West Virginia's Glade CreekWest Virginia's Glade Creek
by Robert S. White
Publication Date: May 1999
Anyone in need of a great hiking/backpacking location with outstanding views, plenty of water, solitude, wildlife, and very hikeable trails should jot this one down on the "TO DO" list. The Glade Creek Trail in West Virginia's New River Gorge provides all of the above, and its proximity allows area outdoor enthusiasts time enough to see and do this trail and many more activities in a weekend. Located about 250 miles west of Louisville, it should take only 4 1/2 hours to reach the trailhead.
I made the trip in mid-March with my wife, Michele. Going just before the spring foliage set in, we were provided with clear views, crisp mornings, and terrific days for extensive foot travel. Needing to stretch our legs we gathered our packs and flashlights and proceeded south on the trail. Hiking around an unfamiliar place at night isn't something I recommend, but this wide, flat, and well seen trail, positioned on what used to be a logging rail-line, deserves exception.
At the start, our intentions had been to venture only far enough along to find a good spot to set camp. Before realizing it, we had reached a bridge crossing to the east side of the creek. Checking the topographic map, that didn't show a bridge, I saw we had trekked three miles already. The brisk mountain air had kept our pace swift and we just kept walking. This nighttime travel was to our advantage since this is not a loop trail. Whatever we couldn't see in the dark, we would backtrack to see in the daylight.
Three quarters of a mile, or so, from the bridge, we came to find that our path was covered in water. What would have usually been a slight trickle coming down the mountain was a joining of two swift and rather decent sized streams pouring into Glade Creek immediately on our right. We put forth quite an effort to avoid dipping our toes into the bone chilling water, but after tap dancing along some stones, making way to a dry middle ground, and even laying a fallen tree over a short span, we came to the conclusion that it would be much easier...not to mention safer...to go on and trudge through the 30 or 40 yards of water. After getting wet from the knees down, our pace quickened to keep our feet from numbing.
Farther down the trail, I spotted a well-lit tractor trailer shooting overhead. Had my wife added those funny tasting mushrooms to the trail mix? No...but we had reached the spot where more than a thousand feet above I-64 crosses Glade Creek. I knew that now was the time to rest for the remainder of the evening.
There is an abundance of wildlife native to the area including black bears, fox, beaver, and the ever-notorious raccoon, yet we didn't feel the need to hide or hang our food bags. With the falling temperature and nature's bounty still a month away, I assumed that most of the wildlife would themselves be huddled together in their cozy dens staying warm.
I managed to build a fire with the help of a couple starter logs. Fire starter logs are a bit weighty, but well worth making room for in your pack, especially when the wood is damp and a fire is needed to dry wet socks and warm up to before going to the tent. Ah, the tent, a campers bedroom away from home. It was soon time to crawl into our sacks. My bag, a one pound, fourteen ounce, forty degree unit made by Slumberjack wasn't designed for the cold, but when used in conjunction with an air mat, sleep can be attained. Michele's zero degree Kelty kept her toasty all night.
The thermometer read nineteen degrees when we awoke, so I got right back to tending a fire whilst the coffee water was warming. Michele was still wrapped up like larva in her warm cocoon when I was drying her boots and my pants. Caught in nothing more than my skivvies by a couple of early morning fishermen, I offered a cup of java. They spoke of the trout fishing like Tom Skarret in A River Runs Through It. After our chat, they continued on their fishing pilgrimage, and my wife finally made her way out of the tent. She must've not seen her shadow, though, because the tent came down with her stepping foot on the ground. She was anxious to get moving and by 9:00 a.m. we were geared up and down the trail.
A short jaunt from camp we came to a well marked junction of Glade Creek Trail and Kate's Plateau Trail. Taking the latter, we were now ascending to the mountain switchbacking over what we had hiked the previous night. It's a gentle climb to the top, where we found a trail marker showing an alternate route back down. It was the Kate's Falls Trail. This must have been Kate's Mountain. On past the marker the plateau trail veers left and down to Kate's Branch. The stream is joined by two others and must be crossed at this point. The trail isn't easily pointed out here either. Map and compass might even be advised to help along the way. With the water up and the lush rhododendron grabbing at one's pack, making ones way across can be quite a challenge. The beauty of this spot will halt you in your tracks for a break to enjoy the rushing streams and the morning's sunbeams making way through the greenery and shimmering off the water. Once across this taste of Valhalla, the way is clear; marked with a fire ring. Welcome to the plateau.
Kate's Plateau Trail goes on to meet with Poll's Plateau Trail together making more than eight miles of footway. We had decided to make our own loop trail by cutting across the woods towards I-64. In doing this, we came upon a spectacular wetland with traces of extensive beaver activity. Just what I'd been hoping for! We had to get across this wetland, which isn't the easiest of accomplishments. It does add a challenge making the day even more fulfilling. Managing to cross on a beaver dam and trampling through the muck, we made our way to a fenceline that separates park land from highway property. Finding an opening in the fence, we made way to a clearing well below the road and way out of sight.
After a hearty beef stew lunch from Mountainhouse (the mess free food maker), we walked alongside the highway hill like the clumsiest of bighorn sheep and found our way back to a clearing that Kate's Trail adjoined. There is a real thrill of venturing off the beaten path, setting out cross country through the density of the forest, the wetness of virgin beaver territory, and finding one's way back to the main trail. It compares to the trust you learn about your equipment when rappelling or climbing. The map and compass are a hiker's tools and if used properly, you won't get lost.
We marched on downward to the trail marker we had passed earlier and commenced to descend the mountain. The path downhill is not easy, and the rotted wooden steps embedded into the soil can fool your feet; be careful! Hurting one's self here would spoil the beauty of Kate's Falls below. The apparent lack of visitors to the falls amazed us. If they were located anywhere else, the falls would surely be littered with bottles and trash. By the look of the trail to and fro, however, few people visit this natural sanctuary. Thank God for that!
The trail then winds downwards to meet with the Glade Creek Trail less than a mile south of the I-64 bridge. Now we would see all that the darkness had blanketed the night before. The high water had the water of Glade Creek raging. I'd say that with high water and a kayak, one could shoot down Glade Creek to its junction with the New River. Glade Creek is absolutely magnificent. Making it back to the bridge, we rested a bit. Dipping face and hands into the chilly mountain water rejuvenated us enough to complete the last three miles in stride. We passed a couple more fishermen but not a single backpacker. It was comforting to know that we were the only ones doing what we do.
Back at the trailhead, the lot was bustling with activity. Canoes, kayaks and rafts were coming and going to and from the river. Fishermen were gathering their lures for a late afternoon cast, and a few tents were pitched for the night. This is an ideal spot to stay for the evening and chat with some fellow outdoorsmen over a community fire. Who knows what the next day may bring; whitewater, sightseeing, fly-fishing, rock climbing, B.A.S.E. jumping, or stopping at Tamarack on the way home for some extreme shopping - West Virginia's New River Gorge area has it all!
If You Go
Topo maps are available through Trails Illustrated. Numerous guided trips are available.
Call for reservations.
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