Explore the best rated trails in Petersburg, WV. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the West Virginia Northern Rail-Trail and Rocky Point Trail. With more than 34 trails covering 4268 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Hawksbill Greenway is a 2-mile non-motorized pathway in the town of Luray, Virginia, two hours from Washington D.C. It extends from Linden Street in the west to the Flowering Forest in the east....
The little-known Kendall Trail extends 2 miles south from the tiny community of Friendsville, Maryland, to the ruins of the former logging town of Kendall. The trail offers expansive views of the...
Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. For...
Nestled in a northern valley of West Virginia, the Barnum Rail-Trail follows the North Branch Potomac River through the superb scenery of the Upper Potomac region. If you plan to explore this...
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail that runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was built in partnership between state agencies and many local...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
The West Virginia Northern Rail Trail is a 10-mile trail project occupying the former West Virginia Northern railroad bed between Kingwood and Tunnelton in Preston County. The short-line railroad...
The Allegheny Highlands Trail (AHT) follows the original route of the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway, built by Henry Gassaway Davis in 1884. For 26 miles, this exceptionally scenic trail...
In 1888, the Blackwater Canyon Trail, located in the Monongahela National Forest, was used to haul coal and lumber through this stunning canyon. Today, remnants of this history still remain just...
In West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, the Dolly Sods Wilderness features sweeping vistas, spruce and aspen groves, beautiful meadows, beaver dams and rolling creeks. The area is also home to...
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The Railroad Grade Trail is a rural hiking trail built on a former logging railroad corridor in the Monongahela National Forest near Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley Resort State Park....
The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
The Limerock Trail is pure West Virginia: From Forest Service Road 18, the 4-mile rail-trail passes through rhododendron forests and along rocky cliffs and rushing streams. You begin with the sound of...
Located in the heart of West Virginia, the Whitmeadow Ridge Trail is also in the center of the Monongahela National Forest. Otherwise known as the Whitmeadow Hunters Access Trail (notice the bullet...
Widney Park Rail-Trail is located in the quiet West Virginia community of Durbin. The old railroad town has a charming Main Street with welcoming shops and restaurants and the rail-trail is located...
In West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, the Dolly Sods Wilderness features sweeping vistas, spruce and aspen groves, beautiful meadows, beaver dams and rolling creeks. The area is also home to...
Nestled in a northern valley of West Virginia, the Barnum Rail-Trail follows the North Branch Potomac River through the superb scenery of the Upper Potomac region. If you plan to explore this...
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail that runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was built in partnership between state agencies and many local...
Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. For...
In West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, the Dolly Sods Wilderness features sweeping vistas, spruce and aspen groves, beautiful meadows, beaver dams and rolling creeks. The area is also home to...
Located in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area of the Monongahela National Forest—a hotspot for mountain biking and rock climbing—the Lumberjack Trail offers a scenic hike on an old...
Located in Blackwater Falls State Park in the Monongahela National Forest, the Davis Trail is an easy rail-trail that ambles up Canaan Mountain as it heads south towards Canaan Valley Resort State...
The Monongahela National Forest’s Otter Creek Wilderness has many trails, mostly for hiking through the scenic landscape of rhododendron, timber and mosses. Biking is prohibited on the trails, but...
In West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, the Dolly Sods Wilderness features sweeping vistas, spruce and aspen groves, beautiful meadows, beaver dams and rolling creeks. The area is also home to...
Located in the Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area of the Monongahela National Forest—a hotspot for mountain biking and rock climbing—the Seneca Creek Trail is a scenic feast of streams, meadows,...
The Monongahela National Forest’s Otter Creek Wilderness has many trails, mostly for hiking through the scenic landscape of rhododendron, timber and mosses. Biking is prohibited on the trails, but...
West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest offers a wide variety of trails for day or multi-day hikes of varying levels of difficulty, including several trails built on former logging railroad...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
In West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, the Dolly Sods Wilderness features sweeping vistas, spruce and aspen groves, beautiful meadows, beaver dams and rolling creeks. The area is also home to...
