Spruce Knob - wikipedia Spruce Knob Spruce Knob Spruce Knob summit Highest point Elevation 4,863 ft ( 1,482 m ) NAVD 88 Prominence 2,781 ft ( 848 m ) Listing North America isolated peaks 69th U.S. state high point 24th Coordinates 38 ° 42 ′ 00 '' N 79 ° 31 ′ 58 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 38.699867514 ° N 79.532791614 ° W ﻿ / 38.699867514 ; - 79.532791614 Coordinates : 38 ° 42 ′ 00 '' N 79 ° 31 ′ 58 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 38.699867514 ° N 79.532791614 ° W ﻿ / 38.699867514 ; - 79.532791614 Geography Spruce Knob Pendleton County, West Virginia, U.S. Parent range Allegheny Mountains Topo map USGS Spruce Knob Climbing Easiest route Drive - up via FR 104 Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet ( 1,482 m ), is the highest point in the state of West Virginia and the summit of Spruce Mountain, the highest peak in the Allegheny Mountains. Contents 1 Overview 2 Geology 3 Climate 4 Ecology 5 Recreation 6 Access 7 Summit panorama 8 See also 9 References 10 External links Overview The summit of Spruce Knob has a definite alpine feel, much more so than most other mountains of the Southern Appalachians. The upper few hundred feet are covered in a dense spruce forest, a relic boreal forest environment similar to those found in northern New England and Canada. The summit is accessible both via trails and a paved Forest Service road, and is crowned with a stone lookout tower amid a mixture of boulder fields, meadows and trees. A handicap - accessible nature trail half a mile ( 0.8 km ) long circles the topmost part of the mountain. High west winds near the summit have gnarled the spruce there like Krummholz, flagged with limbs only on their leeward ( eastward ) side. As is typical in the southern Appalachians, the highest point on a ridge is frequently referred to as a knob or dome. Spruce Knob is the highest point along a ridge known as the Allegheny Front. Dropping steeply to the east, it offers views of the Germany Valley and North Fork Mountain ; to the west is the Allegheny Plateau. It also is the highest point in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The lookout tower atop Spruce Knob, West Virginia. Geology Like the rest of this part of the Appalachian Mountains, Spruce Knob began to form with the breakup of Pangea I between 570 and 500 mya. The African Plate separated from the North American Plate opening the Proto - Atlantic Ocean. The North American Plate stretched and thinned, allowing it to backfill with a shallow inland sea. About 50 million years later, with the Taconic Orogeny, the two plates reversed course and began to move towards each other. Mid-ocean subduction created a volcanic arc ( now known as the Blue Ridge Mountains ) which eventually collided with the North American Plate. The arc fused onto the continent and the land to the west was uplifted. The accumulation of shells and other hard parts of marine organisms ( made of CaCO, calcium carbonate ) at the bottom of the shallow inland sea cemented into a layer of Greenbrier Limestone. The shallow inland sea began to retreat with the uplift. This caused fine grains of mud and silt to settle out and lithify into a layer of Mauch Chunk Shale on top of the Greenbrier Limestone. As the Blue Ridge eroded, rivers carried sediment down to the low - lying areas that formed a layer of Pottsville Conglomerate on top of the shale. The large boulders on the summit are remnants of this layer, and outcrops of both Mauch Chunk Shale and Greenbrier Limestone can be found lower on the mountain. When the North American and African Plates finally collided around 250 mya, it caused a massive uplift that folded and faulted these layers of sedimentary rock. Spruce Knob was originally in the bottom ( syncline ) of one of these folds, but over time cracks in the Pottsville Conglomerate in the higher elevations allowed it to erode quickly, and the softer layers of shale and limestone were quick to follow. This left Spruce Knob as the highest point in the landscape. Spruce Knob ( Spruce Mountain ) is the westernmost extent of this intense folding and faulting. To the west, the Allegheny Plateau is composed of more gently sloping hills and dendritic drainages. Climate Spruce Knob 's climate can be classified as cold continental or highland. Summers are cool and often damp, with thunderstorms common both in spring and summer. Winters are cold and snowy, with an average of around 180 inches ( 4.6 m ) of annual snowfall leaving the summit access road often impassible between October and April. Blizzard conditions can develop in minutes behind cold frontal passages and last days with upslope snowfall continuing with northwest winds, making travel on the mountain dangerous during the colder months. This mountain can receive high winds year - round ; red spruce deformed by constant exposure to strong westerly winds are scattered across its rocky ridges. Windswept spruce Ecology The summit was named for the spruce trees which grow there. Red