Parking
1. North end of section, Spruce Pine Park. From I 81 Exit 16 take WV 9 west 14 miles to Spruce Pine Hollow County Park on the left of the highway. The trail crosses about 0.5 mile west.
2. South end of section, Lower Campground. Take WV 9 from I 81 for 6 miles, passing through Hedgesville. Continue to Back Creek Valley Road (CR 7). Go south for 7.3 miles. South of Jones Spring go west, right, at Sleepy Creek Road (CR 7/9) for 6 miles, passing the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area office and the registra¬tion point. Here the road forms a Y. The Tuscarora runs in both directions. Go right for 1.8 mile to the end of the road and park. Walk back 0.1 mile to the access road to the Lower Campground.
Shuttle
North to south: Go back east on WV 9 for 8 miles, turn right on Back Creek Valley Road (CR 7). Go south for 7.3 miles. South of Jones Spring go west, right, at Sleepy Creek Road (CR 7/9) for 6 miles, passing the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area office and the registra¬tion point. Here the road forms a Y. The Tuscarora Trail runs in both directions. Go right for 1.8 mile to the end of the road and park.
South to north: Go back out the entrance road to Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area, about 8 miles to Back Creek Valley Road (CR 7), turn left. Go 7.3 miles to WV 9, turn left (west) 8 miles to Spruce Pine Hollow County Park on left of the highway.
Maps
PATC Map L
USGS 7.5 minute Quadrangles: Big Pool, WV-MD; Cherry Run, MD-WV-PA; Glengary, WV-VA; Stotlers Crossroads, WV-VA
Useful Information
Emergency - In WV, Dial 911
Trail Description, North to South
Miles Detailed Trail Data
0.0 From WV 9 one-half mile west of Spruce Pine Hollow County Park, Great Eastern Trail and Tuscarora Trail enters woods.
0.1 Turn left and follow Meadow Branch through rapidly disappearing hemlock and rhododendron.
0.4 White-blazed trail to left leads to Spruce Pine Hollow County Park. Cross Meadow Branch on trail bridge. Enter hemlock forest.
0.5 Spruce Pine Hollow Campsite on right: three tent pads, picnic table, three benches and fire ring.
0.7 Reach hilltop. Just after starting downhill, Sons of the American Revolution cornerstone. Enter PATC property here. Camping permitted. Descend on switchbacks.
0.8 Turn left on private drive. (End of PATC property. Club has only right-of-way on roads. Stay on them.)
1.2 T fork. Leave private drive. Go straight. (Road left goes to WV 9.)
1.3 Road forks. Take left fork going uphill.
1.8 Leave road and go right up a steep ridge on series of switchbacks. Log book box on left.
1.9 Skirt power line right-of-way. Trail levels off. The planned relocation of the Tuscarora Trail will go south to Devils Nose from this point.
6.9 Whites Gap. Go left at intersection at woods road. (This part of trail is called Rocky Ford Trail.) Woods road to right goes down mountain to CR 8/8 and Parking #2. Trail straight ahead leads to Hamp¬shire Grade Road at Locks of the Mountain Gap and can be taken to the Tuscarora Trail at Wolf Campsite (Section 13) for an approximately 20-mile circuit.
7.2 Turn right from woods road on to trail.
7.4 Cross small stream.
7.7 Trail forks. Go straight.
8.7 Small stream crossing.
8.8 Cross power line veering slightly left.
9.1 Rocky Ford on Meadow Branch. (Be prepared to wade in rainy weather. Creek bottom is rocky. If water is high, bushwhack upstream to dam, cross to Lower Campground and rejoin trail there.)
9.2 Small stream crossing, then an intermittent stream crossing.
9.3 Meadow Branch Trail goes left. Reach red gate. In 100’ go right again on woods road. The planned Tuscarora Trail relocation will terminate at this mile point.
9.9 Pass through metal farm gate. (This is edge of Lower Campground. Tent sites, water pump and privy.)
Tuscarora Trail and GET continue on gravel road ahead.
Trail Description, South to North
0.0 Lower Campground. South end of this section. Great Eastern Trail passes around metal farm gate and leaves Lower Campground.
0.6 Reach red gate. Turn left off woods road, and in 100’, turn left again on Rocky Ford Trail. (Meadow Branch Trail goes right.) The planned relocation of the Tuscarora Trail will start at this mile point and head in a generally northerly direction to Devils Nose.
0.7 Cross two streams, one of which is intermittent.
0.8 Cross Rocky Ford on Meadow Branch (elevation 1100’). (In high water, bushwhack upstream to dam, cross there, and then bushwhack downstream, about 1.5 miles)
1.1 Cut across power line diagonally to left, then bear left.
1.2 Cross stream.
2.2 Go right at fork.
2.5 Small stream crossing.
2.7 Turn left on woods road.
3.0 Whites Gap. Take right woods road uphill (elevation 1492’). Dirt road to left leads downhill to CR 8/8, Parking #2. Trail to left leads to Hampshire Grade Road at Locks of the Mountain Gap and can be taken to the Tuscarora Trail at Wolf Campsite (Section 1d) for an approximately 20-mile circuit.
8.0 Trail skirts power line right-of-way and begins steep descent on series of switchbacks. The Tuscarora Trail relocation will end at this mile point.
8.1 Log book box on right. Join woods road and turn left. Pass driveways and access roads to cottages and cabins.
8.6 Road forks. Take right fork.
8.7 Road forms a “T”. Go straight ahead on dirt lane posted as private drive. (Road to right leads to WV 9.)
9.1 Turn right off drive onto path. (PATC land begins here. Camping permitted.) Ascend switchbacks.
9.2 Sons of American Revolution cornerstone near top of rise. Leave PATC land.
9.4 Spruce Pine Hollow Campsite on left: has three tent pads, picnic table, three benches and fire ring.
9.5 Cross Meadow Branch on trail bridge. White-blazed trail to right leads to Spruce Pine Hollow County Park. Turn left following stream bank, then veer right.
9.9 Cross WV 9 on an angle to left. End of Section 1b. GET continues on paved road to right.
