This is a remote and scenic trail that is especially attractive in the fall. The fall foliage can be gorgeous toward the northern end, and the wildflowers and other flora along the entire length of the trail stand out compared with most trails. The river views are good. The trail surface varies in quality. Some stretches are good, others are rocky, and some are a little soft. There are limited services at Durbin and none at Glady. An excursion train runs from Durbin to the High Falls of the Cheat River. A quiet Forest Service road with a good unpaved surface that runs roughly parallel to the trail offers potential for an out-and-back loop.

"After a beautiful drive from Charlottesville, VA, by mid-afternoon we arrived in Durbin, WV during a light rain. Durbin is a tiny town with very limited motel facilities, so we decided a short walk under umbrellas would be much more fun than a thirty mile bike ride in the rain with no hot shower at the end. Elkins, WV, about 30 miles north of Durbin, has a number of motels to choose from.

The trail head is easy to find on the west edge of this small town. There is a small, undeveloped, but quite adequate parking area at the trailhead. Only one other vehicle was there during our stay.

The rain ended during our walk and left us to appreciate one of the prettiest trails we've seen on this trip. The trail has no improvements, and grass grows between the tracks, but the surface is surprisingly smooth, and would be an easy ride on mountain bikes. We saw enough of the trail to know that it will be worth the trip the next time we head east from Colorado. It is only one of three excellent trails we've ridden in West Virginia this fall."

If you want the most beautiful and remote trail...this is the one!

"Starting out from Durbin, we made it less then 5 miles before the skies opened up on us. Fearing that we might drown like chickens, we exited onto the adjacent USFS road & headed back. That's just about when my buddy lost the pin that holds the lower cog on his derailler. Thankfully, a local in his pickup gave him a ride back to Durbin. Although hilly, the USFS rode makes a nice ""loop"" alternative for the return ride from Glady (which we never made). Trail is definetily remote, and we shall return. Also, the excursion train out of Durbin looked real cool too!"

"If you want to escape from urban life, then this is your trail. You will likely be alone for the entire trip. Glady post office will likely be your last contact, take sufficient water and repair supplies. Cycled the trail last week and saw only 2 campers the entire length. Trail is smooth, but overgrown in sections ... cinder and gravel base. "

"My wife Pam & I began riding on the West Fork Trail at Drubin, WV. After only a short distance, we realized that it would not be very well manitained. It wasn't! But after another mile or so, we didn't care. The trail parallels the river for most of the way (approximately 17 miles), and there are quite a few places along the way that looked very tempting to jump in for a swim.

We saw a black bear on the trail about five miles north of Durbin. It was about 200 yards away, and when it saw us it took off up into the woods.

On the whole ride we saw only five people. One of them was at the north end in Glady. This trail is very beautiful but also very remote. There is a Forest Service road that roughly parallels the trail; it can be seen in several places along the way, and you can hear traffic along it even when you can't see the road.

It needs to be remembered that there are no bike shops, grocery stores, gas stations, etc. along this trail. You are totally on your own. Carry plenty of water. If you are on bikes, carry everything that you might need for repairs. It might not be a bad idea to carry extra food, a space blanket and matches, just in case.

We rode all the way into Glady. The last four or five miles going north are through mountain pasture land where sheep are raised. It is beautiful.

On our return trip we got rained on for the last 15 miles. It was a steady, comfortable rain that felt very good on our sweaty bodies. We laughed the whole time that it was raining.

We thoroughly enjoyed this trail and plan to ride it again."

I started in Glady and rode as far as I could. I ran in to lots of snow in the more remote areas. I didn't think there would be snow that deep in April. It was a great time. I'll be back!