Off The Beaten Path: Gaudineer Knob
The Gaudineer Knob Scenic Area is the epitome of off the beaten path. There are no prominent signs announcing its presence and I have never found a travel publication giving it any love. It still remains one of my favorite places in the Mountain State, and I’m willing to trade sharing it with a few more people if it means you get to experience it too.
I’ll be honest, though, there’s not a whole lot to Gaudineer Knob – it’s a 140-acre piece of land at about 4,400 feet that holds a few trails and about 50 acres of virgin red spruce. It doesn’t sound like much, I know, but it’s hard to put into words the feeling and appreciation you get from being among trees that are as much as 300 years old.
Red spruce trees used to be prevalent among West Virginia’s highlands, but were decimated by the logging industry in the 19th and 20th century due to their value. The West Virginia Nature Conservancy Director Mike Powell has said only about 55,000 of the state’s original one million red spruce acres remain.
I think part of the draw, for me, is to be able to look up at these towering trees and understand that this is “the way things used to be.” When much of the world we now live in has been changed, it is soothing to find a little slice of it that has – beside a gravel walking path – remained untouched.
The trail through the area is about a quarter of a mile and accessible for pretty much anybody. The scenic area also has some picnic tables and vault bathrooms available. The road to get there is your typical forest road, which can be handled with just about any vehicle.
You might say “why go all the way out to the middle of nowhere for a bunch of trees?” If paired with a few other stops below, I think it would make for an awesome day trip.
Durbin - Blink and you’ll miss it. The small town is a jumping-off point for those looking to enjoy the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad. The town has a few places to eat as well as a depot for the coal-fired train trips. Either begin or end a train trip with a stop at Gaudineer Knob right down the road.
Green Bank - If you’ve never seen the giant telescope in the middle of rural West Virginia, it’s something to behold. It’s almost hard to believe a giant telescope used for astronomy can be found plopped right in the middle of the rolling hills and farmland of Pocahontas County. You might want to check to make sure the observatory is open for tours before making it part of your trip. If anything, driving by the telescope is an experience alone.
Cass - About 45 minutes away is another spot I’ve detailed a little bit before. Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is, ironically, a look at a logging town and the steam engines that helped power it. Similar to Durbin, train trips are available here, or you can just walk around and watch the trains come and go.
Buckhannon and Elkins - Depending on where you’re starting from, your GPS may suggest getting to or from Gaudineer Knob by going through Buckhannon and Elkins, and I would also suggest doing so. Buckhannon is home to, among many other great places to eat, The Donut Shop. While the donuts are great, the real draw here are the pepperoni rolls. If you know, you know. Elkins is also home to many fantastic places to eat, as well as one of the more well-known breweries in the state – Big Timber.
