Watoga Trails Blog - Page 2 of 4 -

April 13, 2018April 24, 2018

Monongaseneka Trail

Have you ever ventured out on Monongaseneka Trail here at Watoga State Park? I highly recommend it. The trailhead is located a mere 1/2 mile up the main park entrance road. Just after crossing the newly restored bridge across Isle Lick you will see the parking area on the right, with the start of the trail across the road and on your left.

This 2 1/2 mile trail follows switchbacks up the mountain, drops down into Jeff’s Hollow before ascending again to the main ridge high above Seebert and the Greenbrier River. From here you can hike the Overlook Loop out to the overlook where you can sit a spell on the benches before resuming your hike out to the North Boundary Trail.

Monongaseneka Trail Options

The are several ways you can make this a longer day hike by shuttling a car to Bear Pen Trail or the parking area at the picnic shelter. My favorite way of hiking this trail is to leave a bicycle at the park headquarters, then drive down to the Mongaseneka trailhead and leave your car there. Hike up Monongaseneka to North Boundary Trail, Down Bear Pen Trail all the way to Watoga Lake. From here you can hike the Lake Trail either direction until arriving at the park headquarters.

Now this is where the fun begins: you have just completed a long and beautiful hike and now you get on your bicycle and coast down the main entrance road back to your car. The whole while Isle Lick is noisily alternating from one side of the road to the other; a series of cascades and pools. It doesn’t get any better than that.

I spent a couple days up on Monongaseneka trimming striped maple and removing smaller debris off the trail. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use the new benches at the Monongaseneka Overlook, courtesy of John Casto and crew. A selfie is something I am not inclined to do, in large part because I do not want to mar the great scenery. So instead I borrowed Mr. Frog from one of my dogs and created a “frog’s eye view ” from the overlook.

Jeff Hollow

The largish double-trunk tree can be found in Jeff’s Hollow along with many others of similar size. There is a palpable sense of entering a special place here which can only be felt by being here; it is hard to translate the feeling with mere words. Some places just seem to be sacred; when there we are quite sure that there is a spiritual dimension to the deep wood. And for a while we carry that feeling with us until it beckons us back again.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” John Muir

April 2, 2018April 3, 2018

Emerald Ash Borer Critically Endangers Ash Tree

Ancient Petroglyphs found In Watoga State Park? No, these are the feeding trails of the Emerald Ash Borer. In this case the Emerald Ash Borer is responsible for perpetrating a trick on the human brain, pareidolia. We humans instinctively seek patterns in nearly everything we see. For example, I see an abstract horned creature in one photograph and a coyote in the other.

The sad truth is that the ash tree is being decimated by the Emerald Ash Borer at a rate not seen in any one species of tree since the Chestnut Blight of the early 1900s. The white ash is considered “critically endangered” and the population decline is expected to be 80% over the next 100 years. As one forester wryly put it ” Without divine intervention we can kiss our ashes goodbye”.

When the Emerald Ash Borer enters the tree it lays eggs. The emerging larvae attack the phloem essentially girdling the tree. They attack trees as small as 2.5 cm in diameter, long before it is mature enough to produce viable seed. This virtually ensures 100% mortality of the species. Emerald Ash Borer Critically Endangers Ash Trees.

Invaluable Qualities of White Ash Wood

White ash is valued for its strength and straight grain. It is used for everything from furniture to tennis rackets and baseball bats. I have an old pair of snowshoes that hang on my wall. They are made of ash. We will miss this tree just as we miss the chestnut, the elm and all the other species that have been the victims of parasitic attack.

In ways we are not now aware of we will sorely miss all of the wild things that go the way of the passenger pigeon. When the last ash tree is gone, we will be all the poorer for it.

With that in mind I leave you with a poem that speaks to the love, utility and admiration of the Ash tree.

The Firewood Poem

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year,
Chestnut’s only good they say,
If for logs ’tis laid away.
Make a fire of Elder tree,
Death within your house will be;
But ash new or ash old,
Is fit for a queen with crown of gold

Birch and fir logs burn too fast
Blaze up bright and do not last,
it is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E’en the very flames are cold
But ash green or ash brown
Is fit for a queen with golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke,
Apple wood will scent your room
Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom
Oaken logs, if dry and old
keep away the winter’s cold
But ash wet or ash dry
a king shall warm his slippers by.

By Lady Celia Congreve

Keep on hiking my friends,
Ken Springer

March 20, 2018April 3, 2018

Watoga is Now Part of the Old Growth Forest Network

Watoga State Park has a new distinction. It was made official yesterday when Park Superintendent Jody Spencer received a plaque giving Watoga State Park an Old Growth Forest designation. Dr. Joan Maloof, Director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, made the presentation yesterday at the Ann Bailey Trailhead. Now Watoga is part of the Old Growth Forest Network.

