Death Rock. It sounds like such an ominous place. Indeed, it does have a tragic backstory. But dark, dreary, and dreadful it most certainly is not. No, quite the contrary. From the vantage point of Death Rock, perched as it is high above the small mountain town of Williamson, West Virginia, is one of the best, most beautiful views in the whole Tug Valley.
It's the type of view that you have to see to believe. Death Rock itself is a sandstone outcropping in Mingo County, West Virginia that sits over a thousand feet above sea level (1,200 feet, to be exact). On a clear day, hikers can see 30 miles across the Tug Fork River Valley and the surrounding mountain ranges.
In the summer, be prepared to bushwack through some thick brush. The area is also known for snakes, including venemous ones, especially in warmer months.
Begin by parking in the lot behind Wilson Eye Care Associates, off 3rd Avenue. By foot, take 3rd Avenue to Prichard Street to 4th Avenue. Follow the Hatfield-McCoy Trails sign left up the hill to the paved Trail #10 entrance. You've reached the old road that leads up to the mountain, and you are free to hike it at leisure!
A few things to note: You may be sharing this path with a variety of off-road vehicles during certain seasons of the year. Near the top of the mountain, watch for a few smaller trails branching off the main trail that will take you to Death Rock itself.
And about that tragic backstory we mentioned earlier? Local lore tells of a heartbroken Native American princess who threw herself from the top of this rock after being betrayed by her lover.
Is there any truth to this sad legend? It's hard to know. But when such a magnificent view is paired with a name like Death Rock, one can't help but suspect that something terrible happened on this outcrop in days past.
For an even more in depth experience of Death Rock, enjoy this spectacular drone footage of the overlook shot by Youtube user WesWilsonProductions.
What a stunning outcrop that’s well worth a little adventure to reach! To learn more and find a map with very specific directions to Death Rock, visit the Tug Valley Area CVB website here. To book a stay in the area so that you can explore a little longer, try this historic inn with a few legends of its own.
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