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Rating	★★★★★(5/5)
Overall Difficulty	Easy
Navigation Difficulty	Easy
Distance	0.5 miles roundtrip
Time	30 minutes
Terrain	Mostly flat
Best Seasons	Spring, Summer, Fall
Family Friendly	Yes
Dog Friendly	Yes
Accessible	No

Highlights

• Amazing views of the surrounding Allegheny Mountains
• Unique plants in an alpine-like environment

Hike Summary

Despite a height of less than a mile above sea level, the 4863-foot Spruce Knob provides a real mountaintop experience. As you ascend the winding mountain roads and temperatures start to drop, you will notice how the flora transitions from the typical broadleaf trees of Appalachia to a deep, dark spruce forest. A quick hike on the Whispering Spruce Trail will quickly reward you with sweeping views of the Allegheny Mountains. This tallest mountain in West Virginia is also the highest place between Mount Rogers of Virginia and the Adirondacks of New York.

Much like the Appalachian state highpoints in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, attaining the summit of Spruce Knob mostly involves driving and a short hike. Unlike those other highpoints, the only uphill hiking involved here is the stairs you'll climb up the observation tower. To start the hike, follow the signs for the Whispering Spruce Trail from the parking lot. The well-graded gravel trail travels through the forest as pictured below.

Not long after starting, you'll reach the observation tower on the summit. Climb to the top for views above the trees, as pictured below. Here you will have views to the west of the flatter Allegheny Plateau, but the best views on the trail are yet to come. Don't be tempted to turn around after climbing the tower, the best is yet to come. As you continue along the trail to the south, you will reach a barren spot of jagged rocks reminiscent of the scree slopes of much larger mountains. These unobstructed views like pictured below extend nearly 270 degrees and are the biggest reason anyone should visit Spruce Knob. If you look closely at the spruce trees, you may notice that they are permanently windswept, with one side of the tree growing fewer branches (the spruces in the center and right of the photo below exhibit this). As you can imagine, winter weather is fierce on top of this mountain, which receives 180 inches (15 feet!) of snow annually in addition to strong winds. As the trail rounds the bend and continues north, you will encounter more picturesque views of the Allegheny Mountains, often perfectly framed by trees like in the picture below. While it doesn't take much physical effort to see the views here, it's definitely worth the trip! If you seek more hiking, check out Seneca Rocks nearby for some cool formations. Connect with me using the social media links below and share your adventures!

Important Information

Dogs are allowed on leash. This is a short, mostly flat, and family-friendly trail that almost anyone can hike. You can visit in spring, summer, and fall, but winter conditions make the roads to the top impassible. Expect to see people when you visit.

Directions

Spruce Knob isn't particularly close to any major cities, so use the Google Maps link below to navigate. Wherever you're coming from, the route will be beautiful and involve driving on some winding, narrow mountain roads as you get closer. Note that this part of West Virginia is within the National Radio Quiet Zone, so don't expect to have cell service. I highly recommend downloading Google Maps for offline use.

Google Maps Directions

Parking, Fees, and Facilities

Parking is free! There are pit toilets and a picnic area with grills near the parking lot.

External Links

• Official Page
• Wikipedia Article
• Official Map
• NOAA Weather Forecast