Back Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed August 15, 2011

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

of the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...

that flows north from Frederick County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, to Berkeley County in

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

Eastern Panhandle The Eastern Panhandle is the eastern of the two panhandles in the U.S. state of West Virginia; the other is the Northern Panhandle. It is a small stretch of territory in the northeast of the state, bordering Maryland and Virginia. Some sources a ...

. Back Creek originates along Frederick County's border with

Hampshire County, West Virginia Hampshire County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,093. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town (1762). The county was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1754, ...

, at Farmer's Gap in the

Great North Mountain Great North Mountain is a long mountain ridge within the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. The ridge is located west of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain in Virginia, and east of the A ...

. Its name reflects its location to the west of North Mountain. The perspective of

colonists A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...

from the east in the 18th century led them to call it "Back Creek", because it lay to the back of North Mountain.

Course

Source to Gore

Back Creek's

headwaters The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

rise at Farmer's Gap in Great North Mountain. From its source, the creek flows northwest along the western edge of Burnt Ridge off the mountain. It turns toward the northeast, and the shallow stream flows along the western flanks of Great North Mountain, with White Pine Ridge bounding it to its west. Back Creek is joined by a series of mountain streams, including Reed Creek and Lauren Run, both flowing off Great North Mountain. At Dunlap Ford, Back Creek is joined to its west by waters from Gallows Ridge and to its east by those from Cove Ridge. There, it is also joined by Laurel Run, which carries the

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

waters from Rock Enon Springs from the east. Capper Ridge bounds Back Creek to its west at Pooles Ford as it makes its way towards

Gore, Virginia Gore is an unincorporated community in western Frederick County, Virginia, United States, located off the Northwestern Turnpike on Gore Road (SR 751) west of Winchester. The community is nestled in the Back Creek valley. It has been called "Back ...

. This region on the western flanks of Great North Mountain is rich in

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

and

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...

deposits, hence the sand mines at Gore. At Gore, Back Creek is joined by Mine Spring and Dry runs.

Gore to De Haven

From Gore, Back Creek flows parallel to the south of the

Northwestern Turnpike The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia (Virginia at the time the road was created), important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 183 ...

(

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...

) and the

Winchester and Western Railroad The Winchester and Western Railroad is a shortline railroad operating from Gore through Winchester, Virginia and West Virginia to Hagerstown, Maryland. It also operates several lines in southern New Jersey, connecting to Conrail Shared Assets Op ...

. It flows under US 50 along Bowling Green Ridge where it turns east towards Gainesboro, the site of its confluence with Tavenner Run. From Gainesboro, Back Creek flows beneath the North Frederick Pike ( U.S. Route 522). At Grave Hill, north of Lew, Back Creek is joined by its two major tributaries: Isaacs Creek and

Hogue Creek Hogue Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed August 15, 2011 tributary stream of Back Creek in Frederick County, Virginia. Hogue Creek rises on Great North Mountai ...

. From its fork with Hogue Creek, the stream is bounded by Hunting Ridge to its east. By its confluence with Brush Creek at Baileys Ford, Back Creek is a large stream with increased water flow with depths up to a few feet. Back Creek meanders northward through the community of De Haven at Warm Springs Ford. Shortly after its

horseshoe bend Horseshoe Bend may refer to: Places Australia * Horseshoe Bend, New South Wales, an inner city suburb in the City of Maitland in the Hunter Region * Horseshoe Bend Station, a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station in the Alice Sprin ...

at De Haven, Back Creek flows into

Berkeley County, West Virginia Berkeley County is located in the Shenandoah Valley in the Eastern Panhandle region of West Virginia in the United States. The county is part of the Hagerstown- Martinsburg, MD- WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the co ...

De Haven to mouth

Once Back Creek flows into West Virginia, it is fed from numerous spring streams from North Mountain's western flank. Through Berkeley County, Back Creek flows through an expansive valley. It continues north by the community of Glengary which developed near it, is crossed by

West Virginia Route 45 West Virginia Route 45 (WV 45) is a state highway in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The state highway runs from the Virginia state line near Glengary east to WV 230 and WV 480 in Shepherdstown. WV 45 connects the communities of Glengary ...

, and goes past Ganotown. North of Ganotown, after the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

with Tub Run, Leading Ridge forms the western edge of Back Creek's valley. It meanders northeast through the community of

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

. From Shanghai, Back Creek continues to be fed by spring streams off North Mountain. With North Mountain bounding it to the east, Back Creek continues northeast, lined by several communities, including

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. In pre-colonial times the head was made of stone, bone, or antler, and Europ ...

Hedgesville Hedgesville is a town in Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States, in the state's Eastern Panhandle region. The population was 318 at the 2010 census. The town sits on WV 9, and is roughly 13 miles east of Berkeley Springs. In addition to ...

, and

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...

. The

Park's Gap Bridge Park's Gap Bridge is a historic Howe Truss bridge located near Martinsburg, at Tomahawk, Berkeley County, West Virginia. It was built in 1892, and has a span long and wide over Back Creek. It is a simple span pony truss supported on stone abu ...

crosses Back Creek at Tomahawk. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1994. Northeast of Soho, Back Creek is joined by another of its major tributaries, Tilhance Creek. The

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...

mainline bridge crosses Back Creek before it flows past Allensville, where it finally empties into the

Tributaries

Streams are listed from south (source) to north (mouth). * Reed Creek * Laurel Run * White Pine Branch * Mine Spring Run * Dry Run * Albin Run * Tavenner Run * Isaacs Creek *

* Brush Creek ** Babbs Run ** Pearris Run ** Cattail Run ** Green Springs Run * Tub Run *

Tilhance Creek Tilhance Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 tributary stream of Back Creek in Berkeley County of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Headwaters an ...

** Whites Run ** Higgins Run

List of cities and towns along Back Creek

* Allensville * De Haven * Gainesboro * Ganotown * Glengary *

Gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manitouli ...

* Jones Springs *

References

{{authority control Rivers of Berkeley County, West Virginia Rivers of Frederick County, Virginia Rivers of Virginia Rivers of West Virginia Tributaries of the Potomac River