The Allegheny Mountains: Hoye-Crest to Blackwater Falls

 

The Alleghenies are a sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains, running north-to-south from central Pennsylvania to southern West Virginia.  It west of the Ridge-and-Valley range that runs along the VA-WV line, and includes some of the highest points in the Appalachian range.

One of those points, Hoye-Crest, is notable not so much for its height in the over all range but as the highest point in Maryland. At 3,360 feet, it sits more than 1000 feet lower than its counterparts in Virginia and West Virginia, and is located on publicly accessible private property in the southwest corner of Garrett County, Maryland.

This trip is for the moderately adventuresome, as it is a tough, steep mile long climb that is not easy to find. In order to access the trailhead, you must drive to a remote area along US 219, about nine miles north of Thomas, West Virginia. Parking is available along the side of the road, though you will need to be cautious for traffic as the area is not parkland and there are no crosswalks! Look for the "Backbone Mountain" trailhead to Hoye-Crest. The climb will take about 20-30 minutes with some breaks.

The view from Hoye-Crest is best is probably best from October-April, when the tree cover is not so thick that it is difficult to see. During a summer day, it is likely that you will meet a few other adventurers, but the area is not crowded. There are no facilities!

Three miles down US 219 is Fairfax Stone State Park, which preserves the area around the headwaters of the Potomac that was designated as the norther border of Lord Fairfax's estate in 1746, thus also setting the southwestern limits of Maryland. Although intended to settle the dispute, the region remained contested until 1910, when the Supreme Court set the boundary on the south bank of the Potomac, but a few miles in a direct line north of the stone (Maryland vs. West Virginia). The current "Fairfax Stone" is actually the sixth such marker on the site,  and was placed in 1957. While the stone does not mark the West Virginia-Maryland border as intended, it does mark the spot where Preston, Tucker, and Grant Counties come together.

As with Hoye-Crest, there are no facilities, but there is a picnic area around the headwaters where the stones are located. The Park is located east of US 219 off of State Route 9. 

The towns of Davis and Thomas can (and will) get their own blog entries, but Sirianni's Cafe in Davis is a good spot for lunch. Bring cash, a sign outside proudly notes that that is all they accept.

One of the crown jewels of the West Virginia park system lies about a mile southwest of Davis, the Blackwater Falls State Park (pictured at top.) The park protects about 2300 acres surrounding the Falls, a 57 foot high cascade along the Blackwater River (pictured at top). The name comes from the tannic acid of fallen red spruce and hemlock needles, with a resulting color that comes out a bit more brown-reddish. The trail from the visitor center/parking lot to the Falls overlook is less than a mile, but the the Park features over 20 miles of hiking trails, campgrounds, a resort, and a gift shop.

In order to access the Resort and many of the hiking trails and campgrounds, make a left on entering the Park to the south side of the Blackwater River (before arriving at the Visitor Center). An access point for an handicapped-accessible overlook is located on the right 500 feet beyond the bridge. Going down the road about another mile and a half, the park's Resort is on the right. From here, you can access the Elakala Falls trail. Elakala Falls is a series of falls, ranging in height from 15 to 40 feet, along Shays Run, a tributary to the Blackwater River (pictured in video at the bottom). Only the first falls in the series, at about 35 feet, is easily accessible, with the rest being off-trail. This is arguably, though, the most striking feature of the entire Park, and well worth the effort!

Another three miles beyond the Resort, past the Ski Center, lies parking for the Lindy Point overlook. the most far-flung area of the Park, the overlook is a half mile from the parking area. Here you can see the Blackwater River Canyon, along with a dramatic rock formation at the Point.

All told, this entire excursion involves about half day of activity from start to finish, with individual stops being great for a break for travelers!