Seneca Creek & Sinks of Gandy cave, West Virginia

Seneca Creek - Backpacking
(Event will go rain-Shine or snow)

A hiker’s paradise, Spruce Knob has amazing views and is home to one of the 5 best backpacking routes in the mid-Atlantic.

Seneca Creek route is a 10 mile easy loop, almost flat ground whit no elevation hike located in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest. On this trail you’ll get to experience a little bit of everything.
There’s beautiful streams and waterfalls, high mountain meadows.
We will move in as soon we arrive (mid day) getting to camp area around 3-4 pm, go for a swim to refresh and come back to eat something.

With so many options, the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks Recreation Area can be as challenging or easy as you want, trails that zigzag all through the valley and along the mountaintop, and they have various lengths and degrees of difficulty.

The trails that zigzag through the park below, some of which lead to this summit, venture through meadows, along mountainsides, into dense spruce forests, and along rocky ridges. Here, rhododendron and blueberry flourish, creating a colorful canvas through spring, and in the fall, the forest erupts in fiery hues in every direction.

We will star our day at Seneca Creek lower parking lot and walk our way down to one of the most beautiful waterfall on the area where we will spend the rest of our first day on the wild arriving to this area between 4pm.
Next day early in the morning we will star our way back arriving to our cars around mid day, from there we will drive for 30-45 minutes more or less to The Sinks of Gandy cave where we will walk thought whit the help of our headlamps.

The Sinks of Gandy - Day Hike cave is truly a diamond in the rough,
Sinks Gandy Creek travels some 3,000 feet through the sinks as it passes under a spur of Yokum Knob, a summit in the Allegheny Mountains. Its upstream entrance is about 30 feet wide and 15 feet high. The tunnel is principally a single long passage from 4 to 35 feet high with a few minor side-passages. The main passage averages 40 to 60 feet wide though in some places opens to nearly 100 feet wide. In many places the creek fills the entire floor of the passage and in others is confined to a narrow trench. Its downstream entrance is offset by about 100 feet to the east of the creek's channel, which exits through boulders.
Water shoes are a must have.

After exiting the cave we will head back home, this will take most of the day so be aware that arriving home late evening is a high provability, plan accordingly.

Meeting area: We all will meet at Vienna Metro Station Friday at 7:30pm and soon be on the move so try to be there on time, or a camping area
Friday camp: Princess Snowbird Campground
Walk in, no reservation require - Private paid area - Bring cash
GPS exactly location coordinates: 38.835594, -79.378526
NOTE: No cellphone signal on the area.

Gear list:
1.) Tent
2.) Sleeping bag
3.) Sleeping pad
4.) 2 pieces rain suit or poncho
5.) 2-3 Extra pair of socks.
6.) Backpacking stove + pot/cup/dish/spoon
7.) Dehydrate food for your self.
8.) Camel bag/bottle or similar for drinking water.
9.) Snacks/sandwich/power bars or equivalent, etc.
10.) Water - Saturday and Sunday we will refuel from a stream
11.) Head lamp + extra batteries
12.) Water shoes + small towel
13.) Bug spry

Youtube video created by @Praful, an attendant on this same event time ago.

CARPOOL:
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Have a ride: Please post where you are coming from, what time, and how many spots you have.
Need a ride: Post that you need a ride and contact any offers via e-mail for those that are offering rides.