Welcome to the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, home of Smoke Hole Canyon, Reed's Creek, and Franklin Gorge. My name is Michael Gray, and I've been climbing and putting up new routes here since the early 90's.
Prior to the discovery and development of New River Gorge, Seneca Rocks and Germany Valley were important cornerstones in the history of West Virginia and indeed East Coast rock climbing. Pioneers who would go on to define outdoor sports in America came to explore and discover Seneca Rocks, and, in time, spread their efforts and attentions out from that base, through the assortment of crags by which it is surrounded. To the East, North Fork Mountain rises in a green wall, lined with cliffs of varying height and quality, and across those heights, signs of vertical passage can be found; the tattered sling, ring pins and pitons, broken flakes and leveled bases overgrown in greenbrier. The setting, perched high above Germany Valley, with the Alleghany Front rising before you, is among the most beautiful locations in the United States.
Ten miles east of these cliffs hides a garden gem of climbing and natural beauty, carved by the South Branch of the Potomac River from the bedrock and folds of the Alleghenies, framed by the steep ridges of Cave, Middle and North Fork Mountains. Pins and pitons, fading webbing and anecdotal evidence give proof that the early explorers came this way as well.
This is Smoke Hole Canyon.
The character and features of Smoke Hole are as varied as its inhabitants. For the wealth of history alone, natural and manmade, Smoke Hole is a treasure. Like Germany Valley, home of climbing landmarks Seneca Rocks, Smoke Hole Canyon also offers a variety of opportunities for recreation and adventure. Spectacular views and quiet solitude wait for the visitor who wanders down one of Smoke Hole’s many trails and old roads, through hardwood and coniferous forests, wildflowers and gardens of ferns, past groves of cedar and pine in open mountain meadows beside the inviting waters of the Potomac River and its many feeder creeks.
From Smoke Hole, the scenic North Fork Mountain Trail can be accessed via four different trailheads. Single track enthusiasts can enjoy the trail from its juncture with FS 79 north to the final steep downhill at the northern terminus of the trail, just a half mile from Route 28/55. From the canyon‘s mouth just north of the town of Upper Tract, Petersburg is a rewarding weekend’s journey away for the paddling enthusiast. Heavier rains and deeper waters convert this quiet river into an adventure worth remembering for even expert boaters.
Smoke Hole offers escape from the crush of better-known crags, a satisfying variety of styles and formations, with a number of moderate routes for the beginning to moderate leader and more than enough challenges for serious technical climbers.
Discover the secret garden that's just around the corner from the everyday. Come walk the trails of the Monongahela National Forest, swim in the South Branch of the Potomac, and enjoy great routes for beginners and experts alike, in a place that defines the word "magical".
We'll see you there.
Mike and Cindy Gray