spruce ( Picea rubens ) is the most common tree species on the summit. The lower altitudes are populated by oak, hickory, birch, beech and maple. Bald eagles, hawks and peregrine falcons have been seen on the mountain. Mammals such as black bear, white - tailed deer, weasel, porcupine, skunk and rabbit are also found. Recreation Spruce Knob is within the Spruce Knob - Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area, which in turn is part of Monongahela National Forest. Established in 1965, it was the first National Recreation Area designated by the U.S. Forest Service and includes more than 100,000 acres ( 40,000 ha ). Sign noting elevation ( 4863 feet ) at beginning of trail There are over 75 miles ( 121 km ) of hiking trails around the mountain and a small 25 - acre ( 10 ha ) lake well stocked with trout on the west side of the mountain. Two campgrounds are also on the mountain. Access Paved access is from U.S. Route 33 / West Virginia Route 28 about 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) south of Riverton. Briery Gap Road ( County Route 33 / 4 ), Forest Road 112 and Forest Road 104 have been reconstructed and paved to provide a hard - surfaced road to the summit. Forest Road 112 leading up to the summit prior to paving Forest Roads 104 and 112 are not maintained in the winter. Impassable conditions can be expected any time from mid-October to mid-April. Summit panorama View from the observation tower on Spruce Knob See also North America portal United States portal West Virginia portal Mountains portal List of mountain peaks of North America List of mountain peaks of the United States List of mountains of West Virginia List of U.S. states by elevation Spruce Knob - Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area References ^ Jump up to : `` Spruce ''. NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 15. ^ Jump up to : `` Spruce Knob, West Virginia ''. Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 15. ^ Jump up to : Flint, Richard Foster ; Skinner, Brian J. ( 1974 ). Physical Geography. ISBN 0471264407. Jump up ^ Tilton, J.L. ; Prouty, W.F. ; Price, P.H. ( 1927 ). Pendleton County : West Virginia Geological Survey. Jump up ^ Leffler, Robert J., and James Foster, Snowfall on the Allegheny Plateau of Maryland and West Virginia, '' 1974, Oct. : Weatherwise. Jump up ^ `` Spruce Knob and Spruce Knob Observation Tower ''. U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 2014 - 02 - 13. Jump up ^ Kenny, Hamill ( 1945 ). West Virginia Place Names : Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV : The Place Name Press. p. 597. Jump up ^ Spruce Knob Lake Campground Jump up ^ `` Monongahela National Forest - Spruce Knob and Spruce Knob Observation Tower ''. www.fs.usda.gov. Jump up ^ `` FR 104 road paving ''. U.S. Forest Service. 2001. Retrieved February 4, 2011. Jump up ^ `` FR 112 road paving ''. U.S. Forest Service. 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Monongahela National Forest : Hiking - Seneca Creek Backcountry & Gandy Creek Area ''. GORP. Retrieved February 4, 2011. External links Find more aboutSpruce Knobat Wikipedia 's sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Wikimedia Commons News from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Learning resources from Wikiversity Spruce Knob - Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area Monongahela National Forest : Spruce Knob The 107 most isolated major summits of the United States of America Denali Mauna Kea Mount Whitney Mount Mitchell Mount Washington Mount Rainier Mount Elbert Shishaldin Volcano Tanaga Volcano Mount Isto Signal Hill Mount Shasta Gannett Peak Mount Osborn Mount Igikpak Humphreys Peak Wheeler Peak Mount Vsevidof Mount Veniaminof Kawaikini Dillingham HP Hall Island HP Spruce Knob Kings Peak Sierra Blanca Peak San Gorgonio Mountain Katahdin Peak 4030 Tooth Benchmark Mount Baldy Borah Peak Cloud Peak Black Elk Peak Slide Mountain Mount Griggs Charleston Peak Junipero Serra Peak Mount Baker Mount Marcy Mount Hayes Mount Marcus Baker Sacajawea Peak Steens Mountain Mount Fairweather Delano Peak Mount Olympus Black Mountain Blanca Peak Mount Tozi Mount Cleveland Mount Jefferson Mount Torbert Mount Chiginagak Hualapai Peak Baldy Peak Ruby Dome Pavlof Volcano Truuli Peak South Baldy Great Sitkin Volcano Eagle Peak Mount Taylor Accomplishment Peak Granite Peak Kiska Volcano Korovin Volcano Uncompahgre Peak Devils Paw Ka ʻala Koniag Peak Cache Peak Makushin Volcano Snowshoe Peak Mount Pinos Granite Peak Mount Graham West Butte Guadalupe Peak Veniaminof Peak McDonald Peak Hilgard Peak Haleakalā Mount Nebo Tweedy Mountain Blackburn Hills Buldir Volcano Mount Peale Mount Tom White Cinnabar Mountain Mount McLoughlin Lassen Peak Clingmans Dome Kaibab Plateau HP Anvil Peak Grand Teton Star Peak Laramie Peak White Mountain Peak Miller Peak Kusilvak HP Copernicus Peak Sugarloaf Mountain Chiricahua Peak Mount Harper Mount Angayukaqsraq Mount Prindle Bearpaw Baldy Highest Natural Points of U.S. States and