Spruce Knob

Located within the Monongahela National Forest, Spruce Knob is the tallest peak in West Virginia at 4,863 feet above sea level. From atop this rugged mountaintop, you can look out across forested ridges dotted with grassy clearings and pastures below.

This part of the Appalachian Mountains began to form more than 500 million years ago when the supercontinent Pangea began to break up into smaller pieces. The land that surrounds Spruce Mountain is a relic boreal forest, similar to those you might find in northern New England and Canada. In winter, over 180 inches of snow on average cover the mountaintop, making nearby roads impassable from late autumn through spring.

High winds are common year-round, and their effects can be seen in the flora atop Spruce Knob. Constant exposure to strong westerly winds has left the spruce trees that gave the peak its name clinging to the rock, with branches on just their east sides. 

West Virginia Forest Road 104 runs up the mountain to a parking lot with picnic (and rustic restroom) facilities, and it’s a quick walk to the observation tower at the summit for a wide view of the surrounding Allegheny Mountains.  There is also a short (half a mile) gravel nature walk around the summit, beginning and ending at the parking lot.