December 1776. Anglins, appreciate the input. Then the plains themselves were violently uplifted and broken. The only gauge on the South Branch of the Potomac River above Smoke Hole Canyon is at Franklin, WV, which is about 19 river miles above where we put in so, the readings from there are not a very good indicator of what is running down in the canyon. [34] The fruit-bearing common pawpaw (Asimina triloba) grows at river level in great profusion, especially in the lower gorge. Have taken a raft down before. Enter a search term like, Seneca Rocks, or Coopers Rock State Forest., Adventure WV To manage or opt-out of receiving cookies, please visit our. It was here, at cave and spring, that Confederates operated a salt petre works during the Civil War. Electric and gas service was provided to the few remaining residents only in 1949.[25]. If things go south, hike up any drain on the left side of canyon (looking downstream) and you'll eventually (couple miles uphill) hit SmokeHole Road and can flag someone down. An official website of the Hot showers are also provided. The "revenuers" destroyed many "stills" (distilleries) during this period and sent many moonshiners to the state penitentiary the typical term of incarceration was one year. Definitely be careful at both areas mentioned, as dangerous at it gets for the South Branch floating. [35], The prairie-like regions and associated cedar glades around the Smoke Hole Canyon are the largest groupings of such habitats in the Central Appalachians, and a number of unusual disjunct or regionally endemic plant species are known from the Smoke Hole. You will have to carry all your camping gear, etc., in your boat. A third popular story is that the fires of moonshiner's stills during prohibition days (and before) gave the gorge its name. If walking up an drains on the left to smoke hole road be careful of rattlers. Deer and bear hunting is popular in late fall. (304) 636-1800, Cheat-Potomac District Bing Maps has a collection of great trails with directions to trail heads as well as photos. Along with occasional Saturday night jaunts to Petersburg or Franklin, one of his choicest entertainments consists of gathering in jeans-clad groups on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in Shreve's store, there to discuss crops, hunting, and politics. Anyway, one of the most beautiful floats I have ever floated in WV. Vivamus id nisl ligula. These plants are more commonly found west of the Mississippi River. brevis), a member of the mint family, has some of its few worldwide occurrences within the Smoke Hole area. Anyone have any experience with water levels and rafts? A smoke hole ( smokehole, smoke-hole) is a hole in a roof for the smoke from a fire to vent. My trip was the last weekend of April in 2017 and we had 90 degree weather so it was dropping fast. The anticline appears to divide into several plunging folds upsection, at the Lower Devonian strata level, toward each end of the fold. website belongs to an official government organization in the Several crews, engines, and a helicopter worked to suppress the fire. Pricing is economical and we even offer free delivery to some Highway 60 access points such as Canoe Lake and Smoke Lake. Other violets along with the buttercups follow. I did the upper portion of the canyon to eagle rocks in a traditional kayak in the early/mid 90s in early June. Passing on down the river, one encounters Fishing Rock and Fishing Rock Ford and finally comes, at 3.8 miles from the entrance, to an intersection near Shreve's Store, the Smoke Hole Campground and the old Palestine Church ("Old Log Church"). long, wide, still, flat pools well over a mile long that take some effort to move through. Charitable Solicitation Disclosures To get to the put-in's, take 220 south for about 16 miles to Smoke Hole Rd (cr 2). You can take a short walk on the one-third mile trail that runs along the turn in the river that gives the campground its name. Keep an eye out for eagles here. Flow on the Franklin gauge was 250 cfs and dropping rapidly. This area is managed for "catch and release" only all throughout the year. This area was the center of the "town of Smoke Hole" proper, site of an official post office for a time. Forty percent of all the endangered Virginia big-eared bats remaining on Earth and the largest colony of endangered Indiana bats left in the East reside here. See Alerts and Notices Section for more information. I wanted to toss out some post trip feedback and thank the group