Monongahela National Forest
West Virginia
Mo-non-ga-he-la - it's fun just to say. It's more fun to go there. This national forest is located within a day's drive of much of the east coast, but remains secluded and quiet, with ample opportunities for the visitor to escape crowds. Country roads are often gravel and encourage slow driving. Restaurants, motels and other services are found in the many scattered small communities throughout the forest.
Monongahela National Forest
The Allegheny Front of the Appalachian Mountains shapes the character of the forest. The moist western side of the Front supports northern hardwoods such as cherry and maple, mixed with oak on the drier ridges and yellow poplar in the coves. The drier eastern side contains oak, cedar, and even cactus.
Strong though they are, the mountains themselves are shaped by another common feature of the forest - moving water. The Monongahela is home to the headwaters of five major river systems and hundreds of miles of smaller streams. The rivers and streams support a coldwater fishery that includes native and stocked trout. In the spring, during high water, some of the rivers may be run by whitewater enthusiasts. The lower summer flow is more suitable for lazy float trips or canoeing through scenic valleys. Some of the best rivers include Shaver's Fork of the Cheat, the south branch of the Potomac, Cranberry River, the Greenbrier River below Durbin, and Dry Fork.
Other Monongahela adventures include hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding on the dozen of mixed-use trails; camping (primitive and developed); bird watching; rock climbing; cross-country skiing; and caving. There are several wonderful wilderness areas within the Forest - the North and South Laurel Forks Wilderness, the Dolly Sods Wilderness (10,215 acres), Otter Creek, and the Cranberry Wilderness. And finally, the Monongahela is particularly rich in Civil War historical sites.
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