Public Lands in the AFNHA

Within our region, there are over 1,000,000 acres of public land. Visitors can find countless opportunities for hiking, rafting, biking, camping, climbing, boating, foraging, birding, hunting and fishing. Wherever you are enjoying the outdoors be sure to Leave No Trace, staying on designated trails, leaving the land as you found it, and taking out anything you may have brought in. Additionally, be sure to follow all posted guidelines.

If you wish to hunt or fish in permitted lands, be sure you have the proper licenses and permits. You can purchase hunting and fishing licenses for West Virginia and Maryland online. Permits can obtained be from the designated land manager of where you choose to hunt or fish.

Meet the Public Land Managers

National Forests

The Monongahela National Forest is overseen by the US Forest Service. Along with countless trail systems and recreation areas, it contains eight wilderness areas (Big Draft, Cranberry, Dolly Sods, Laurel Fork North, Laurel Fork South, Otter Creek, Roaring Plains West, and Spice Run). Within the wilderness areas dispersed camping is free, but make sure to camp more than 200 feet from any trail. Hunting is also permitted in wilderness areas according to state regulations, although bear hunting is forbidden in Cranberry Wilderness. Tent camping and primitive campgrounds exist elsewhere throughout the forest where fees vary.

Sections of the George Washington National Forest are contained in Pendleton and Hardy County. These include several reservable campsites. 

Trail Maps

A physical map of the Monongahela National Forest can be purchased online or at any Ranger Station or MNF office. Free online interactive maps of both National Forests can be found at CalTopo or the Forest Service website. Free maps of each wilderness area and trail system can be found at any MNF office or downloaded online from the National Forest website.

Wildlife Management Areas

Wildlife Management Areas are overseen by the State Divisions/Departments of Natural Resources with the intention of maintaining habitat for the region’s diverse wildlife and improving public access to these lands. Hunting and fishing are permitted. Camping is permitted in designated areas only. Some WMAs overlap onto National Forest land, where management is shared by the DNR and Forest Service. Find more information about the WMAs of West Virginia and  Maryland on their respective websites and access this interactive map of WMAs in West Virginia for location and hunting opportunities.

State Parks and Forests

Within the AFNHA there are countless state parks and state forests. Camping and hunting is permitted in some but not all of them. Find more information about West Virginia’s state parks and forests on the State Parks website. Find more information about Maryland’s state parks and forests respectively on the Maryland Park Service and Maryland Forest Service website

National Parks Service

Within the AFNHA the Gauley River National Recreation Area and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park are managed by the National Parks Service. The Gauley River is renowned for its rapids, which reach up to Class V. Fishing is permitted on the Gauley and one campground exists at the Gauley Tailwaters Campground. The C&O Canal NHP runs along the historic canal and includes the Towpath trail, which spans 180+ miles of dirt and stone from Washington, DC to Cumberland, MD. Free, first-come, first-served campsites for hikers and bikers are available along the trail. Additionally, drive-in campgrounds can be reserved with a nightly rate. In Cumberland the Canal Towpath Trail meets the Great Allegheny Passage, which extends to Pittsburgh and hosts campsites along its route. These trails are part of the Potomac Heritage Trail as well as the Eastern Continental Divide Trail of Garrett County, and are also overseen by the National Parks Service.

National Wildlife Refuge

Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge protects over 18,000 acres of high altitude wetlands which is home to a unique biodiverse ecosystem. Hunting and fishing are permitted in the refuge. 

US Army Corps of Engineers

The US Army Corps of Engineers owns Jennings-Randolph Lake, in between Garrett and Mineral County, as well as Summersville Lake, in Nicholas County. Boating, fishing, rafting, and more are available at both locations. Whitewater releases from Jennings-Randolph Lake into the Barnum Whitewater Area occur in the spring while releases from Summersville Lake into the Gauley River National Recreation Area occurs in the fall. Camping is possible at both sites.

Federal Lands

State Lands