Andy worked closely with me years ago when I was beginning my Eastern Screech-owl research. After graduate school in Oregon, he spent his career in Alaska with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. We have kept in touch over the decades. This year he returned to West Virginia for an extended stay with family and at Oglebay Institute’s Mountain Nature Camp. Then we planned to meet him and other friends at Canaan Valley for some hiking.
Jan and I had been busy teaching the previous week and were anxious to check into the cabin we shared with Andy at Canaan Valley State Park. Upon arrival we had a unique experience. It went from shock and surprise to eventually laughter. We had found perhaps the squeakiest bed in all of the United States, and it was in one of West Virginia’s premiere Resort State Parks. And Jan and I got to sleep on it! WOW, how did we get so lucky?! (Be sure your sound is “on”.)
In the morning we were graced with a much more pleasing sound: the ethereal song of the Hermit Thrush.
We gathered our other hiking friends, packed lunches and got going. As a warmup to other wonderful things yet to come, we first hiked the Blackwater River Trail.
This is a little gem of a trail that goes through a variety of habitats from forests to wetlands and always has interesting things to see and learn about.
Although we didn’t see the beavers, themselves, it was clear they had been working to re-engineer the landscape.
A field of “patterned rocks” is evidence of the intense cold in the area during the time when glaciers were not too far away.
A short distance from the river trail, we stopped to listen for a Sedge Wren that had been singing there earlier in the year. We didn’t hear the wren, but we do always find something interesting — nature is like that — always interesting. Jan photographed the Bird’s-foot Trefoil (πΏππ‘π’π πππππππ’πππ‘π’π ), a very pretty introduced plant common along roadways.
After lunch we took a road trip to a secret location to see some of the most interesting and rarest plants in West Virginia.
The Showy Lady’s Slipper (πΆπ¦ππππππππ’π πππππππ) is known to be in only 2 locations in West Virginia — in Tucker and Greenbrier Counties — unlike its cousin the Pink Lady’s Slipper which is much more common.
While the Showy Lady’s Slippers were breath-taking, there were other remarkable flowers nearby, too.
We celebrated this special day with a supper feast at Siriani’s Cafe in Davis, West Virginia.
The next morning we gathered again, drove up Forest Service Road 19 to the Rohrbaugh Plains Trailhead, and spent most of the day hiking and exploring the Rohrbaugh Plains and Wildlife Trails in the Dolly Sods Wilderness.
Three of the 7 of us use hiking sticks and find them very useful and comfortable when hiking.
In many places along the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail, the fallen Mountain Laurel (πΎπππππ πππ‘ππππππ) flowers looked like hail stones.
Jan said the sun-dappled rocks looked to her like dragon knuckles….luckily we didn’t awaken the dragons sleeping just below the thin layer of soil and needle duff.
Our lunch was at the Rohrbaugh Plains Trail Overlook, one of the most scenic spots in West Virginia.
Somehow we just didn’t seem as interested in daring the edges of the rocks as we would have when we were younger.
The next morning we had a hearty and delicious breakfast at The Breakfast Nook (https://www.facebook.com/breakfastnook) in Canaan Valley.
Our last destination was a leisurely morning walk on the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge’s Freeland Boardwalk Trail.
Two of the most common birds seen along the boardwalk are Cedar Waxwings and Barn Swallows.
Swamp Sparrows are often heard along the boardwalk, but not often seen.
There are so many wonderful, special places in the mountains of West Virginia. We had fun together visiting a few of them. But, don’t ask! I won’t tell the secret!
Bill Beatty Nature 
Hey Bill and Jan!
What beautiful pictures!ΓΒ The Blackwater River Trail is one of Jodi’s and my favorite hikes up there.ΓΒ Especially in the winter! We really missed seeing you this fall and hiking on the Sods with you.
We’ll be pulling our caravan up to the campground on 10/28.ΓΒ We’ll hopefully be up there most every weekend after that.ΓΒ So if you find yourselves in the Valley and feel like taking a hike with some old friends, look us up!ΓΒ Site 14.ΓΒ At least there won’t be any rattlesnakes for Jodi to pick up!
Unfortunately, Jeff and Sheila won’t be there this year.
Hope you both are doing well and happy as ever!
Your friends -ΓΒ
John & Jodi
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We miss you and Jodi too! It was nice seeing you at the Pilgrimage. Jan and I will be at Hawk’s Nest State Park Oct. 28-? However, Jan was talking about going to get a year’s supply of Dolly Sods water that next week, but in the middle of the week when it won’t be crowded. That’s not something set in stone. Dolly Sods, bird banding at the AFMO… what can one say? It sure was enjoyable with you, Jodi, Jeff, and Shelia being there. It’s nice hearing from you! Hi to Jodi. Bill
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Thank you so much for sharing. I love your beautiful West VA photos and hearing about your adventures – so inspiring! Next week weβll be taking our ESL (English as a Second Language) students on a fall hike at a nearby state park. Iβm leading! Iβve learned a lot from you all and the Wildflower Pilgrimage. Thank you!
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Thank You Terry. I hope your hike is a big success. You are one of the nature people that Jan and I consider… special friends.
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This sounds & looks like it must have a wonderful few days, full of beauty & the camaraderie of good friends. I remember bringing a piece of hemlock varnish shelf back to Terra Alta after one of our Mt. Nature Camp day trips. It was so lovely! I thought that it would be a nice addition to my shelf of nature treasures at home. What a mistake-by the next day my whole tent smelled like dirty feet-phew! Live & learn. π
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I can only say how wonderful this missive is; it is truly as if I were there.. Thank you!
Greg
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