Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve
Hiking · Travel

Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve

Sarah

In the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, the Potomac Valley Audubon Society has four nature preserves. Tucked into the Back Creek valley under North Mountain is Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve. It sits in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, which are part of the Appalachian Mountains.

It’s easy to find, and not a long drive if you are ever on I-81, between Inwood and Martinsburg, WV. It’s free to use the preserve, with a well designed parking lot. Back Creek Road is off of WV 45. Just past the newly opened DG Market in the village of Glengary, you turn left onto Back Creek Road/7. Follow it a few miles, passing an ice cream eatery just past Ganotown. It’s on the right. If you miss it, well you can visit tiny Shanghai, WV to turn around.

The address is “Directly across the road from
4069 Back Creek Valley Road
Hedgesville, WV” because it doesn’t have an address, but the house across the road does.

The website has a map to save on your phone  (screen shot) and it’s also at the trailhead kiosk.

While the trails are not long, there is so much to see, with different ecosystems to explore.

Stauffer’s Marsh facts I found while researching:
The rear of the Preserve is bordered by Back Creek.
At least 167 species of birds have been observed.
The site of the first USDA wetland restoration project in WV.
Contains several unique vernal pools.

It was originally owned by Lord Fairfax and was parceled out to a Quaker from New Jersey in 1754. Fairfax was all over the colonies, the only royal peerage who lived full time in the colonies. And for the history fans, a young George Washington worked for Fairfax, crossing the Shenandoah Valley and into the mountains often for him.

We started at the kiosk and took the Marsh Trail, straight ahead.

Sign at the parking lot.
There are a couple of interpretive signs to read along the way.
There was plenty of shade, and the trail was mostly smooth for easy walking. In scenic areas, there are park benches to enjoy the views.
Kirk ahead of me.
The trail comes out to the lake. I think this is Swamp Sunflower.
It’s very quiet, with the sounds of birds and frogs. We had humming birds and huge bees buzzing by. If you are into birding, plan to spend quite some time here.
Lake views.
The last blooms of summer and early fall. I haven’t learned my flowers yet here, but I think it’s an Aster, which are native.
Jewelweed. It’s an invasive plant out west, native here.
The trail turns away from the lake/marsh (it is the connector trail).
Bees on the flowers of Goldenrod, covered in pollen. A native plant here. I don’t fully know my Bumblebees here yet. A Yellow Banded?
The creek under, which cuts thru the park, is seasonal and mostly dry.
Not much left.
The trail comes to a junction. Go right to visit Back Creek. It’s slow and mellow here.
We headed up the trail to where it becomes the Meadow Trail. We walked it, and it curves around.

We exited the trail at the upper bridge by the parking lot. It can be a loop as well if you take the trail that continues on.

We crossed over and took the West Pond Trail, which goes along the road.
The path takes off along the trees.
It comes out to a view of the lake with a viewing platform that is wheelchair accessible.
The path follows the road and eventually ends, turning around to finish. It has views of the lake ending as a Marsh, where vegan corn dogs abound, er….Cattails growing in the marsh/meadow at the end.

The path along the road is set back nicely and has a fence separating you from it. It’s not a super busy road, and people driving by waved at me.

No bikes and no pets. Just one’s feet and the sounds of so many animals living their best lives.

~Sarah

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