Dr. Maloof spoke to an assembled group of local park advocates about the need to protect the old growth forests for future generations. She stated that old growth is a diminishing resource making up less than one percent of our eastern forests. Dr. Maloof emphasized the importance of introducing young people to the beauty and unique characteristics of old growth forests. Consequently, they will continue to protect these areas for many generations to come.

Watoga is now part of the Old Growth Forest Network

Following the presentation the group went on a guided hike to view a portion of Watoga’s old growth area. Watoga State Park is fortunate to have existing trails that are in close proximity to the large trees so that visitors to the park will have the opportunity to see their natural heritage up close.
We always knew that Watoga State Park is a very special place, and now it is even more so.

Joan Maloof, Professor Emeritus at Salisbury University, founded the Old-Growth Forest Network to preserve, protect and promote the country’s few remaining stands of old-growth forest.

Professor Maloof states:

I am not opposed to harvesting trees for board and fiber, but as an ecologist I know that when we do we are sacrificing biodiversity. What I came to realize is that we are also sacrificing beauty. A certain amount of sacrifice may be necessary – all animals influence their surroundings – but there should also be places left to nature’s processes, if only so we may witness how nature works; if only so we may enjoy the beauty and the wonder of such places. It is these left-alone places that are refuges for birds, and butterflies, and animals of all kinds. We humans depend on them to clean our air and water and protect our climate.

Watoga is now part of the Old Growth Forest Network. For more information on the Old-Growth Forest Network go to:
www.OldGrowthForest.net

March 19, 2018March 20, 2018

Memories of Horseback Riding at Watoga State Park

Some of you generously shared your recollections of riding the trail at Watoga State Park. Others also shared information about who ran the operation and some ideas about its demise. Memories of Horseback Riding at Watoga State Park

I am told the riding operation was run by Stuart Horner’s father. Stuart and his wife Kristy currently run the iconic Horner’s Corner, a familiar sight to visitors as they pass through the village of Seebert en-route to Watoga.

It has also been confirmed that the high cost of liability insurance finally brought this popular activity to a close. The horse trails have been resurrected as the Busch Settlement and The Bonnie Trails and are now serving the public as wonderful hiking trails.

Well, we still have our memories of things that are no more, and here are yours.

Memories of Horseback Riding at Watoga State Park

“I remember the horseback riding very fondly! Went a few times when I was little during one of our Spencer Family Reunions. It was a real treat back then. We often would also just go over to visit the horses at the fence line if we were walking the trail between there and the Rec Center. We were so so sad when the horses left but happy to have the memories” Krin Goodwin Hupp

“I remember going to my Grandmas house in the summer when school was out and went swimming and horseback riding. Always like doing that with Grandma Burr. My uncle buck (Henry), his son Dewey and my Cousin Mike Pyne all work there and Dewey still does” Thomas Purdy

A Newly Wed’s Story

“ I do have a Watoga horseback riding story. My husband and I spent our week long honeymoon in a cabin at Watoga. I am the “horse person” between us two, but talked him into doing the “one hour” trail ride one day. A couple days later, I wanted to go again, but he wasn’t quite as interested. When we got to the stables, we were still discussing it, and the 2 men that worked the stables then overheard us. They knew from our first ride that I was an experienced rider, and said that they hadn’t been on the “two hour” trail yet that early in the year (it was May) and if I wanted to go, they’d charge me less, since some clearing of the trail, or going around downed trees might be involved.

My husband saw I wanted to do it, and gracefully let me know he’d be fine with it, but he didn’t want to go. So, on my honeymoon, I went on a 2+ hour trail ride, just me and the 2 “stable hands”. I should have known I’d never live it down, as it turned out, I got pregnant on our honeymoon, and my husband joked that our firstborn son belonged to a stable hand! He blamed the other 2 on the mailman and the UPS driver…but he can’t deny a single one of them, as they all 3 look like him, But I did enjoy the trail ride! And miss horseback riding being available like it used to be, but as a horse owner myself now, I understand the difficulties” Sheila Murphy Weakley

More Memories of Horseback Riding at Watoga State Park

“I still remember my favorite horse to ride back then. His name was Blaze! What fun it was back then.” Meg Goodwin Berger
“In the 1950’s horseback riding was very popular. The first summer (1956) I worked at Watoga there was a very bad accident. A couple on their honeymoon was riding and the horse the man was spooked by a snake and threw the man. The fall broke his back, we never heard if he was able to walk again.

One night a week there was square dancing in the upstairs with a live band and on other nights we had a jukebox and cabin guests came up and we danced. I believe the reason horses are not there now is because the insurance is so expensive. Lost River still has horseback riding. Had some good times in that barn. After the guests left for the evening the help learned how to trip the jukebox and danced later”. Charlotte McKeever Emswiler

“I believe the horseback riding stopped due to continued budget cuts. In the end, the state was contracting with individuals and their horses and it was just too costly. As far as the trail name, I think your name sounds much fancier than plain old “Possum” Trail”. Lisa Miller Rich

March 13, 2018April 27, 2018

Welcome to Watoga!