Located in the heart of West Virginia, the Whitmeadow Ridge Trail is also in the center of the Monongahela National Forest. Otherwise known as the Whitmeadow Hunters Access Trail (notice the bullet...
West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest offers a wide variety of trails for day or multi-day hikes of varying levels of difficulty, including several trails built on former logging railroad...
The Hawksbill Greenway is a 2-mile non-motorized pathway in the town of Luray, Virginia, two hours from Washington D.C. It extends from Linden Street in the west to the Flowering Forest in the east....
The Monongahela National Forest’s Otter Creek Wilderness has many trails, mostly for hiking through the scenic landscape of rhododendron, timber and mosses. Biking is prohibited on the trails, but...
The West Fork Trail is a pleasant 22-mile trail that snakes its way through a remote mountain setting and follows the West Fork River for most of its route. The soothing rumble of the river...
West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest offers a wide variety of trails for day or multi-day hikes of varying levels of difficulty, including several trails built on former logging railroad...
The Limerock Trail is pure West Virginia: From Forest Service Road 18, the 4-mile rail-trail passes through rhododendron forests and along rocky cliffs and rushing streams. You begin with the sound of...
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is an iconic rail-trail that runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was built in partnership between state agencies and many local...
The West Virginia Northern Rail Trail is a 10-mile trail project occupying the former West Virginia Northern railroad bed between Kingwood and Tunnelton in Preston County. The short-line railroad...
Located in Blackwater Falls State Park in the Monongahela National Forest, the Davis Trail is an easy rail-trail that ambles up Canaan Mountain as it heads south towards Canaan Valley Resort State...
The Allegheny Highlands Trail (AHT) follows the original route of the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway, built by Henry Gassaway Davis in 1884. For 26 miles, this exceptionally scenic trail...
Located in the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area of the Monongahela National Forest—a hotspot for mountain biking and rock climbing—the Lumberjack Trail offers a scenic hike on an old...
The Monongahela National Forest’s Otter Creek Wilderness has many trails, mostly for hiking through the scenic landscape of rhododendron, timber and mosses. Biking is prohibited on the trails, but...
The South Prong Trail is a remote, rugged rail-trail that offers a moderate, though sometimes quite hilly, hike. There are two very distinct sections of this trail—one section is boggy, while the...
The Carpendale Trail straddles the North Branch of the Potomac River between Carpendale in West Virginia and Cumberland in Maryland. The wooden bridge spanning 386 feet across the river is a...
The Monongahela National Forest’s Otter Creek Wilderness has many trails, mostly for hiking through the scenic landscape of rhododendron, timber and mosses. Biking is prohibited on the trails, but...
Morgantown is known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. But it’s also known for its extensive rail-trail system along...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
We did from Cumberland to DC then from DC back to Cumberland! August 2021 hot as hades in the high 90’s and thunderstorms! Had a blast! Camped the entire way except for 1 day at motel lol needed a shower! Awesome experience with a huge tunnel that we had to walk our bikes through like a mile ! Rode all over the DC area and visited many places ! DC is very bike friendly!
My daughter and I did a round trip from Pittsburg to Cumberland! Then Cumberland back to Pittsburg! Camped and did motel. Just awesome! We have made a few extra trips driving from Mansfield, Ohio to Cumberland to just do the Cumberland to Eastern Continental Divide and back spend night in Cumberland and biked a few miles down the C&O and back before driving home!
Trail was nice to walk our dogs; areas of full sun and shade.
Rode the trail from Pittsburg to Cumberland. had a great time and the views were amazing. My wife and I are planning to hike a portion of the trail. If anyone has done this please let me know what part you hiked. we want to hike from Rockwood to Cumberland. Any advise or tips would be greatly appreciated.
In Pittsburgh, if you are cycling enthusiast, you must experience Bicycle Heaven - It is a nonprofit, private collection with over 5,000 complete bikes and even more bicycle parts that it is overwhelming. Some bikes date back to the late 1800s to the present.
