Spruce Knob

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Spruce Knob
The west side of the summit of Spruce Knob.
Elevation	4,863 feet (1482 m)
Location	West Virginia, USA
Range	Allegheny Mountains
Prominence	2783 feet (848m) [1]
Coordinates	38°41′59″N, 79°31′58″W
Topo map	USGS Spruce Knob
First ascent	unknown
Easiest route	drive-up

Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet (1482 m), is the highest point in the state of West Virginia, USA and the summit of Spruce Mountain, the tallest mountain in the Alleghenies. Spruce Knob is within the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, which in turn is part of Monongahela National Forest. Established in 1965, it is the very first National Recreation Area designated by the U.S. Forest Service and consists of over 100,000 acres (405 km²). Its summit has a definite alpine feel, much more so than other mountains of the Southern Appalachians. The upper few hundred feet of the mountain are covered in a dense spruce forest, a relict boreal forest environment similar to forests found in northern New England and Canada. The summit is accessible via a long gravel road, and is crowned with a stone lookout tower while a mixture of boulder fields, meadows and trees are on the summit as well. A half mile (800 m) long handicap accessible nature trail circles the topmost part of the mountain. There are often high west winds near the summit, and as a result the spruce trees have limbs on only one side, pointing eastward. As is typical of the southern Appalachians, the highest point on a ridge is frequently referred to as a knob or dome. Spruce Knob is the highest point along this ridge better known as the Allegheny Front. The ridge drops steeply to the east with views of the Germany Valley available on clear days, while the view west is of the Allegheny Plateau.

Spruce Knob's climate can be classified as humid continental. Summers are cool and often damp, while winters are cold and snowy. Thunderstorms are common in Spring and Summer. The mountain receives 160 + inches of snowfall annually, and for this reason the summit access road is often closed between October and April.

Windswept spruce

While spruce is the most common tree species on the summit, the lower altitudes are populated by oak, hickory, birch, beech and maple. Bald eagles, hawks and peregrine falcons have been seen on the mountain. Mammals such as Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, weasel, porcupine, skunk and rabbit are also found.

There are over 75 miles of hiking trails around the mountain and a small 25 acre lake well stocked with trout on the west side of the mountain. Two campgrounds are also on the mountain with the one nearest the lake being the larger with 43 sites.

Best access is from Interstate 81 heading west on U.S. Route 33 from Harrisonburg, Virginia for approximately 50 miles (80 km). Briery Gap Road is 2 miles (3 km) south of Riverton, West Virginia off US 33. Follow for 2.5 (4 km) miles to Forest Road 112 and follow the signs to Spruce Knob. Forest Road 112 is a narrow but well graded unpaved access road and continues for 8 miles (13 km) to the mountain top. Expect winter conditions and possible road closures anytime from mid October to mid April.