A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service cabin or lookout

Middle Mountain Cabins

Forest Service cabin or lookout in Monongahela National Forest, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. 3,141 feet. 10.3 miles from Durbin.

Managed by
Forest Service Monongahela National Forest
Elevation
3,141 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
1 1 cabin non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

The Middle Mountain Cabins are nestled in a small grassy opening near a small pond and Camp Five Run, a hiking trail that leads into the Laurel Fork South Wilderness. The cabins are secluded and offer a quiet retreat for visitors. Rented as a single unit, Middle Mountain Cabins include a main cabin with a kitchen, and two historic sleeping cabins.

The cabins occupy a 3.5-acre space about 18 miles south of Wymer. The two smaller cabins were built in 1939 and served as bunk houses for Forest Service employees.

Recreation

Middle Mountain Cabins (elevation 3,750 feet) are located on a half-acre grassy field surrounded by red spruce and yellow birch. The cabins sit near the Laurel Fork South Wilderness. Several other trails around the Middle Mountain Cabins include the High Falls of Cheat Trail # 345, which is a 2.9-mile trek to the beautiful waterfalls.

The West Fork Rail Trail #312 is an old railroad grade and runs along the West Fork of the Greenbrier River. The Allegheny Trial # 701 spans many districts on the Monongahela National Forest.

Fishing is popular on the Cheat, Glady Fork, Shavers Fork, and West and East Forks of the Greenbrier River. Lake fishing is popular at Spruce Knob Lake and Buffalo Lake. A state fishing license, National Forest Stamp, a Conservation stamp, and a trout stamp are required.

Facilities

The main cabin is a single story log building with a gabled roof that extends to cover a full length porch. Inside are exposed log rafters and tie beams. Outside there is a picnic table, grill and campfire ring. A four car gravel parking area is located beside the grassy clearing.

All cabins have fireplaces. Firewood is provided, but the supply is not guaranteed. There is no water in the cabin, but an outside handpump for drinking water is available. An outdoor vault toilet is located onsite. Each sleeping cabin contains two sets of bunk beds, while the main cabin contains one full size bed for a total capacity of 10 people.

The kitchen includes a gas stove, cabinets, a table with six chairs, two lounge chairs, some pots, pans, dishes and silverware. There is no electricity available. Visitors should bring food, matches or a lighter, an ax, small saw, bedding, lanterns for each cabin, flashlights, food, ice chests, and personal gear. Food should be protected as field mice and bears frequent the area.

Natural Features

Middle Mountain Cabins (elevation 3,750 feet) is located on a half-acre grassy field surrounded by red spruce and yellow birch. The cabins sit near the 11,839-acre Laurel Fork South Wilderness.

The Laurel Fork of the Cheat River is characterized by its narrow valley floor with regularly dissected slopes and long narrow ridges. The continuous forest cover of primarily Beech, Maple, Birch, and Cherry is occasionally broken up by beautiful meadows along the river.

Nearby Attractions

A convenience store and fuel can be found in Bartow and a larger grocery store can be found in Elkins. Due to rural mountain roads, visitors should expect to drive for at least an hour to reach these towns.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking

The land around Middle Mountain Cabins

The ringed pin is this cabin or lookout; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.