We have great places to stay and great places to play! Welcome to Watoga!

Reserve campsite call 304-799-4087 8am to 4pm

Reserve Cabin

Hope you can be here a few minutes. Get to know us a little. We have the most return visitors of any West Virginia State Park. Come see us soon!

Stay at Watoga

Check out what people say about our cabins and our campgrounds

If you are looking for a hiking wilderness adventure, check this one out

Something a little more tame?

We have a kids friendly swimming pool and great playgrounds. Paddle boats on the lake. Amazing mountaintop overlooks. Best soft serve ice cream in the universe at Jack Horner’s Corner in Seebert. Beautiful mountain valley around nearby Hillsboro, WV.

Experience Watoga’s old growth forest!

Watoga State Park is 10,000 acres. The southwestern section of the Park is unmaintained Wilderness. Hike the Burnside Ridge Trail to access this area. Allow yourself several hours to get out and back. Further south from this area is the Spice Run Wilderness Area of the Monongahela National Forest.

Monongaseneka Overlook of Greenbrier River Feb, 2018 — Overlook of Greenbrier River from Monongaseneka Trail

Read Ken Springer’s articles here on trail conditions, park history, and natural history.

If you have questions, be sure to contact us.

March 7, 2018March 12, 2018

Watoga Trail Report March 7, 2018: Old Growth

Bongo, Daisy and their manservant left their collective tracks in the snow this morning as they ascended the NW section of Honey Bee Trail. The recent winds have dropped many trees and branches on Watoga’s trails but we managed to clear all on this part of Honey Bee Trail save a 14 inch oak lying flush with the trail about 1 1/4 miles from the trailhead. Old Growth.

Old Growth

Now that the existence of old growth trees in Watoga State Park has been confirmed I find myself constantly looking for the large trees. The largest oak spotted today in the Arboretum was well under 30 inches in diameter and the average was probably in the 12 inch range. Grand trees for sure, but the ones in the old growth area have a century or two head start on these youngsters.

If I were to tell you that Bongo and Daisy dragged this downed tree off the trail, you may not believe me. Therefore I will take the credit for it and give them a treat as recompense.

Happy Hiking,

Ken Springer

March 4, 2018March 11, 2018

Watoga Trail Report March 4, 2018: Family Reunion Central

If the Bear Pen Trail is any indication of the current condition of the rest of the trails at Watoga State Park then the trail volunteers are in for a big clean-up task. Cleaning large branches and trees off the section of the trail from the trailhead to just the junction of Buck and Doe took nearly 2 hours. Praise be the person who invented the z-rig. Family Reunion Central.

Last week’s “Watoga- Where Is It ?” photograph of the memorial plaque at the T.M. Cheek overlook has a backstory. And I will share it with you.

Family Reunion Central

Char Weise has a long family history at Watoga State Park dating back to
his great grandfather who lived in Renick, WV. Great Grandfather Weise started a grand tradition of annual family reunions at Watoga. These family gatherings continue to this very day as the family has grown through many generations. At one such reunion some years back they filled every cabin in the park.

Here is how Mr. Weise recounts how that familiar landmark came to rest at the T.M. Cheek overlook:

Char Weise’s Story

“Our family has been coming to Watoga every year for the Spencer family reunion since 1963. From the late 1960’s at least, our family usually spent the week in Cabin 21. The trail up to TM Cheek from Cabin 21, which was then called the Honeymoon trail, was my parents’ favorite walk. They’d often go up there early in the morning while my brothers and sisters and I were still asleep and look at the view from the overlook. It was still their favorite walk in their later years. My Mom died in 1995 and my Dad in 1997.

We asked for the plaque to be installed around 2005. The superintendent, Mark Wylie, told us that there was an interest in reintroducing American chestnuts, which had been wiped out in a blight many years ago, to the park. We thought planting some chestnuts at that spot would be a fitting tribute to our dad, who was a biologist with a great interest in conservation. Now every year when we come to Watoga, my siblings and I and our spouses and kids make sure to hike to TM Cheek in the morning, up the trail that our parents loved, to think about them and pay our respects.”

Thanks to Char Weise and John and Margy Goodwin for this bit of history about a park that just seems to bring forth such wonderful memories. Let us hope that many more generations will be able to experience the joy and beauty of being in West Virginia’s largest and best park.

Happy Hiking,

Ken Springer

March 3, 2018March 3, 2018

Return of American Chestnut

This is a follow-up to our recent discussion about the loss of the American Chestnut to a blight. Therefore, I would like to address efforts to restore this majestic tree to our forest. The return of the American Chestnut.