again for everyone who commented. Views of the Canyon can be had along the 24-mile (39km) long North Fork Mountain Trail to the west where sods and cedar barrens can be visited. Two other non-native, invasive plants seriously threaten the rare limestone plant communities in the Canyon spotted knapweed and viper's bugloss and are also the objects of Nature Conservancy abatement projects. Share sensitive information only The take-out is at a public river access site in Petersburg on the north side of the 220 bridge. I recall him being big into recurves. The gauge at Franklin was 264 cfs and 3.00 feet on Sunday at noon. Email:alex.kew@mail.wvu.edu. The high, dry crests of North Fork Mountain support the largest pine barrens of the Central Appalachianshundreds of acres of gnarled pines dwarfed by the harsh conditions and by thousands of years of recurring wildfires. I was thinking it was 300 CFs at Franklin. Gnarlz Outdoors: Smoke Hole Canyon theGnarlz 1.51K subscribers 6.5K views 5 years ago We put the Silverbirch Broadland 15 and 16 to work on our two day canoe trip down Smoke Hole. Tours start every 30 minutes. Smoke Hole Canyon is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including black bears, bobcats, and bald eagles. Help the community if you have a paddling trip to share! It included the Canyon as part of the greater Smoke Hole-North Mountain Bioreserve during its "Last Great Places" campaign. The Smoke Hole settlers were not generally slaveholders and became overwhelmingly Unionist during the War. The origin of the name "Smoke Hole" is undocumented. smoke hole canyon by tonylehr61 A self-supported trip created by tonylehr61 Trip Overview Got a nice weather window and the river flow was excellent for a run through smoke canyon. Maple sugar, maple syrup and wild honey were all available with a minimum of effort. In the 1920s, sympathetic Franklin attorney H. M. Calhoun Sr. (18661933) became a public champion of the Smoke Hole and its people. The Smoke Holer is most precise: 'Is that a bushel basket?' Keep in mind that because this is one of the more popular places to embark on a paddling trip . A species of Asian beetle known to survive entirely by eating the adelgid is being considered for the Canyon, while a solution to the stiltgrass problem remains as yet unidentified. Many features may not work properly without it. [10]) Another Revolutionary War veteran settled there in the years after the conflict, but he Charles Bleachynden had been one of the enemy: he was one of the Hessian soldiers (German mercenaries) surrendered at Yorktown in 1781 with Lord Cornwallis' forces.[11]. Today the Canyon still has significant black bear and bobcat populations and is known for its large number of timber rattlesnakes, a species now scarce elsewhere in the state[citation needed]. The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 53-0242652) under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The understory of the Canyon woodland includes such low-lying, fruit-bearing vegetation as huckleberry, blackberry, raspberry, teaberry, and wild grape. The anticline trends N 34 degrees E, and is faulted along the southeast-dipping Cave Mountain thrust against the southeast limb of the Wills Mountain anticline (North Fork Mountain). Turn left onto the Smoke Hole Road, County Route 2. We parked at Eagles Nest Outfitters and arranged a shuttle with them. United States government. Marlinton: (304) 799-4334 The best hiking in the immediate area is undoubtedly the 24-mile-long North Fork Mountain Trail. Home Forums Trip Reports Smoke Hole Canyon, West Virginia, May 11 and 12, 2019. Don't forget there is a take out right in Petersburg soon as you cross under the bridge on the left, which is 3 miles up river of Eagles nest and Welton Park. (This is about 1.5 miles along Pendleton County Route 2 beyond the bridge where US Route 220 crosses the South Branch.) I *think* you can park at welton park overnight there's a fair amount of parking someone more local might know better. Turn left onto the Smoke Hole Road, Route 28/11, and travel for 13 miles to County Route 2. Even though I felt like I was going to squeeze by with water I choose to take the canoe to be on the same playing field as the group. No trips have been created that use this paddling location. Regardless, the canyon is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful areas in West Virginia. Peculiarly free from modern slang, their vocabulary includes such a familiar term as 'budget' to