Travel: Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

The view from the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center. 

This past week I hiked the Seneca Rocks trail. I didn't give up and I made it to the top! It was a glorious feeling of accomplishment and a wonderful adventure in a beautiful setting. It was beautiful and you can be sure I'll go back. 

Due to the time of day (nearly noon), getting wet, and the haze from the heat of the day, my photos don't do justice to the beauty of the area. 

What the Seneca Rocks Trail IS:

• Seneca Rocks is an unincorporated community in Pendleton County, West Virginia (at the intersection of route 33 and route 55)
• Seneca Rocks is a rock formation located within the Monongahela National Forest. 
• The hiking trail can be accessed from the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center or the Homestead Site and Picnic area.
• The hiking trail is 1.3 miles and climbs over 700 feet
• The trail is a wide, maintained, path of uphill and switchbacks.
• There are occasional benches and two sets of stairs in one particularly steep location
• The observation deck is near the top of the rock formation and is cantilevered over the land below. The views of the area below are beautiful.

What the Seneca Rocks Trail and Observation Deck Is Not:

• The observation deck is not at the top of the rocks, as I had hoped.
• The view is not of the rocks, as I had hoped. I had hoped for a glimpse of rock climbers. The "view" is the same view you would have from the rocks of the valley and ridges below. 
• If you are a serious hiker and prefer difficult trails, this is not what you are looking for. The difficulty on this trail is the climb. Otherwise, it is like a stroll on a wide, civilized gravel path. 

My Experience at Seneca Rocks

I felt a little rushed as I had left the dogs alone at The Shack and I was concerned they'd get too hot with only the windows open (instead of the doors hanging wide open like they do when I'm there).  I hadn't really planned on taking this hike during this trip to The Shack. But there's no time like the present, right? So off I went. I'm glad I did. But next time I'll be better prepared with my backpack, binoculars, and a picnic lunch.

My GPS didn't pull up "Seneca Rocks" but it did pull up the nearby town of Macksville. The winding two lane highway offered beautiful views for the 1 1/2 hours I drove from The Shack.

When I arrived, I found there were two parking areas, and initially I was confused. There was the Discovery Center parking area and the Picnic area at the Sites Homestead. However, both areas are connected by a bridge and a path. 

The Discovery Center provided a bench and a wonderful view of the rocks. Were it not for feeling rushed, I would have sat for awhile. The Discovery Center offered a continuously running movie, excellent bathrooms, a gift shop, and some information about the rocks and about invasive plant species in the area. 

The Sites Homestead and picnic area provided a parking lot, covered picnic area, a rustic park bathroom, and the old homestead house and garden area. 

The Sites Homestead and gardens

The hiking path started up and over a bridge. Initially, the path was flatish, and I thought to myself, "at this amount of rise, it's going to take all day to get to the top". Well... I spoke to myself too soon. The climb began. I had to take frequent breaks. And there seemed to be far more switchbacks than shown on the map. 

During one of my breaks, on a bench in a switchback trying to catch a breeze, hikers coming down the hill encouraged me. "It's not very far now", "you've got this", and "only two more switchbacks".  They were right, two more turns and I was at the observation tower.

Note: if you make the hike, know that if I can do it, you can too. Just go slow and steady, drink water, and take frequent breaks if you need to.  If you get to the bench in the switchback you are getting close. When you get to the stone "wall" in the switchback, you have completed your last turn. The deck is just ahead. 

As soon as I arrived, the breezy day turned to a brief but torrential rain. I welcomed the cooling and powerful rain. 

I hate selfies - but was so proud to be at the top

Which reminds me, in the West Virginia ridges I have learned that you can't see the weather coming. Brief rain showers can pop up very quickly. If there is any chance of rain in the forecast, it would be good to pack a rain poncho when hiking. 

Would I recommend this hike to anyone who likes the great outdoors. YES! The river at the bottom, the view at the top, and the wooded area in between is a peaceful and beautiful place. Bird watchers would have plenty to see (I could hear the variety of birds chirping but can't identify birds by song). 

Location of the observation deck

Related Links:

I took many photos. I have posted those photos here if you would like to see them. 

Monongahela National Forest and Seneca Rocks website; including the hiking trail map  (I still feel like there were far more than three switchbacks. Whew!)

Seneca Rocks Discovery Center and the Sites Homestead. I was pleased to learn that tours of the Sites Homestead are available through the Discovery Center. I hope to include a tour as a part of my next trip to Seneca Rocks.


*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.