The American Chestnut Foundation and the American Chestnut Research and Restoration Project have made great strides in developing a blight resistant chestnut. Furthermore, they have the same qualities of the original tree through breeding and transgenic programs.

There is hope that future Americans and wildlife will once again enjoy all that the American Chestnut has to offer. If you are interested in the restoration of the American Chestnut, I highly recommend this 15 minute Ted Talk on these efforts.

Learn More About the Return of the American Chestnut

March 1, 2018March 3, 2018

Rock Slides and Remembrance of Forest Primeval

This is the scene this morning at Mile Marker 44 on the Greenbrier River Trail. Two rockslides have partially blocked the trail. Caution should be exercised when passing this section of trail, particularly when raining. There are some huge rocks on the slope that are hanging on by a thread; it is a contest now between gravity and very tenuous holds on the slope. And of course, gravity will win. Rock Slides and Remembrance of Forest Primeval.

I have noticed on this rockslide, as in previous ones, that large dead hemlocks tumble over bringing up their root ball with them starting a cascade of rock down and on to the trail. Erosion as a result of heavy rain only exacerbates the problem. This is an area with frequent problems.

Update of Watoga Logging Proposal

Well, Senate Bill 270 by all accounts is now dead. So at least for the moment Watoga will be spared from the plans to log her. Many of you expressed your opposition to this ill-conceived idea. Your comments were genuine and moving and you are to be commended for expressing your love for Watoga State Park.

Brian Hirt, a fan and frequent visitor to Watoga, expressed in this modification of a song by Gordon Lightfoot his sentiments about the need to preserve and protect all that is in, and within, Watoga State Park for all generations to come.

In reading his lyrics I can only request that he pick up his guitar and share it with the rest of us in song at his first opportunity.

Thanks Brian

There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run. When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun, long before the white man and long before the wheel. When the green dark forest was too silent to be real.

Rembrance of Forest Primeval

But time has no beginnings and history has no bounds. And to this verdant country they came from all around. They floated logs upon her waterways and timbered the forest’s tall, built the mines and the mills and the factories for the good of us all.
But then they looked back at the mountains and what did they see a barren landscape without any trees, with rivers overflowing with silt looking like a wasteland if you please.

Their minds were overflowing of the visions of their day but thankfully some looked into the future and saw places like Watoga so that today we too can walk in the green dark forests tall and imagine a time when the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun long before the white man and long before the wheel and when the railroads did not run.

Happy Hiking, at Watoga of course !

Ken Springer

March 1, 2018March 11, 2018

Watoga Trail Report February 28, 2018: Monongaseneka Trail & Chestnut Musings

Upon arriving at the Monongaseneka Overlook this morning Bongo and I saw fit to tarry a bit and “take in the view”. And what a view it is; changing with each visit depending upon the time of day, season and the weather. One thing that is always striking is the sense of an endless forest stretching out and up the slopes of Droop Mountain and beyond. Monongaseneka Trail & Chestnut Musings.

Thinking Back in Time

I often find myself considering what it may have looked like to the indigenous people and to the pioneers in Appalachia. If I could go back in time it would be my greatest desire to see our primeval forests. Not intending to take anything away from the beautiful forests of today, but those ancient trees of such immense proportions would dwarf today’s trees, even those we consider “old growth”.

Todays forests have many of the same species of trees that greeted the earliest visitors to Appalachia with one very big exception, the American Chestnut. It is estimated that this one species accounted for 20 to 30% of the forest growth. It was one of the most important trees to early settlers. The chestnuts were an important food source for humans and animals alike. The lumber was used for fence posts and to build cabins including flooring and furniture. Some of the Wormy Chestnut can still be seen today in the legacy cabins at Watoga State Park.

Interior of Watoga cabin built with Chestnut

Early settler amongs giant Chestnut trees

Monongasenka overlook south towards Droop Mountain in distance

When I was a youngster an old man who remembered the American Chestnut fondly told me that the greatest thing about that tree was the shade provided by the huge thickly leaved canopy. He said that even in the dog days of August you could find relief under a chestnut tree.

The Chestnut Blight of 1904 began to kill off the trees and once having gathered steam decimated this wonderful tree throughout its range by 1940.

Protecting Old Growth Forests

Knowing these things makes our existing old growth even more precious. We should, we must, be vigilant in our protection of that which is rare and struggling to become what it once was. For, as yet unknown forces, be it disease or man, will always present a threat to that which we love simply because it is there.

Bongo and I cleared a number of obstacles off of Monongaseka Trail up to and including the overlook today. The trail is good to go. Monongaseneka Trail & Chestnut Musings.

Happy Hiking,

Ken Springer

Photo courtesy of Timothy Van Vliet