signify a bag, wallet, or bundle. This website uses cookies to enhance your experience and analyze performance and traffic on our website. We will camp Friday night near the put in at Jess Judy Group Campground and then Saturday night on the river. This created a bitter legacy. Most of the land in the Smoke Hole is managed by the Forest Service and is open to hunting and subject to West Virginia hunting regulations. Special bait and tackle regulations apply. Did it last year in a 4-man shredder and camped near Blue Rock. In the latter year, their encampment was washed away in a river flood. Smoke Hole Canyon About 185 million years ago, a seven-mile thick sheet of sedimentary rocks began to buckle and fold. In addition to shuttle service for groups big and small, we also provide canoe and kayak drop-off with pick up . 2023 West Virginia University. it was a lot of fun but next time I would really like to take the raft for ease of packing along gear and getting to fish more efficiently. Difficulty ranges from Class I to Class III+. There is also a miniature golf course just outside of the cavern entrance. You could have blindfolded me and I would have swore we were out west. Rapids..Landslide was a fun rapid, even had some brand-new boaters that made it through just fine. Smoke Hole Canyon often referred to as just Smoke Hole, is an awe-inspiring gorge spanning 20 mi (32 km) in West Virginia. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. [14], A still extant log church Palestine Church was built as a Methodist Episcopal meeting house around 1850.[15]. The takeout is in Petersburg, WV. Before the early-20th-century chestnut blight, the American chestnut was also common here. So, we decided to do the same section as Saturday. Many caves are located on private land. Shreve, D. Bardon, with Estyl C. Shreve (1997), The first trustees were Alfred Kimble, Jacob L. Kimble, J.H. Title VI Notice of Nondiscrimination The 1996 flood in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia spread the seed throughout Smoke Hole, and now it is the most abundantly growing plant in the area. Hey wooden nickel. [31], Overall, this region reveals the interior of this thrusted anticlinal-synclinal structure and presents a phenomenal exposure of complex central Appalachian macroscale structures involving the Silurian-Devonian package of rocks. The coyote has returned in recent years. The name of this "gateway" to the Canyon is Cave Mountain Gap and it represents a half mile cut through the high ridge separating the ancient riverbed of the South Branch Potomac River (to the east) from the ancient bed of Briggs Run (to the west). If walking up an drains on the left to smoke hole road be careful of rattlers. Privacy Statement Coastal plain pine barrens atop Panther Knob. The run on Saturday was low, but not intolerably scrapey considering we were paddling mostly unloaded canoes, and we had to pick our lines carefully to avoid the shallowest of the gravel bars. South Fork of the Potomac River near Petersburg, WV. According to Peter Fischer, MNF Fire Management Officer, it was the largest wildfire in the Monongahela National Forest since the 1950s. We had rain most of Saturday afternoon and during the night, but it did not bring the river up very much. (The riverbed is at about 1,100 feet (340m) above sea level and the summit of Cave Mountain is 2,470 feet (750m).) Birds Note: Your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. (NB: Both Grant County Route 28/11 and Pendleton County Route 2 are indicated on maps as "Smoke Hole Road". wefully swamped 2 canoes, that still refrained from fully sinking. Particularly noticeable are the numerous plunging anticlinal noses at the northeastern end of the Smoke Holes. Please enter a valid email address (formatted as name@company.com). Smoke Lake to Ragged Lake. Follow 28/55 from Petersburg, WV, for 8 miles. Caves are common in the area. Group camping is also available at the Jess Judy Camping Area along the river. The area is rather isolated and remote with parts accessible only by boat or on foot. To review your email preferences, please visit nature.org/emailpreferences. However, the landslide rapid and the old dam rapid made me gladder I was in a raft. Formerly, a primitive wagon road threaded its way through the lower Canyon, but most traces of this are long gone. 1 reply. In addition to moving forward with traditional acquisition and protection of core parcels, our plan includes researching and restoring key ecological