TuGuNu Guide 2b
Section 2b
Bluestone State Park to Dunns
15.0 miles
Parking
1. “North” end of section at Bluestone Turnpike Trailhead: From I-77 Exit 28, go to US 19, turn left (north) and go 6.5 miles to WV 3, turn right (east) and go 14.2 miles. Turn right at go 14.3 miles along with WV 20, turn right to go into Bluestone State Park, and on (as described in Trail Description) 3.9 miles to Bluestone Turnpike Trailhead.
2. “South” end of section at Dunns: From I-77 Exit 20, take US 19 north 2.7 miles to CR 2/Dunns Road, turn right and go 5.6 miles. Find parking at Mountain Creek Baptist Church (but not on Sundays).
3. Rev. Drewery Farley Picnic Shelter on Bolen Road.
Shuttle (15.7 miles)
“North” to “south”: Turn around, drive out Bluestone Park Road 1.5 miles. Keep left on Surveyor Branch Road and go 1.5 miles. Turn left on Leatherwood Road, go 2.1 miles. Keep right on Sand Knob Road and go 0.4 mile to Nimitz. Turn left on CR 27, Ellison Ridge Road and go 5.6 miles. Keep right on CR 22, also Ellison Ridge Road and go 3.0 miles. Bear left on Dunns Road/CR 16 which becomes CR 2. Follow Dunns Road 1.6 miles to Dunns.
“South” to “north”: Take Dunns Road north 1.6 miles, continue straight on CR 22, Ellison Ridge Road 3.0 miles, then on CR 27, also Ellison Ridge Road, for 5.6 miles. At Nimitz turn a sharp right on Sand Knob Road. Go 0.4 mile and keep left on Leatherwood Road and go 2.1 miles. Keep right on Surveyor Branch Road and go 1.5 miles, and turn right onto Bluestone Park Road. Go 1.5 miles to end of road at Bluestone Turnpike Trailhead.
Maps
USGS 7.5-minute Quadrangles:
Campsites
none
Trail Description, “North” to “South”
Miles Data
0.0 Bluestone Turnpike Trailhead and parking, elev. 1500’. “North” end of section. GET follows Bluestone Turnpike Trail (compass SW) <>.
2.1 Bluestone Recreation Area to right. Keep left to stay on Bluestone Turnpike Trail.
7.2 Farley Loop Trail to right, elev. 1525’. Take Farley Loop Trail. Alternate route below.
8.8 High point on Farley Loop Trail, elev. 2317’.
9.0 Intersection with woods road. Farley Loop Trail continues ahead, GET goes right <>. Alternate route rejoins here.
9.4 Leave Pipestem Resort State Park on woods road. Green blazes begin.
9.5 Woods road comes out on CR 16/1, Bolen Road, elev. 2525’. Bear left.
9.8 Rev. Drewery Farley Picnic Shelter and Farley Cemetery on right.
10.0 High point on Bearwallow Ridge, elev. 2688’.
10.4 Bolen Cemetery on right..
10.5 View over fence of the Bluestone River canyon. Pavement begins.
11.3 Bolen Road ends on CR 22, Ellison Ridge Road, turn left.
11.7 High point of section, elev. 2755’.
12.4 CR 27/1, Suck Creek Road joins from right.
12.6 Intersection with CR 16, elev. 2665’: Dunns Road ahead and Streeter Road to right. Continue ahead.
13.9 Cross into Mercer County, elev. 2016’, no sign. Dunns Road becomes CR 2.
14.4 Old House Branch Road to right.
15.0 Dunns – Intersection of Dunns Road with Old Schoolhouse Road (CR 19/2) and Dunns-Bluestone Road (CR 4) , elev. 1824’. “South” end of section. GET continues ahead on Dunns Road into Section 2c.
Alternate Route:
7.2 Farley Loop Trail to right. Continue ahead on Bluestone Turnpike Trail.
8.5 Mountain Creek Lodge, elev. 1550’. Go past lodge to parking area and look behind Lodge to find Farley Loop Trail <>.
8.6 Trail makes a switchback uphill. White plastic blazes begin here. It climbs steeply. Watch out for guy wires across the trail.
