You never know what surprises you’ll find hiding on the trail in the Mountain State – and one of the last things you’d likely expect to find while hiking in West Virginia is the wreckage of a small plane that crashed in the middle of the night back in October of 1973. But it’s there, and the remains of the Spuce Knob plane crash are largely intact considering it has been there for the better part of half a century.

The breathtaking West Virginia peak known as Spruce Knob towers over the Mountain State at a whopping 4,863 feet above sea level.
Google Maps/Jeremy Woods
TripAdvisor/Karen S
(In case you didn't grow up in WV, it's also the highest point in the state.) As you can imagine, there are many trails up to the peak of Spruce Knob. One of them, the Lumberjack Trail, is a loop trail of nearly 12 miles. The picturesque trail is best used between April and early December since it's known to get quite a bit of snow.
At approximately three miles into the trail, there is a somber plane crash site from a horrific accident that killed two people; one of them was from West Virginia, the other from Maryland.
YouTube/HikingUpward

Related Stories

There's A Little-Known Nature Trail Just Waiting For West Virginia Explorers

There's A Little-Known Nature Trail Just Waiting For West Virginia Explorers

 You Can Hike With A Falconer And Falcon In Jenningston, West Virginia

You Can Hike With A Falconer And Falcon In Jenningston, West Virginia

 The West Virginia State Park Where You Can Hike Across A Swinging Bridge And A Mill Bridge Is A Grand Adventure

The West Virginia State Park Where You Can Hike Across A Swinging Bridge And A Mill Bridge Is A Grand Adventure
Wikipedia/RuthAS
They were flying on company business for a Michigan-based firm in late October in a plane similar to the 1967 PA-23 Piper Apache shown above. It's known that just after midnight they reported ice had begun to form on their wings and they had requested an altitude adjustment from 9,000 feet to 7,000 feet.
It was the last time the small plane would be heard from.
YouTube/HikingUpward
YouTube/HikingUpward
After five exhausting days and a multi-state search for the missing plane, a hiker in the woods near Spruce Knob discovered the sad wreckage and the remains of the two passengers who perished in this terrifying crash.
Today, a sadness still permeates the landscape at the crash site.
YouTube/HikingUpward
Most of the wreckage is still here, still colorful, and largely intact in spite of the decades that have passed since the night of this dreadful crash in the Monongahela Forest near Spruce Knob.

If you'd like to see more of this somber plane crash site located alongside this trail, then check out this short video from YouTube user HikingUpward:

Monongahela National Forest is also a stunning place to visit outside of these tragic ruins, we definitely recommend spending some more time there exploring.

Unfortunately, the Mountain State is no stranger to natural disasters or horrific accidents like the Spruce Knob plane crash. You can learn more by looking at our list of the worst disasters in West Virginia.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Hiking in West Virginia

Sara Dager | October 07, 2022

What are the best scenic hikes in West Virginia?

For scenic hikes in West Virginia, there are many to choose from. We all probably think of waterfalls when we think of scenic hikes and we have a list of easy waterfall hikes in West Virginia that everyone will love. Cathedral falls is 60 feet high and one of the tallest waterfalls in the state, and it's just a short jaunt from the parking lot! Or you can visit Babcock State Park to ses a series of falls babbling alongside an old grist mill. Such an idyllic picture. If you're one of those hikers who likes to work for their views though, we have the North Fork Mountain Trail. The hike is only a little over five miles, but with lots of uphill climbing and craggy rocks, you'll want to make sure you're in shape for it! The views of massive rock formations and forested areas are well worth the trouble though.

Can I hike to other abandoned places in West Virginia? 

There are a few abandoned places in West Virginia that you can hike to. The Kaymoor Miners Trail takes you through the remains of an old mining town where you can see ruins of old buildings and equipment from before the town fully shut down. Nuttalberg Trails are similar to the Kaymoor Miners Trails in that they lead you through a former coal mining town. This ghost town has returned to nature a bit more but you can still spot remnants of what once was.  Equally fascinating are the Clay Run Trails in Coopers Rock State Forest that lead to a massive and crumbling iron furnace. But if driving is more your style, we do have an abandoned places road trip you can take!

Does West Virginia have any haunted hikes? 

If you head to the little city of Cairo, you can find a West Virginia haunted hike that is guaranteed to send a chill down your spine. You'll want to get on the notorious North Bend Rail Trail and hike about three miles until you find a looming tunnel. A train used to run through the area and since before it left, people have reported seeing the apparition of a woman in white standing in the tunnel. It has been many years since the train was up and running but people still see her to this day. Are you brave enough to walk through the tunnel or will your hike end at its mouth?

Related Articles

Explore West Virginia