Cranberry Wilderness Loop Backpacking Guide

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The 47,815-acre Cranberry Wilderness is located in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. It's one of just a few remaining wild and remote places in the eastern United States. This area is also designated as a black bear sanctuary, so seeing wildlife on your hike is a real possibility.

Throughout this region, you'll find an extensive network of trails that offer many different route options to form loops. One route that gives you the best that the Cranberry Wilderness has to offer is an 18.5-mile loop consisting of the North-South Trail, North Fork Trail, Middle Fork Trail, and the Laurelly Branch Trail.

On this loop, you’ll get to experience a variety of ecosystems such as Appalachian hardwood forests and red spruce woodlands over moss-covered ground. In addition, you'll follow a cascading stream with an occasional waterfall.

Trail Facts

Length: 18.5 Miles
Duration: 2 Days
Elevation Gain: 2,372 Feet
Peak Elevation: 4,501 Feet
Best Season to Hike: Spring to Fall
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Bear Canisters: Not Required
Permits: Not Required
Dogs: Allowed

Highlights

Spruce forest over moss-covered ground
Cascading streams
Waterfall
Fun stream crossings
Seclusion
Good trout fishing

Maps & Information

The trails in the Cranberry Wilderness can be hard to follow at times, so I highly recommend using a GPS navigation app like the AllTrails App. It utilizes your mobile phone’s GPS to locate and track your position on a digital topographical map.

You’ll find the Cranberry Wilderness Loop there, along with over 400,000 other trails. The app provides you with elevation profiles, mileage, campsites, water sources, and points of interest.

Along with having a digital map on my phone, I always like to have a hard copy as a backup. The USDA Forest Service has a free printable map available.

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Parking & Trailheads

The North-South Trailhead is where you'll start your hike. To get there take WV 150, the Highland Scenic Highway. Keep your eyes open for the trailhead sign because it is easy to drive past.

Small parking lots are on both sides of the road. If all of the parking spaces are taken, there's plenty of room to park along the shoulder of the road.

At the trailhead, there isn’t a trail registry. To protect yourself if something were to happen during your hike, it's strongly recommended to register at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center

See the interactive map below for the exact parking and trailhead locations.

one of many stream crossing in the cranberry wilderness

Terrain

On this hike, I would classify the terrain as moderate. On the first day, you’ll be hiking mostly downhill till you reach the stream named the Middle Fork of the Williams River. However, on the second day, it will become a little more challenging with a gradual 1,682-foot climb back to your car.

The Cranberry Wilderness trails, in general, are pretty rough. In some sections, it can get very muddy and hard to navigate through. In other areas, the trail is overgrown, and as you hike through the brush, it can cut your legs up if you're only wearing shorts (pants recommended). Also, you'll find many fallen trees that you’ll have to maneuver around, which will slow your progress down.

Another thing to be mindful of is that you will have to cross the stream three times. In these areas, your feet will get wet, and it can also be tricky to cross.

Instead of taking off your hiking boots and walking across barefoot, I recommended wearing trail running shoes, like the Altra Lone Peak 8. This style of shoe is quick-drying and gives you traction, so you don't slip on rocks and fall into the water.

Dangers

The Cranberry Wilderness is relatively a safe place to hike. However, there are a couple of things to be aware of and plan for.

One thing is that since it's a designated wilderness area, it's maintained in a way to preserve its primitive character. That means, aside from signs at trail junctions, there are no blazes or markings to indicate the trail. Along with that, the trails have a narrower pathway than most and some sections are overgrown. This can cause you to easily lose the trail.

Because of that, I strongly recommend downloading one of the GPS navigation apps I mentioned above to help prevent you from getting lost.

Another thing to be aware of is crossing the Middle Fork of the Williams River. If it has rained a lot over several days, the stream can become treacherous to cross due to high water and a strong current. To protect yourself, brush up on your stream crossing skills by checking out my article on how to safely ford a river. Most of the time on this trail you'll find the water crossings are safe to cross.

Lastly, since the Cranberry Wilderness is a bear sanctuary, there's of course a healthy population of bears in the area. So, it's important that you store your food properly overnight. If you're unsure how to, check out my article on how to hang a bear bag.

thicket of rhododendrons on the middle fork Trail

Bugs

In the springtime, bugs tend to be the worst in this region. You’ll find them concentrated mostly in wet areas. However, when summer moves in, the bugs start to decline in number and not become so much of a nuisance. In the fall, they can become almost nonexistent.

Certain sections of this trail that you have to hike through are overgrown, so ticks are a concern. However, as long as you take the proper precautions, you should be fine.

To protect yourself from both ticks and mosquitoes, use a combination of Permethrin spray on your clothing and Picaridin spray on any exposed skin.

Water Sources

For the most part, water is readily available on this route due to the trail following the Middle Fork of the Williams River. However, at the start of day one, as you hike down to the river valley by way of the North-South Trail, water sources are scarce. You’ll have about a 7-mile dry stretch. So, make sure you carry in enough water to support yourself on that section.

I have many of the water sources labeled on the interactive map below to help you come up with a strategic water plan. If you’re unsure how to come up with a proper water plan, check out my article on how much water you should carry backpacking.

Don't forget to filter your water. Protozoa and bacteria are a concern. I recommend the Sawyer Squeeze Filter. It's lightweight, affordable, and has a fast flow rate.

Camping Spots

When hiking, you'll find that there are many preexisting campsites throughout the loop. Some of the best camping can be found along the stream.

One exceptional camping spot is at mile 11.18 (if you’re doing the loop in a clockwise direction). The camping area is large enough to fit several tents and there’s a nice waterfall and swimming hole to enjoy close by. To reach the campsite you’ll have to cross the stream.

The Cranberry Wilderness doesn’t have many restrictions regarding primitive camping. However, here are a few things to consider.

Always practice “Leave No Trace” when camping to reduce a negative impact on the environment and to show respect for others who may want to camp at your campsite after you.

Campfires are discouraged because of the negative impact they can cause. If you want a fire anyway, don't build a new fire ring. Use a preexisting one instead.
To protect your solitude, and that of others, locate your campsite 200 feet or more from roads, streams, and trails.
Permits are not required to backpack in this area, however, you're encouraged to register at the Nature Center.

All the campsites found throughout this trail are marked on the interactive map below to help with your trip planning.

Which Direction to Hike?

Hiking the Cranberry Wilderness loop in a clockwise direction is preferred because the climbs are more gradual. However, this means some of the descents will be steep and hard on your knees.

Possible Trip Itinerary

2 Day Trip (clockwise)

Day 1: (11.18 miles)

Start at the North-South trailhead
Hike for 7.44 miles on the North-South Trail
Turn right onto the Laurelly Branch Trail and hike for 3.3 miles
Turn right onto the Middle Fork Trail and hike for an additional 0.44 miles
Here you should find a large camping area on the other side of the stream where you’ll stay for the night. There’s even a waterfall and swimming hole to enjoy.

Day 2: (7.34 miles)

Leave your camping spot and hike for 5.78 miles on the Middle Fork Trail
Turn right onto the North Fork Trail and hike for 1.14 miles
Turn left onto the North-South Trail and hike for an additional 0.42 miles
Arrive at the North-South Trail back where you started from

cranberry wilderness map.jpg — **Click Here**

**to open an interactive CalTopo map**

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