Blackwater Canyon is a rugged, heavily wooded, long gorge carved by the Blackwater River in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. For many years, it has been the object of controversy as environmental activists have contended with industrial (power, timber, development) interests over its ultimate status.
Description
The canyon extends from the foot of Blackwater Falls near Davis to the confluence of the Blackwater River with Dry Fork (forming the Black Fork) near Hendricks, dropping about from to . It is a deep chasm separating Backbone Mountain (to the northwest) from Canaan Mountain (to the southeast). (This affords kayakers a whitewater river with Class IV-V+ [upper Blackwater] and Class III-IV [lower Blackwater] rapids). Tributary streamsnotably Pendleton Creek and Shay's Runhave formed hanging valleys high above the canyon floor.
The land embracing the canyon consists of about of spruce, hemlock and pine upland, second-growth forest. Oak, maple, yellow poplar, and rhododendron also predominate. Black bear inhabit the canyon, along with white-tail deer, squirrel, numerous bird species, and timber rattlesnake dens. Wildflowers (soapwort, jewelweed) abound.
The Western Maryland Railway's Black Fork Grade, which once ran the length of the canyon, has been converted into a hiking trail, the Blackwater Canyon Railroad Grade Trail (USFS Trail 115), which connects with the Allegheny Trail near its northern end. The trail crosses three major tributaries on culverts that feature views of cascades: Tub Run at about , Big Run at and Flatrock Run at .
Trails on both sides of the canyon lead down to several sections of spectacular rapids. In addition, on the northwestern canyon rim is the Canyon Rim Trail (USFS Trail 117), accessed by Canyon Rim Road, with its Big Run Overlook. Intermediate between rim and rapids is Limerock Trail (USFS Trail 142), which descends gradually into the canyon over about .
History
19th century
The "High Allegheny" region (what is now east-central West Virginia), including Blackwater Canyon, was bypassed by development for many decades as large-scale settlement occurred to its north, south and west while the region itself remained relatively wild. The Canyon first came to widespread public attention in the mid-19th century. In 1853, travel writer Philip Pendleton Kennedy reported in glowing terms on an “expedition” to the remote gorge. Two years later, illustrator David Hunter Strother (“Porte Crayon”) wrote, and Harper's Monthly published, “The Virginia Canaan” about his adventures in the Blackwater Canyon and surrounding areas. For his readers, Strother depicted mountainous vistas of immense spruce and hardwood stands, thick laurels and rhododendrons and an untamed canyon carved by a wild, raging river.
In 1881, coal and timber magnate (and former U.S. Senator) Henry Gassaway Davis and his West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway Company laid first tracks in eastern West Virginia. By 1884, the railroad had extended along the North Branch of the Potomac River to the North Fork of the Blackwater River at the newly formed town of Thomas. In 1888, Davis decided to continue expanding this line southward from Thomas through the rugged Blackwater Canyon to Hendricks. This astonishing feat, accomplished over the course of a year, required excavating road cuts sometimes hundreds of feet high into Backbone Mountain. To allow the rail to traverse several deep ravines and rushing tributaries, a number of gigantic stone archways and culverts were constructed. The most impressive of these is located at Big Run. It is about long, wide and high. Several wrecks and derailments occurred in the vicinity of the Big Run culvert, owing to the sharpness of the curve that trains had to negotiate at this point.
20th century
The railroad, which was taken over in 1905 by the Western Maryland Railroad, brought industry and expansion to the area. Along the line came towns, such as Douglas, Limerock and Coketon, as the coal mines, coke ovens, and timber industry brought an influx of workers.