Nelson Rocks

Nelson Rocks is at the southern end of the River Knobs, which contain several other similar "razorback" ridges or "fins" including Seneca Rocks, Champe Rocks, and Judy Rocks, all on the western flank of North Fork Mountain. Nelson Rocks, like all of the river knobs, is bordered by the North Fork Valley on one side and the Germany Valley on the other. Located less than five miles from the highest point in West Virginia, and surrounded on three sides by the Monongahela National Forest, the mountainous site features two parallel rock fins made of tuscarora sandstone that rise from the mountain overlooking Nelson Gap. A hanging footbridge 150 feet in length and 200 feet in height spans the corridor between the rock fins.{{cite book |last=Mozier |first=Jeanne |date=2010 |title=West Virginia Beauty: Familiar and Rare |publisher=Quarrier Press |page=79 |isbn=978-1-891852-66-4 }}Multiple sources, including the website for NROCKS itself, instead give the length and height of the footbridge as 200 feet and 150 feet, respectively. Visitors can participate in various adventure activities including rock climbing, Via Ferrata climbing, hiking and a canopy tour consisting of 12 zip-lines and other elements. Lodging at Nelson Rocks is available in the form of hotel-style guest rooms, rustic cabins, or tent camping.

Rock climbing at Nelson Rocks dates back about as far as at nearby Seneca Rocks; however, for most of that time, this privately owned area was not officially open to the public. In 1943 and 1944, as part of the West Virginia Maneuver Area, the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army used Seneca, Nelson and Champe Rocks to train mountain troops in assault climbing in preparation for action in the Apennines of Italy. One guidebook author estimates that they left behind approximately 75,000 soft iron pitons, some of which can still be found on the rocks.

In 1998 the area was purchased by Stuart Hammett{{cite news|last=Dolges|first=Daniele|title=Rock of Ages|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/escapes/081899.htm|access-date=9 November 2012|newspaper=Washington Post|date=August 18, 1999}} who operated it under the name Nelson Rocks Preserve for about a decade. The area was officially open to rock climbing, and route development flourished. During the 1998-2001 seasons, the number of routes doubled reaching about 100 routes. Nelson Rocks was included in Rock Climbing: Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, a regional guidebook by Eric J. Horst. and in Rock 'n' Road: An Atlas of North American Rock Climbing Areas by Tim Toula.{{cite book|author=Tim Toula|title=Rock 'n' Road: An Atlas of North American Rock Climbing Areas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YTVuqvPjP4MC&pg=PA532|date=1 November 2002|publisher=Globe Pequot Press|isbn=978-0-7627-2306-5|page=532}} In the next decade the number of routes reached about 200. Also at the same time via ferrata was built., which included a 200 feet long suspension bridge 150 feet above the ground.{{cite web|title=Via Ferrata|url=https://www.nrocks.com/activities/via-ferrata/|website=www.nrocks.com|access-date=24 October 2016}}

In 2009 Nelson Rocks was purchased by John Hall, owner of Camp Horizons company and reopened as the Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center. and expended by adding new buildings and zip-lines. In 2011, construction was completed on the North Fork Valley Canopy Tour.{{cite news |author= |title=Zip Lines Open North Fork Vistas |newspaper=The Pendleton Times |location=West Virginia |date=May 12, 2011 |ref=Pendleton Times}} At the same time the area was closed to all unguided climbing. Guided climbing can be reserved through the property owner.{{cite web|title=Private Guiding at Nelson Rocks, WV - Seneca Rocks Climbing School|url=http://climbseneca.com/course-offerings/learn-to-climb/private-guiding-nelson-rocks/|website=Seneca Rocks Climbing School|access-date=24 October 2016}}

• {{cite book|last=Hörst|first=Eric J.|title=Rock climbing Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland|year=2001|publisher=FalconGuides|location=Guilford, Conn.|isbn=1560448121|edition=1st}}

File:Nelson Rocks - Via Ferrata.jpg|Via Ferrata at Nelson

• Caminito del Rey
• Tofana di Rozes
• The Gobbins
• Mount Ogden Via Ferrata
• VF Ivano Dibona
• Karlsruher Grat
• Bove Path

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• {{official website|http://www.nrocks.com/}}
• [http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/a12788/rock-climbing-the-iron-way-via-ferrata-comes-to-the-usa-6705766/ Popular Mechanics: Rock Climbing the Iron Way]
• [http://www.wonderfulwv.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Archive/Nov2013.pdf Wonderful West Virginia Magazine: I Came, I Climbed, I Conquered]

Category:Rock formations of West Virginia

Category:Ridges of West Virginia

Category:Landforms of Pendleton County, West Virginia

Category:Climbing areas of the United States

Category:Hiking trails in West Virginia

Category:Hotels in West Virginia

Category:Landmarks in West Virginia

Category:Monongahela National Forest

Category:Nature reserves in West Virginia

Category:Parks in West Virginia

Category:Protected areas of Pendleton County, West Virginia

Category:Quartzite formations

Category:Silurian geology

Category:Silurian West Virginia

Category:Via ferrata

Category:Tourist attractions in West Virginia

Category:Zip lines