Rising 574 feet above surrounding terrain, Barton Knob (elevation 4434 feet) is the northernmost of the high points on Cheat Mountain. It has been graced by a fire tower since the 1920s and, more recently, a USFS radio repeater. (The fire tower is no longer safe to climb. The lowest flight of stairs has been removed.)
Your trip to this site will involve a hike of about 0.4-mile each way with an elevation gain of about 120 feet. Along your walk, you'll be treated to great views of the upper Tygart Valley River watershed.
Important Visitor Notes
To access this cache, take US 250/WV 92 to the summit of Cheat Mountain. Follow FR 227 south for 1.2 miles. The road is gravel and can be rough in spots, but is accessible for a passenger car.
At the reference point coordinates, you'll find a pull-off for a gravel road heading to the left up the hill. The road is gated about 0.3 miles up from FR 227. There are 1-2 parking spots at the gate. Be careful not to block the road itself. Follow the road up the hill to the clearing at the summit where the tower, repeater, and cache are located.
The woods at Barton Knob are pretty dense. Trying to hike to the top other than following the access road from the listed parking coordinates is not recommended.
Winter: FR 227 is not maintained in the winter. Due to its high elevation, Cheat Mountain can receive much more snow than the lower valleys. If FR 227 is snow-covered, you probably should not attempt this cache.