Departing Pittsburgh’s concrete jungle, I highly recommend that you have the GAP route available on a GPS device as it is marked but you can miss the signs as you are focused on the traffic. Once on the gravel portion, it is an easy navigation exercise!
At the trailheads, there were plenty of new bicycle repair/air pump stations.
The illuminated 3,000’+ Savage Tunnel was an amazing experience as was experiencing the Mason Dixon Line.
Also, confirm (call) your dining options along the trail as even if sites on the internet say they will be open during your visit, you may be disappointed and going hungry due to staffing issues.
This trail is actually 5.5 miles long. Even the sign in Friendsville only shows the roughly 2 miles that take you to Kendall. But the trail continues on past there, although it becomes increasingly rugged as you go.
From a back story standpoint, Kendall was founded in 1889, as a lumber town, and abandoned circa the 1920s. The railroad was removed circa the 1940s. This means that there are few remains, and that the trail bed is rougher than rail trails built on more recently inactive railroads.
With that in mind, I recommend a mountain bike with suspension, although a hybrid will do if that's what you have and you are used to rough trails. There are far too many rocks for a road bike to traverse this trail. Also note that eventually, you'll have to hike if you want to reach the end of the trail; bring good shoes as there is mud (even though it hasn't rained lately).
The first 0.4 miles are gravel from the parking area by the trailhead (east of the river on Morris Avenue, as indicated on TrailLink; there's also parking and a port-a-john at the parking area west of the river off of Church Lane, which is what the signs from Maple Street off of I-68 will point you to). After this section, it becomes a forest trail, dirt-and-leaves with rocks, sometimes rocks obscured by leaves. The number of rocks tends to increase the farther you go.
Kendall is around mile 2. I've seen some reviews on the Internet that say there isn't anything there. That isn't really true. If you're expecting buildings, this isn't the ghost town for you. But I saw a couple stone foundations that were clearly built by humans, some pieces of lumber that were machine-cut, and a heavily rusted-through iron bucket that had seen better decades. Note that if you decide to explore the Kendall area off the trail, make sure you have a GPS device that marks where you've been - the woods are thick there.
Still, it's fair to say that your primary motivation for this trail should be the rugged scenery and the challenge, not expecting to see a town at Kendall. I suggest Kaymoor, West Virginia if you're looking for a ghost town trail, though that one is hiking, not biking.
Around mile 2.1, just past Kendall, you'll hit the first major (but short) mud section. In a lot of the mud sections, if you have decent speed, you can cross them by bike and keep your shoes dry. If you don't have decent speed (and you won't always), the mud might try to swallow your bike, so navigate by foot as needed.
Just before mile 2.2, there's a downed tree, with two main branch sections blocking the trail. I lifted my bike over each of these, but you may wish to switch to hiking at this point; it would be easy to climb over the tree without a bike. You'll hit another, longer mud section about a hundred feet past this tree.
Shortly before mile 2.4, you'll cross the stream that the other reviewer mentioned. It's necessary to walk the bike across this stream, but it's a fairly easy crossing by the standards of this trail.
Around mile 2.8, a quarter-mile section of very heavy rocks begins. I can't fathom taking even a mountain bike across this area; maybe a Marji Gesick rider would find it to be fun. After realizing the rocks kept going, I left my bike at about mile 2.85. But starting at about 3.05, the trail becomes pretty bike-traversable again.
For the next 1.6 miles, the trail could be biked, although it's a bit narrow in areas, with fairly steep drop-offs to the west (right, heading south) as it gains elevation above the river.
At mile 4.65, there was a rock slide at some point in the past, which took out most of the trail. You can still navigate across it on foot, but it would not be safe to try to cart a bike across this area. This is the reason that I mentioned that you'll have to hike for at least part of it.
The trail continues on until mile 5.5, where it ends at some large rocks, steep elevation, and heavy plant growth. You'll be able to hear some rapids behind the large boulder in the river, and bending low, you should be able to go just far enough under the undergrowth to get a nice view of that area, even with a rock to sit on to rest your weary feet.
