Otter Creek Wilderness
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| Otter Creek Wilderness | |
|---|---|
 Otter Creek Trail (shown near Condon Run trailhead) runs the length of the Wilderness. | |
  Location of Otter Creek Wilderness in West Virginia | |
| Location | West Virginia, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°01′58″N 79°39′13″W / 39.03278°N 79.65361°W |
| Area | 20,698 acres (83.76 km2)[2] |
| Established | 1975[3] |
| Operator | Monongahela National Forest |
| Website | Otter Creek Wilderness |
The Otter Creek Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness area located in the Cheat-Potomac Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, USA.[2] The Wilderness sits in a bowl-shaped valley formed by Otter Creek, between McGowan Mountain and Shavers Mountain in Tucker and Randolph Counties.[3] It is crossed by 45 miles (72 km) of hiking trails. Otter Creek Trail is the longest, at 11 miles (18 km).[4]
Pre-wilderness designation
The area now known as Otter Creek Wilderness has a rich history that predates its establishment as a protected natural space. Before European settlement, the land was part of the traditional territory of Native American tribes, including the Shawnee, who used the dense forests and waterways for hunting, fishing, and travel. Early indigenous use of the region is tied to the larger Appalachian culture, which developed over thousands of years and relied on the area's abundant natural resources. Artifacts and traces of indigenous activity suggest that the area was intermittently inhabited or utilized for centuries, with the region's rich biodiversity providing ample resources for local tribes.[5]
By 1914, almost all of the virgin forest in the Otter Creek watershed had been timbered, mostly by the Otter Creek Boom and Lumber Company, but also by the owners of several small farms and homesteads.[2] In 1917 key land purchases were made by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the formation of the national forest system. The Otter Creek area was managed as a multiple use forest, including some second growth logging, until the passage of the Eastern Wilderness Act in 1975.[6] The last private in-holding was acquired the same year.
Wilderness designation
Otter Creek was designated as a wilderness area in 1975 under the Eastern Wilderness Act, which aimed to protect the last undeveloped lands in the eastern U.S. Conservationists advocated for the area due to its rare species and remote location. Though impacted by logging in the early 20th century, Otter Creek’s rugged terrain allowed for natural recovery. The wilderness status ensured the protection of its ecosystem from further development and logging, preserving the area’s ecological value for future generations.[7]
2009 addition
The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 added 698 acres (282 ha) to the original 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) of the Otter Creek Wilderness.[8] This addition is situated on the northern and eastern flanks of McGowan Mountain leading down to Dry Fork. It provides much of the scenic view for this popular river which contains excellent whitewater paddling and trout fishing.
