Dolly Sods Wilderness

Dolly Sods Wilderness is a protected area covering 28 square miles in the highlands of the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia. The terrain includes rock formations, peat bogs, spruce forest, and mountain meadows at elevations up to 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).

The US Army used this land as an artillery and mortar training range during World War II. The area received federal wilderness designation in 1975, though practice ordnance still surfaces in the soil from time to time.

The first part of the name recalls a German family named Dahle who kept sheep here in the 1800s. The word Sods describes the open grasslands on the ridgetops, shaped by earlier logging activity.

Hikers should carry a topographic map and compass because trail markings are sparse. Weather can shift quickly at higher elevations, especially during winter and early spring.

The vegetation resembles regions in northern Canada because the elevation creates a cooler climate. Wild cranberries grow here in the bogs, even though the area lies well south of their usual range.

Location: West Virginia

Inception: January 3, 1975

Operator: United States Forest Service

GPS coordinates: 38.99580,-79.36810

Latest update: December 12, 2025 18:15