Overland Route - Allegheny Discovery Route

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Allegheny Discovery Route

by Chet Szymecki​

The Allegheny Discovery Route is a 425 mile adventure that can last from three to five days depending upon how often you stop to explore other sites along the way. Approximately 75% of the time is spent on dirt roads whereas the remaining 25% is spent mostly on two-lane paved roads. The route is designed to be driven north to south although since I was meeting a fellow adventurer from Maryland we began at the southern terminus and encountered some challenging trails very early on. Although you will spend most of your time in beautiful and rugged West Virginia, the ends of this trail are in Virginia and Maryland. Imagine driving through the mountains beginning in Cumberland, Maryland, passing through Elkins, West Virginia, and eventually heading over to Harrisonburg, Virginia. Right in the middle of it all is the Canaan Valley with great mountain towns having a focus on outdoor recreation, dining and breweries, etc.

Here is a map of the 425 mile track as published by Palmetto State Overland in this article. A link to the GPX file can be found on the same page.

 

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Early in the morning I met my buddy Dennis just west of Harrisonburg, Virginia, and together we began our 425 mile journey on the Allegheny Discovery Route. The first ten miles were just normal forest service roads but as soon as we turned off Union Spring Road atop the mountain the fun began. Here is Dennis in his Power Wagon pushing though a big mud hole with a fairly firm bottom. Being the gentleman he always is, he insisted that I go first!


It's unfortunate that pictures just never quite display the obstacles in an accurate way since we are attempting to visually recreate a three-dimensional image in two dimensions. Along this section of the trail there were several rocky ascents and descents mixed in with very tight sections of trail. If you had a CJ-5 you would be receiving pinstripes - in a full size overlander with a camper we were most likely the largest vehicles that had passed through in some time.


Here I am preparing to cross yet another mud-hole. On unfamiliar trails I routinely take a moment to survey the crossings by visually inspecting, grabbing a branch and probing for depth and condition of the bottom, etc. One of these days I am still planning to purchase a nice set of waders so I can really perform an accurate assessment of stream and mud-hole crossings especially since I am alone the majority of the time.


We are enjoying the hundreds of miles of beautiful scenery along the Allegheny Discovery Route filled with climbs up mountains and descents into valleys. Some of the shelf roads were narrow and rough while others were wide and smooth like this one. All in all this was turning out to be a fun adventure with much variation.


Up atop Flagpole Knob we happened upon the Woodbridge Wireless Amateur Radio Club who were preparing for a radio competition. Even though they were busy erecting large antennas, hooking up and tuning equipment, they took time to answer our questions.


Later that day we located a camping spot in the George Washington National Forest and prepared our evening meal. With no concrete plans sometimes it can be challenging to locate primitive camping sites in the forest large enough for two full sized vehicles. Our solution is to plan to begin looking 2-3 hours prior to sundown and if we come across a nice campsite we grab it. If it does not appear to be ideal we press on.


Here is Dennis and his wife enjoying a warm campfire on a slightly chilly mountain night. Dennis and I have a great habit over the years of selling each other on expensive toys. He convinced me to buy an HD truck. I pushed back and convinced him to go with a Four Wheel Pop-Up Camper. Now I am suggesting he consider the new AEV Prospector XL Cab Chassis (RAM 5500) and Bliss Mobil 13-foot unit combination. Personally, I would never consider a vehicle such as that


While taking a break after hiking around the top of Spruce Knob in West Virginia we crossed paths with @k9daddy and took time to compare rigs and share adventure stories and future plans. The one thing I really enjoy about this overland community is meeting so many interesting people with a wide variety of vehicles.


While following the trail we came upon a washed out bridge. There was evidence that others had recently driven over the bridge so Dennis and I walked out to inspect the remaining structure. Dennis is a Civil Engineer and I have experience long ago managing heavy construction projects such as buildings, bridges, etc. We both agreed that this was a no-go for a number of valid reasons. Maybe a side-by-side or stock Jeep could squeeze though but not either of us.


Here was my solution just a few miles away from the washed out bridge. I am crossing a trail on the Dry Fork of the Cheat just south of Mozark Mountain in West Virginia. Most of the river crossings in this area can be characterized as shallow with a flat rock bottom. The rocks are somewhat slippery and there can be larger ones to surprise you but generally these are all 2WD crossings.

 

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Dennis has sold me on the value of an electric saw. We came upon several trees along the trails that might be ok for a Jeep or mid-sized truck to squeeze under but full size adventure vehicles with campers on the back are just too large. One night we had great cellular service so I watched Project Farm test and compare electric chainsaws - I enjoy reviews such as this. Here is Round One and Round Two.