Along the route, you'll notice a few branching trails, three if I remember correctly. One is just a direct path (straight) versus a river overlook option (right). The more interesting options branch to the left, and I believe these are the paths of temporary lumber railroads. I didn't traverse those on this expedition, but if they're substantial there may be yet more trail in this area to explore.
Wildlife-wise, I have heard there are black bears and snakes in the area, but didn't see any today. I did run into quite a few spider webs, and wound up with a small black spider with white spots on my shoulder, likely a jumping spider. I also saw a recently deceased deer in Kendall. It may have fallen to natural causes - I saw no obvious wound, although I didn't approach too closely - but make sure you wear bright clothing during hunting season as a precaution.
The trail itself is beautiful, especially this time of year. It's currently near peak color, with leaves on the trail, on the trees, and even in the air, falling as you ride. If you're local, get out on the trail this week and enjoy the autumn foliage.
Finally, I'd be remiss to not mention that there are amazing views of the Youghiogheny River from the trail, and several areas where you can climb down to river level for even better views. Nearly the entire river is chock full of rapids for the duration of the trail.
Oct 2021. Trail in excellent condition. Views of the trail itself is great. Mostly uphill going east/south. Not bad. Easy to follow. Very impressive. Mature Appalachian forest turns to spacious farm land then a little reminder of the business world on both ends. No dogs or distractions. Several road crossings so keep the kids close. Cool watching the creek fall away from the rising rail trail. Then 10 miles later it comes back to greet you. Ye
October 2021. Trail surface in perfect condition. I did a 30 mile out and back as I wasn’t sure if me and the battery could make the 48 round trip to Parsons from Elkins. Lots of shade and a few views of fields and wind turbines. Lot of noise from the bordering highway.
Most of the recent reviews are spot on. If you are used to crushed limestone or asphalt the bulk of this trail is bumpy and full of exposed rocks, ruts and tree roots. The downside is you have to keep your eyes front and center most of the time. The Paw Paw Tunnel detour is a real challenge. I only had two panniers that were not full and it was a struggle. Can’t imagine how the fully loaded bike packers did it. (But I’ve also not done any mtb, so that could affect how easy/hard it was.) But the amount of history and really cool places to stop and explore make it worth it. Beautiful aqueducts and lock houses as w.landmarks makes up fo me the trail conditions.
***ATTENTION***
The Paw Paw detour due to the tunnel being closed which with talking to the construction crew, will remain closed for another 18 months (Spring ’23) but when reopened, it will have a new riding surface.
The marked detour is not like any other that I have ever experienced on a trail which normally is a divert to local roads until you can rejoin the trail. Eastbound is best described as a mountain bike trail which is narrow in sections and at a 10 to 15 percent grade with exposed roots, rock gardens (rocks vertically embedded in the trail surface) and other obstacles. With a bike loaded down with gear, it is extremely strenuous to make it to the top and over the tunnel. Just pushing your bike up and over East bound is a challenge also.
Westbound is a trail that is a large enough for a vehicle but also has 10 to 15 percent grades but has a loose surface for a majority of it.
From Cumberland to Paw Paw, the trail is need of maintenance as there is numerous hazards to include mud holes that are deep (10” to 12”), segments of large branches and this time of the year with leaves falling, they hide some of the obstacles. You must keep your eyes on the trail and not sightsee for this section of C&O.
Also, confirm your dining options along the trail as even if sites on the internet say they will be open during your visit, you may be disappointed and going hungry due to the lack of staffing.
The rest of the trail is in great condition to DC and be aware as you approach the Capitol and it is on a weekend that there will be plenty of trail traffic as they enjoy this gem in their backyard!
10/02/2021 Took new ebike from Parsons to Thomas and back today. Trail in working order. Rough gravel. First time and was I amazed at the scenery, the massive trees, water falls, big views. One thing no one has mentioned is the constant roar of the river ask you ascend and decend the mountain. Always with you. I really look forward to riding it again some day.
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