The County Line Trail is a short, less-traveled alternative to the neighboring 21.7-mile
West Fork Trail. The County Line Trail travels 4 miles along the border of Randolph and Pocahontas counties, hence its name, and follows the ridgeline of the Little Beech Mountain through hardwood forest in Monongahela National Forest. This area is home to impressive stands of oak trees, a slight change from the usual Monongahela setting of rhododendrons, pine trees and ferns.
A large green metal gas pump sits off Forest Service Road 35A, marking the start of the County Line Trail, which is well-marked with the national forest's standard blue blazes, as well as wood arrow signs.
Nearly 3 miles in, you will make a short ascent to the top of the ridge. After another mile, you will enter a clearing for yet another gas well. The service road for this well doubles as the last leg of the trail. Follow it to reach the end of the County Line Trail, where you can either turn back or connect to the Beulah Trail, which takes you north for another 3.3 miles.
To get to the start point (it's not possible to drive to the endpoint) from Elkins, take US 33/SR 55 east toward Bowden. About 4 miles after you travel through Bowden, turn right onto County Road 27. Once you reach the town of Glady, turn left onto CR 22 then take a quick right onto CR 22-2, which turns into Forest Service Road 44 around the High Falls Trail. A little more than 7 miles from Glady, you will reach Forest Service Road 35. Follow it to Forest Service Road 35A, which ends at a gas well site. At the far end, there is a blocked road. Take this road (on foot) 40 feet to the trailhead of the County Line Trail. Parking is plentiful around the gas well.