West Virginia · Rock climbing · Seneca Rocks

The Old Hemlock Grove

Old Hemlock Grove, The in West Virginia has 8 climbing routes on 6 difficulty grades.

8 routes

5.3 – 5.10c/d

Mixed · Trad

Is Old Hemlock Grove, The open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Monongahela National Forest. It doesn't name Old Hemlock Grove, The, so check the source for the area it covers.

NFS Road 76 Road Closure for Public Health and Safety
Agency closure covering Monongahela National Forest · USFS · Monongahela National Forest
National Forest System Road 86 Closure for Public Health and Safety
Agency alert covering Monongahela National Forest · USFS · Monongahela National Forest

As of Oct 25, 9:20 pm EDT · Source: USFS · Monongahela National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit The Old Hemlock Grove

Best months: April–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

Jan
43° / 22°
8 wet
Feb
47° / 23°
7 wet
Mar
55° / 30°
10 wet
Apr
67° / 38°
11 wet
May
74° / 48°
12 wet
Jun
81° / 55°
10 wet
Jul
84° / 59°
10 wet
Aug
83° / 58°
10 wet
Sep
77° / 51°
8 wet
Oct
68° / 41°
7 wet
Nov
56° / 32°
8 wet
Dec
46° / 25°
9 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Franklin 2 Ne, WV, 11.3 mi away at 1,900 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

The Old Hemlock Grove is a climbing area in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, within the Potomac Ranger District. It is managed by the Forest Service, and it sits just a short walk from two other climbing areas, South End and Southeast Corner, both about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is a mix of trad and mixed routes, with the hardest running up to 5.10c/d. The route Two Iron Shot is a 5.3 trad climb, and Flying Circus is a 5.10c/d mixed route. The area's grades sit around 5.7 on average, so climbers looking for a range from easy to challenging will find plenty to choose from. For the most comfortable conditions, late spring and early fall work well. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Franklin show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 77°F, with lows near 50°F. Hikers can head to the Pipeline Trail or the Seneca Rocks Trail, both within a third of a mile. Seneca Shadows campground is about 1.3 miles away, and Seneca Creek, a paddling spot, is about 4 miles off.