Go Together Life

📍 Out & Back Route | 5.2 km | 80m Elevation | 4 Hours
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four damp and muddy stars

Dolly Sods Wilderness, a wild and wonderful 17,000+ acre stretch of high-altitude plateau in the Monongahela National Forest, is practically in our backyard. So, one crisp spring weekend before the summer heat set in, we decided it was finally time to dip our toes into backcountry camping. No reservations. No bathrooms. No turning back. We packed our bags, grabbed the spade, and headed for the hills.

The most exciting part? For once, our four-legged family members got to join the fun. Meggie, our beagle-sized Houdini and outdoor enthusiast, and Murphy, a sweet but solid pittie mix with the muscle of a linebacker and the soft heart of a toddler, came along. Dogs are welcome in Dolly Sods, just keep them leashed and leave no trace.

Overpacking? Never Heard of Her.

We left home early Saturday, arriving at the Red Creek Campground just before lunch. After a final civilized bathroom stop (read: actual toilets), we parked on the roadside and loaded ourselves up like Himalayan sherpas, clearly overestimating the gear needed for one night in the woods. To be fair, a previous “mild” camping experience had ended in frozen drinking water, so we weren’t taking any chances.

Even the dogs had their own tiny packs with bowls, water, and kibble. Spirits were high. So were the backpacks.

Roughly ten minutes into the hike (don’t judge us) we stopped for lunch. One less thing to carry, right? Bellies full, we lumbered on down the Blackbird Knob Trail toward Red Creek, where we hoped to find a perfect camping spot. We’d planned a modest 2.6 km hike to ease ourselves into this backcountry life, and in Dolly Sods, dispersed camping is allowed as long as you’re 200 ft away from roads and official trails. There are a few well-loved sites scattered along the way, and we had our eyes peeled for one of those.

Beautiful Views, Muddy Boots, and a Little Chaos

The trail was classic Dolly Sods: gorgeous, green, and gloriously muddy. You can certainly hike much farther than we did, but with our extra-heavy loads and desire for maximum comfort, we were on a mission to find a spot, set up, and settle in.

And, naturally, things got a little… dramatic.

Twice we had to cross running water. The first crossing was a breeze. The second? A full comedy sketch. This creek was a little wider, requiring some bold rock-hopping. Ally, top-heavy with gear, found herself frozen mid-leap, one foot on each rock, hands splayed on a third, backpack acting like a counterweight gone rogue. While we shouted wildly helpful advice from the shore (“Just move!” “Lean forward!”), she remained paralyzed in a kind of accidental yoga pose. We did eventually rescue her, but only after we finished laughing.

Camp Life (and Tree-Climbing for Snacks)

We eventually found a quiet clearing near the river, perfect for tents, a hammock (rookie mistake: only one hammock), and a fire circle. We set up our tents, started filtering creek water, and rigged our bear bag high in a tree. “Rigged” might be generous, we got it stuck. Adam, in classic fashion, ended up climbing the tree to get it down, while the teens cheered him on and later played “be the bear” by trying to see if anyone could jump high enough to touch the dangling bag.

Patrick and Daniel braved the freezing water for a quick dip, while the rest of us waved and watched from the warm, dry bank. Dinner was early, followed by an excellent round of s’mores. Lucky we finished when we did as within five minutes, the skies opened up and sent us all running for cover.

Jon and Ally spent the night comforting a trembling Murphy, who is deeply (and justifiably) afraid of thunderstorms, while also trying to avoid a rapidly spreading leak in their tent. The rest of us played cards by flashlight and tried to ignore the increasingly damp conditions. It wasn’t exactly restful, but it was definitely memorable.

Final Verdicts

• Meggie’s Rating: 10/10 — mud, squirrels, adventure. Perfection.
  
• Murphy’s Rating: 9/10 — would’ve been a perfect score if not for the storm of doom.
  
• The Humans: Loved it. Laughed a lot. Slept very little. Grateful for flushing toilets and warm showers the next day.
  

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🧳 Packing List: What We Brought for One Night in the Wilderness

🎒 Gear:

• Overnight backpacks
• Hiking tents (we shared: two per tent, one group of three)
• Sleeping bags, camping mats, pillows
• Hammock (should have brought two!)
• Camping chairs and table (properly light and little hiking ones)
  

💧 Water & Cooking:

• Reusable bottles or hydration packs
• Water filtration system
• Camping stove, pots, plates, mugs, utensils
• Snacks, packed lunches, and food for dinner & breakfast
  

🛠 Essentials:

• SPADE (you know why)
• Biodegradable toilet paper
• First aid kit
• Travel towel
• Headlamp
• Dry bag
• Rope
• Waterproof matches or lighter
• Camping lantern
  

🧥 Clothing:

• Hat & sunglasses
• Rain jacket (a must!)
• Warm layers
• Hiking socks
• Sturdy hiking boots
  

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If you’re looking for a gentle (but gear-heavy) intro to backcountry camping, Blackbird Knob to Red Creek is a winner. Just don’t forget your sense of humor, and maybe bring two hammocks.