processes such as fire, reducing competition from non-native weeds, and creating a deeper public understanding of this landscapes ecological values and conservation needs. [28], The canyon offers excellent class II - III whitewater paddling for several months in the spring when the water levels are high enough. The stratigraphic column exposed in this region contains Lower Silurian to Middle Devonian sandstones, limestones, and shales. Reply. Pre-modern English homes with unglazed . The roof of the vast subterranean channel then collapsed forming the karst topography seen today. About 1.3 million visitors come to the Monongahela National Forest each year, and it's no surprise why. The South Branch in Smoke Hole is home to rainbow trout, black and rock bass and other sunfish as well as eels. The rivers that had previously rolled gently over the plains turned into raging torrents that cut deep gorges and canyons. First of all, WOW that has to be the most amazing float trip that you can take in WV. A 2010 documentary film The Search for Dillinger's Gold, directed by Cam Lemley alleged that infamous gangster John Dillinger (19031934) buried three boxes of gold bullion in a cave somewhere in the Canyon. A massive lozenge-shaped boulder hovers in mid-air, trapped between two walls of an eroded crevice tapering from the clifftop down toward the lake. Sep 2020. [31], A number of small shelter caves in the Canyon are developed in the Oriskany Sandstone. (The narrow ridge between the riverbanks here was traditionally known as "Arm Ridge".). Smoke Hole Canyon Photo Jim Hopkins Tucked away in the Monongahela National Forest, Smoke Hole Canyon is unlike any place you've ever visited. Many exist nowhere else on Earth. Bartow: (304) 456-3335, Marlinton-White Sulphur District The takeout is in Petersburg, WV. Bats are the most apparent inhabitants, including 40% of all the endangered Virginia big-eared bats remaining on Earth and the largest colony of endangered Indiana bats left in the East. We started off at Big Bend campground in the Smokehole Canyon of the Potomac River. Youll be fine the first 2/3s of the canyon at that level but that level means the last few riffles youll have to get out and walk your craft. Also from Asia and just recently introduced into the Canyon ecosystem, it has been attacking the stands of eastern hemlock there. Due to the protective effect of surrounding mountains, rainfall in Smoke Hole is unusually light only about 30-32inches per year. Most of the forest soil in West Virginia is naturally acidic, only growing a certain range of plants. That affects everything. Easily create a Forum Website with Website Toolbox. Yes, but are required to be kept on a leash in the area. On Saturday at noon the Franklin gauge was reading 2.64 ft and 68 cfs. Use the arrow keys to navigate between images and hit escape to close the gallery. Last updated on September 24, 2021. The forest is a drivable distance from cities like Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, yet the density of flora, fauna and picturesque mountains seem like a world away from any city. General regulations apply June 1 through February 28. Sometimes called "Lewis flax", it was originally discovered during the Lewis and Clark Expedition (18041806), and not known wild east of the Great Plains until it was found in the Smoke Hole. The driver of the shuttle was actually a member of this forum (Stickbow maybe??). But he said he jumped at the chance because, besides offering him a new adventure, it gives him a chance to further his environmental work in the Arctic region. May 11, 2019 - May 12, 2019. | If your URL is correct, you'll see an image preview here. Report inappropriate content . If you are planning a trip to Smoke Hole Canyon, be sure to consider some of the following: Are dogs allowed? Today, The Nature Conservancy considers Smoke Hole and the surrounding mountains to be "one of the most biologically rich places in the East", especially as regards its rare plant communities. It is defined by North Fork Mountain to the west and Cave Mountain to the east. In this article, well take a closer look at what makes this hike so special and why it should be on your bucket list. See all. Whether youre a seasoned hiker or a beginner, Smoke Hole Canyon has something for everyone. [37] The Allegheny woodrat, which lives in rocky terrain in the Canyon, has been declining throughout much of its range due to an epidemic of roundworm infestation (acquired from raccoons), among