Selected Additional Areas Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Additional Areas American Samoa District of Columbia Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Monongahela National Forest National Recreation Areas Spruce Knob - Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area Wilderness areas Big Draft Wilderness Cranberry Wilderness Dolly Sods Wilderness Laurel Fork North Wilderness Laurel Fork South Wilderness Otter Creek Wilderness Roaring Plains West Wilderness Spice Run Wilderness Mountains and summits Allegheny Front Allegheny Mountain Back Allegheny Mountain Backbone Mountain Barton Knob Burner Mountain Bickle Knob Champe Rocks Cheat Mountain Gaudineer Knob Mount Porte Crayon North Fork Mountain River Knobs Seneca Rocks Shavers Mountain Spruce Knob Spruce Mountain Rivers and creeks Big Run Black Fork Blackwater River Cheat River Cranberry River Dry Fork Elk River Gauley River Glady Fork Greenbrier River Laurel Fork Seneca Creek South Branch Potomac River Shavers Fork Tygart Valley River Williams River Canyons and valleys Blackwater Canyon Canaan Valley Germany Valley Smoke Hole Canyon Lakes and bogs Lake Sherwood Spruce Knob Lake Summit Lake Cranberry Glades Observation towers Bickle Knob Olson Tower Other features Bear Rocks Preserve Camp Allegheny Cheat Summit Fort Fernow Experimental Forest Gaudineer Scenic Area Highland Scenic Highway Middle Mountain Cabins Mill Point Federal Prison Sinks of Gandy US Forest Service State of West Virginia Charleston ( capital ) Topics Cities Towns Villages Census - designated places History Environment People Government Governors Delegations Colleges and universities Tourist attractions Seal of West Virginia Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Elections Media Newspapers Radio TV Insignia Coat of arms Flag Motto Seal Regions Allegheny Mountains Allegheny Plateau Baltimore - Washington Metropolitan Area Blue Ridge Charleston Metropolitan Area Cumberland Plateau Cumberland Mountains Eastern Panhandle Huntington Metropolitan Area North - Central West Virginia Northern Panhandle Potomac Highlands Ridge - and - Valley Appalachians Shenandoah Valley Southern West Virginia Western West Virginia Metro areas Charleston Huntington Morgantown Martinsburg Parkersburg - Vienna Wheeling Winchester Weirton Largest cities Beckley Charleston Fairmont Huntington Martinsburg Morgantown Parkersburg Wheeling Weirton Counties Barbour Berkeley Boone Braxton Brooke Cabell Calhoun Clay Doddridge Fayette Gilmer Grant Greenbrier Hampshire Hancock Hardy Harrison Jackson Jefferson Kanawha Lewis Lincoln Logan Marion Marshall Mason McDowell Mercer Mineral Mingo Monongalia Monroe Morgan Nicholas Ohio Pendleton Pleasants Pocahontas Preston Putnam Raleigh Randolph Ritchie Roane Summers Taylor Tucker Tyler Upshur Wayne Webster Wetzel Wirt Wood Wyoming Mountains of West Virginia Allegheny Mountains Allegheny Mountain Back Allegheny Mountain Bald Knob Barton Knob Cheat Mountain Droop Mountain Elleber Ridge Gaudineer Knob Knobly Mountain Laurel Mountain Mount Porte Crayon North Fork Mountain North Mountain Peters Mountain River Knobs Reddish Knob Shavers Fork Mountain Complex Shavers Mountain Shenandoah Mountain Sleepy Creek Mountain Snowshoe Mountain Spring Gap Mountain Spruce Knob Spruce Mountain Thorny Flat White Top Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Mountain Raven Rocks Ridge - and - Valley Appalachians Baker Mountain Bear Garden Mountain Big Schloss Cacapon Mountain Castle Mountain ( Hampshire County ) Castle Mountain ( Pendleton County ) Cooper Mountain Great North Mountain High Knob Horsepen Mountain Keeney Knob Little Cacapon Mountain Mill Creek Mountain Nathaniel Mountain New Creek Mountain North River Mountain Patterson Creek Mountain Saddle Mountain Schaffenaker Mountain Short Mountain South Branch Mountain Third Hill Mountain Others Bickett Knob Bickle Knob Black Mountain Black Rock Buffalo Bull Knob Burner Mountain Caesar Mountain Calders Peak Camp Hill Close Mountain Cottle Knob Day Mountain Dorsey Knob Evick Knob Greenwood Mountain Gregg Knob Gunstock Knob Gwinn Mountain Honsocker Knob Hump Mountain Ice Mountain Limestone Mountain Michael Mountain Paddy Knob Pifer Mountain Pinnickinnick Mountain See All Sewell Mountain Socrates Mountain Tallery Mountain Twin Sugars Ugly Mountain Viney Mountain Weaver Knob Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spruce_Knob&oldid=842697604 '' Categories : Protected areas of Pendleton County, West Virginia Mountains of West Virginia Monongahela National Forest Allegheny Mountains Chesapeake Bay watershed Highest points of U.S. states Landforms of Pendleton County, West Virginia North American 1000 m summits Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Italiano پنجابی Polski Edit links This page was last edited on 24 May 2018, at 02 : 38 ( UTC ). 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Question: what's the highest point in west virginia
Answer: Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet (1,482 m)