Photograph Bear Rocks Preserve

Davis, West Virginia

5.0/5

based on 2 reviews

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Added by Sarah Giek

The windswept boulders at Bear Rocks Preserve provide expansive views of the surrounding landscape. On a clear day you can see as far as the Shenandoah Mountains, making it a popular spot for watching the sunrise.

The Bear Rocks Preserve is a 477 acre land tract maintained and supported by The Nature Conservancy. Offering a diverse range of plant species more commonly seen in the Northeast, visitors will find blueberries, huckleberries, mountain laurel, azalea, and rhododendron among the sandstone outcrops at the Bear Rocks Preserve. As one of the most popular attractions in the state of West Virginia, it is not uncommon to find a line of photographers capturing the sunrise from this location.

Bear Rocks is also a popular trailhead for exploring the adjacent Dolly Sods Wilderness. For more information on hiking and camping in the area check out this Camp at Bear Rocks adventure and this Backpacking Dolly Sods adventure. Download a trail map here.

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Reviews

Stephen Catalano

Photograph Bear Rocks Preserve

08/09/20

Highly recommend Bear Rocks to any landscape photographer. It's a phenomenal view with sunrises and sunsets that light up the sky. I'd also recommend bringing along a telephoto lens, as there is an opportunity to really compress the layers of the landscape, specifically the rolling hills of the Alleghany range.

5.0

Explorer

Michael Graw

Explorer

Photograph Bear Rocks Preserve

08/29/17

Bear Rocks is just so cool to see. After driving up and up from the valley floor, emerging on to the mountaintop and seeing how different and exposed the Bear Rocks area is was almost a shock. The view to the east is spectacular - mountains on mountains on mountains - so it would be perfect for sunrise. The view to the west across the alpine area is also great, but not as photogenic. You can explore the area a bit - which can involve trudging through bogs - but the best rocks for photography are in the end the ones that are right next to the parking area. If you're staying for sunset, there's no camping within 1/4 mile of the road on the mountaintop, but if you drive about 1 mile back down towards the valley floor there are several dispersed camping spots right along the road.

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Bear Rocks and Beaver Dam Loop

Starting on Bear Rocks Trail, hike down to the Red Creek. Sometimes water levels can be high, but most of the time you can cross the creek without getting any deeper than your knees. Link up with the Raven Ridge Trail and head south. Enjoy the views through this section, as it's a great place to stop for a bit to refuel. After heading south, you'll intersect with the Dobbins Grade trail. Head e...

Bear Rocks Loop

This particular hike is great as there are multiple camping sites, both established and backcountry, and views for miles around almost every bend. Still not convinced? This high-altitude plateau has characteristics typically found in Canadian landscapes. so you can travel north without leaving your backyard below the Mason-Dixon Line -- high five y'all! From the parking area on FR75 (go to th...

Dolly Sods North Loop via Bear Rocks

Arguably one of the most beautiful hiking areas on the United States' east coast, the Dolly Sods Wilderness inarguably has the most unique trailhead warning sign: Watch out for unexploded ordinance in the area. (The U.S. Army used the area for artillery and mortar training during WWII.) Don't fret, though. With over 47 miles of hiking trails crisscrossing and looping around an open plateau, you...

Snowshoe or Cross-Country Ski Dolly Sods

From January to April, the forest roads that provide vehicle access to the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia are closed. If you're up for a cold weather adventure, park your car (in accordance with the signage and without blocking the road) and hike up the Forest Road 75 near Davis, WV, to Bear Rocks Preserve. Come after a recent snowfall and you'll be in for a beautiful sight, so bring a ...

Camp at Red Creek Campground

Beginning your hikes from the Red Creek Campground gives you plenty of good options. For day hikers there is parking at the signed trailheads and for those who want to call the Campground home for a few days the campsites are nice and spaced out so you don't feel like you're sharing your tent space with strangers.One of the attractions to hiking in the Sods is the scenic pay off found on trail....

Dolly Sods Wilderness North Loop via Rocky Ridge Trail

The hike begins at the "Dolly Sods Trailhead Parking" location easily found on Google Maps. The lot is big enough for about 6-8 vehicles. Begin walking at the end of the gravel parking lot/road for about 0.5 miles until you enter the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area in a small grassy field where several trails begin and are well marked. The North loop is famous for several reasons one being the Rock...

Photograph Bear Rocks Preserve

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Bear Rocks and Beaver Dam Loop

Bear Rocks Loop

Dolly Sods North Loop via Bear Rocks

Snowshoe or Cross-Country Ski Dolly Sods

Camp at Red Creek Campground

Dolly Sods Wilderness North Loop via Rocky Ridge Trail

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