other causes. This situation continued to prevail for several generations. The former was previously called FR 74. Here also, at river level, is a very prominent crag Eagle Rock. Rare species of butterfly (columbine duskywing, cobweb skipper) live in the open, grassy, limestone habitats of the Canyon. Livestock, especially swine and sheep, were typically free-ranging and huckleberries and chestnuts were harvested from the wooded mountainsides in quantity. Others say it was the moonshiner's stills that gave the gorge its name. Smoke Hole Canyon - South Fork, Potomac River - Find info about paddling launch sites including directions, ammenities, & fees to plan your next paddling trip! Additional avifauna include bobwhites, robins, cardinals, kingfishers, turkey vultures, and various owls, hawks, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, swallows, and wrens. The South Branch of the Potomac River is sandwiched between North Mountain and Cave Mountain, creating a half-mile deep canyon with nearly vertical walls. Take time to enjoy it. From high points, the Blue Ridge Mountains are visible to the east. Our hope is that the next generations get to experience such a place. We are now big fans of the wingman cooler stabilizers and I was glad we had them or I almost 100% guarantee we would have had a lot more carnage. This is an extremely fun class III section that flows through the first five miles of the spectacular Smoke Hole Canyon. This species is so uncommon that the few small patches found among the rocks of the Canyon walls are thought to be the largest population in the world. The Civilian Conservation Corps stationed a battalion in Smoke Hole between 1934 and 1936 and constructed a popular recreation area there. Best North to South trip Brent to Canoe - heart of Algonquin Another classic- through the heart of Algonquin- my favorite. At this period, local grade school children could attend a long-established local, one-room schoolhouse, but those few who were ambitious enough to try and attend high school had to walk seven miles (each way) to catch a school bus. (In those days, available game included bison, elk and puma.) Popular activities in Smoke Hole Canyon include fishing (rainbow and golden trout; largemouth and smallmouth bass), hunting (squirrel, grouse, turkey, deer, rabbit and bear), hiking, rock climbing, caving, canoeing and camping (Big Bend Campground). At places the Canyon is over 1,000 feet (300m) deep with nearly vertical walls. It was made for local consumption as well as distributed (on the black market) for hundreds of miles around. West Virginia kayaking, The International Stand Up paddling Magazine, The International All Paddlesports Magazine. This trip is made up of two 7 day trips, the first featuring the big lakes and wildlife between Kawawaymog and Cedar lake. Even if the level is getting low, things improve greatly at the confluence with North Fork. Published on April 11th, 2017 | The major Smoke Hole Fire effort came under the unified command of the West Virginia Division of Forestry and the USFS. $15 per adult to take the 1 hour tour of Smoke Hole Caverns. Summer brings jack-in-the-pulpit, trilliums, anemones, wild geraniums, wild roses, lady slipper, wild columbine, rhododendron, black-eyed susans, field lilies, and ox-eyed daisies. Ut et ultrices nisi. Cart. Spring beauties, bluets and dandelions are not far behind. Address Example: 1550 University Ave, Morgantown, WV 26506. The remote, rugged landscape provides a unique recreation experience, whether you are fishing, hunting, hiking, canoeing or camping. Union-supporting Home Guards known locally as "Swamp Dragons" destroyed the works. McColloch, Jane S. (1986, revised edition), Calhoun, H.M. Sr. (6 November 1930), "Tales of Historic Smoke Hole and Seneca Rocks Interestingly Told", from a column in. Petersburg ; Hotels ; Things to do ; Restaurants ; Flights ; . The area has a rich history, with evidence of Native American settlements and early European settlers still visible today. Kids who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and camping may also find Smoke Hole Canyon to be an exciting destination. The canyon is a popular destination for fishing, with the South Branch of the Potomac River offering opportunities to catch trout, bass, and other species. Be aware of private land and do not trespass. Other undergrowth includes crab-apple, witch hazel, rhododendron, sumac, pussy willow, spicewood, dog rose, sloe, chokecherry, haw, and honeysuckle.