West Fork Trail:
West Virginia
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Description:
The West Fork Trail is a pleasant 21.7-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 complements the trail's serene environment. This is a great path for biking, but the surface is primarily ballast left over from the rail corridor, so leave your road bike at home.
The trail begins in the small community of Glady. Even though the trail appears to be flat, you will find yourself on a gentle decline as the trail follows the river downstream from Glady. For the first 5 miles, the trail takes a higher route above the western side of the river and pops in and out of small groves of conifers, offering great views of the surrounding hills.
The trail then levels out with the river and travels the remaining 17 miles to the town of Durbin following the river southward. Meandering through the mountains, the trail and the river make sweeping 180-degree turns through a tight valley surrounded by steep hillsides.
The West Fork River is a popular fishing spot, and you are bound to see a number of anglers along the way. The trail comes to an end in the town of Durbin, a quiet Appalachian town that has wonderful little lunch spots and a nice Main Street corridor. There is a bonus half-mile rail-trail, the Widney Park Rail-Trail, which can be accessed right in downtown Durbin.
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Parking & Trail Access:
To reach the northern trailhead from Elkins, take US Hwy. 33 east and make a right onto County Road 27 (Glady Road). Follow it for approximately 10 miles to the town of Glady. When you come to the intersection of Glady and Elliots roads, continue straight on Glady through the stop sign and follow the road for approximately a quarter mile to where it dead-ends. The trailhead will be directly in front of you.
To reach the southern trailhead from Elkins, take US Hwy. 219 south to Huttonsville. Merge onto US Hwy. 250 going south and follow it all the way to Durbin. Look for the trailhead on the left about a mile before you reach the town.
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Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
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West Fork Trail
By Jim Waite on January 17, 2010
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.
Remote and Wild
By Lyle Clugg on October 30, 2005
"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."
West Fork Trail
By Darrell Young on June 14, 2005
If you want the most beautiful and remote trail...this is the one!
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