9.1 Pass Patrol Cabin.
9.2 Farley Loop Trail goes straight; GET continues on forest road to left <> (rejoin other route here).
9.5 Leave Pipestem Resort State Park, elev. 2525’, and continue on CR 16/1, Bolen Road.
9.6 Woods road comes out on CR 16/1, Bolen Road, elev. 2525’. Bear left.
9.9 Rev. Drewery Farley Picnic Shelter and Farley Cemetery on right.
10.2 High point on Bearwallow Ridge, elev. 2688’.
10.6 Bolen Cemetery on right..
10.7 View over fence of the Bluestone River canyon. Pavement begins.
11.5 Bolen Road ends on CR 22, Ellison Ridge Road, turn left.
11.9 High point of section, elev. 2755’.
12.6 CR 27/1, Suck Creek Road joins from right.
12.8 Intersection with CR 16, elev. 2665’: Dunns Road ahead and Streeter Road to right. Continue ahead.
14.0 Cross into Mercer County, elev. 2016’, no sign. Dunns Road becomes CR 2.
14.6 Old House Branch Road to right.
15.2 Dunns – Intersection of Dunns Road with Old Schoolhouse Road (CR 19/2) and Dunns-Bluestone Road (CR 4) , elev. 1824’. “South” end of section. GET continues ahead on Dunns Road into Section 2c.
8.2 High point on Bearwallow Ridge, elev. 2688’.
9.6 Bolen Road ends on CR 22, Ellison Ridge Road, turn left.
9.9 High point of section, elev. 2755’.
10.6 CR 27/1, Suck Creek Road joins from right.
10.8 Intersection with CR 16: Dunns Road ahead and Streeter Road to right. Continue ahead.
11.2 CR 16/1 to sharp left.
12.1 Cross into Mercer County, elev. 2016’, no sign. Dunns Road becomes CR 2.
12.6 Old House Branch Road to right.
13.2 Dunns – Intersection of Dunns Road with Old Schoolhouse Road (CR 19/2) and Dunns-Bluestone Road (CR 4), elev. 1824’. “South” end of section. GET continues ahead on Dunns Road into Section 2c.
Trail Description, “South” to “North”
Miles Data
0.0 Dunns – Intersection of Dunns Road with Old Schoolhouse Road (CR 19/2) and Dunns-Bluestone Road (CR 4), elev. 1824’. “South” end of section. GET follows Dunns Road across Mountain Creek and past Mountain Creek Baptist Church on right.
0.6 CR 2/1, Old House Branch Road to left.
1.1 County line crossing elev. 2016’. Enter Summers County. CR 2 becomes CR 16.
2.5 CR 16 turns sharp left as Streeter Road. Bear right on Ellison Ridge Road.
2.6 Road forks: CR 27/1, Suck Creek Road bears left; CR 22, Ellison Ridge Road continues ahead. Keep right.
3.3 High point of section, elev. 2755’.
3.7 Turn right on CR 16/1, Bolen Road.
4.5 Pavement ends, view over Bluestone canyon over fence.
4.6 Bolen Cemetery on left.
5.0 High point on Bearwallow Ridge, elev. 2688’.
5.2 Farley Cemetery and Rev. Drewery Farley Picnic Shelter on left.
5.5 Bolen Road ends on a driveway to house; find woods road to right (note green blazes).
5.6 Enter Pipestem Resort State Park elev. 2525’. Green blazes end. Watch for GET signs (<>).
6.0 Reach Farley Loop Trail, blazed by white plastic diamonds. Turn left at sign. Alternate route below.
6.2 High point on Farley Loop Trail, elev. 2317’.
7.8 Farley Loop Trail ends on Bluestone Turnpike Trail, elev. 1525’. Go left.
12.9 Bluestone Recreation Area parking to left. Keep right to stay on Bluestone Turnpike Trail.
15.0 Bluestone Turnpike Trailhead and parking, elev. 1500’. “North” end of section. GET follows road out into Section 2a.
Alternate route:
6.0 Continue to right, then left, downhill.
6.1 Patrol Cabin. Cross field and enter woods. The trail is gentle at first and then becomes steep beyond here. Watch out for guy wires that cross the trail in places.
6.6 Behind the Mountain Creek Lodge, watch for water tank. After passing above the water tank, the trail makes a switchback to go below the water tank. Warning: the plastic diamonds pass the switchback and continue trending down the hill away from the water tank. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT TRAIL—IT ENDS WITHOUT COMING OUT ON A TRAIL! DO NOT GO THAT WAY!
6.7 End of Farley Loop/Ridge Trail at parking lot on south side of Mountain Creek Lodge, elev. 1550’. Find road in front of lodge and go left, downstream, along Bluestone River. This is the River Trail. <>
8.0 Farley Loop Trail to left, elev. 1525’ (this is where the alternate route rejoins other route). Continue ahead on Bluestone Turnpike Trail <>.
13.1 Bluestone Recreation Area parking to left. Keep right to stay on Bluestone Turnpike Trail.
15.2 Bluestone Turnpike Trailhead and parking, elev. 1500’. “North” end of section. GET follows road out into Section 2a.
TuGuNu GET Guidebook Contents
Guide to Section 2a ("north")
Guide to Section 2c ("south")
