On Location #48–North Fork Mountain

—June 15th, 2024

North Fork Mountain, located in West Virginia, was an intriguing day for a hike, especially since it stands 4863 feet in elevation. The range also forms the western edge of Smoke Hole Canyon, as the north end of the mountain arises immediately along the south side of North Fork Gap, near the water outlet of the Fork River.

Regarding the history portion of North Folk Mountain, the area consisted of family homesteads on the east slope throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Some early settlers were English, German, or Dutch, which constituted a “Smoke Hole” community named for the gorge to the east of the Mountain.  Part of the record of the area, these settlers supposedly owned no enslaved people, which they were deemed by the locals as Unionist “settlements.”  Throughout the time of the American Civil War, tensions were at the “doorsteps” of these settlers, and their neighbors were at odds with this form of settling, and violent conflicts followed.   

This trail, which we (Angel and I) hiked from the grassy valley to the green yet desolate rocky cliffs, had plenty of overlooks at different stages of the walk. The hills gradually became steeper and flooded with rocks, which could have easily injured our ankles if we were careless with our footing.

Which we were not.

The overlooks were beyond beautiful yet hazardous if we were too comfortable. A slip or stumble could have certainly caused us to fall over 500 feet before hitting the ground or even the tops of a tree. I am saying to be mindful when venturing on such hikes. The scenery defines awe, but it could be your last look while breathing.

Despite the potential dangers, the weather was pleasant, one level before being hot.  The strenuous climb made reaching the respective overlooks extremely gratifying, disregarding feelings of giving up, which seemed like a previous memory needing to be forgotten.  I think I wrote enough for now, but please look at the rest of the pictures and check out each video.  You won’t be disappointed, and in fact, I think you will want to venture to this mountain in the near future.