Cranberry Glades Botanical Area

Deep in the Monongahela National Forest, in the western portion of West Virginia, lies one of the most botanically significant areas in the Appalachians: the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. 

The largest bog area in the state, “the Glades,” as the area is more commonly called, is a 750-acre acidic wetland that mirrors the arctic tundra of Canada and the far north. 

Home to over 60 plant species, including carnivorous plants like the purple pitcher plant and sundew, plus mosses, lichens, and its namesake cranberries, the bog is made up of partially decayed plant material, known as peat, that makes the ground spongy.

Visitors can travel along the half-mile-long boardwalk to survey the diverse landscape, or explore any of the dozens of additional hiking trails that connect to the area.