Here is a washed out section of trail that required us to step out of the vehicles and take a look to review possible routes. Of course I took the picture a few seconds too late and it would have looked much more challenging just a few feet earlier as Dennis was dropping into the washed out area. It only takes a few minutes of observation and planning to avoid situations where damage or delays are probable.


Well into West Virginia now we pushed hard on this day to make it into the resort town of Davis. This small town is in the heart of the Canaan Valley which itself is a four-season playground. Here we are camping just south of Davis along Canaan Loop Road. After 250 miles and four days of adventure Dennis would be breaking away to return home. For me, I am looking forward to another 150 or so miles and a few days of exploration.


Some of you may have guessed that I would also include the Canaan Loop Jeep Trail in this adventure since the loop runs parallel to the Allegheny Discovery Route near Davis, West Virginia. It's a short 15-mile loop with most of it being maintained gravel roads. There is a short section that contains a few obstacles and will require four wheel drive. This is a great trail for Jeeps or mid-sized trucks. If you are full-sized and have a camper you will become accustomed to the sounds of branches dragging down the sides of your rig.


The only obstacles are essentially the rocky banks on several water crossings. The water is often just inches deep although that can change significantly with weather. Climbing down is usually easy but crawling back up to the trail on the far side of the crossing may require four wheel drive. On this section of trail there was a small pile of broken vehicle parts off to the side - it appeared to be plastic from the undercarriage of a Subaru or maybe a mid-sized vehicle.


The scenery is beautiful and if you enjoy ferns you will see many. The trail was worn a bit lower compared to the surrounding area in this section and since I had not encountered other traffic so far I stopped for a snack and to enjoy the sounds of the forest.


Here is another shot of my AEV Prospector climbing up from a water crossing. When we began the trail days earlier I aired down to 18 PSI which is what I customarily air down to. Keep in mind if you air down warm tires on a warm day they most likely will be one or two PSI lower the next morning if the night has been cool. My tires were 16 PSI in the morning and usually ran 17-18 PSI during the day.


If you drive the Canaan Loop Jeep Trail anti-clockwise you will exit the tougher section of the trail at Blackwater Falls State Park. This is a beautiful spot and my recommendation is to enjoy it for at least a few hours. There is a nice concession stand and ample parking up top, a wide-wooden walkway with several overlooks, and you meet really cool people there. I am not sure exactly how it happens but even in crowded sites people will occasionally begin talking with me and then ask, "is that your truck up in the parking lot?" This often leads to long enjoyable talks, sharing of stories, exchanging contact information, etc. There are so many cool people out there to meet.


After completing the Canaan Loop Jeep Trail I jumped back on the Allegheny Discovery Route and made my way up into Dolly Sods Wilderness. I have visited this areas several times over the past five or so years and always enjoy the unique vegetation and landscape at this elevation.


There is much history associated with Dolly Sods but the most important is to be aware that this area was used for WWII training and as recently as 25-years ago unexploded ordnance (UXO) has been found. If you happen to come upon UXO make sure to mark the location and pass the coordinates along to the forest service staff. Although there is not an extensive network of trails to drive in Dolly Sods there are many to hike. For an amazing view make sure to explore the northern section referred to as Bear Rocks - it's almost heaven...

 

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Continuing on along the 400+ mile Allegheny Discovery Route you will cross a very interesting private toll bridge which spans the North Branch Potomac River. On one side is West Virginia and the other is Maryland with the nearest town being Old Town, MD.


On one end you have a small brick structure where your toll is collected. Years ago while adventuring along the 1,080-mile Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route, I crossed this same bridge. It's a fun part of any trip and if you are anywhere nearby. The C&O Canal is within walking distance and the Lock 70 School House Inn is also.


Here is the sun setting on my final night on the Allegheny Discovery Route. In total, it took me six days and covered 425 miles of 4x4 trails, forest service roads, and country roads. It begins in Virginia, you will cross a mountain trail into West Virginia where you will spend most of your time, and you will eventually end in western Maryland. My combined drive time was 23-hours and I averaged 10.1 MPG.


My overland adventure along the Allegheny Discovery Route is now complete. It lasted six days and covered 425 miles of 4x4 trails, service roads, and country roads while passing through Virginia, West Virginia, and Western Maryland. My combined drive time was 23-hours and my AEV Prospector and Four Wheel Camper combo averaged 10.1 MPG.


After completing the optional Canaan Loop near Davis, West Virginia, and departing the Monongahela National Forest, I crossed into the Green Ridge State Forest in western Maryland. It was really fun to hit three water crossings on Town Creek within an hour. The sun was setting so I found a camping spot in the forest and deployed my pop up camper. What a wonderful trip!