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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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...
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 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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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The scenic East Fork Trail follows the East Fork of the Greenbrier River through hemlock stands and pine plantations and past many small waterfalls, extending 8 miles from the Island Campground in...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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...
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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 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...
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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,...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
The scenic East Fork Trail follows the East Fork of the Greenbrier River through hemlock stands and pine plantations and past many small waterfalls, extending 8 miles from the Island Campground in...
The Stone Camp Run Trail follows an old railroad corridor through a deep hollow on Middle Mountain in the Monongahela National Forest's Laurel Fork North Wilderness. The scenic trail crosses the...
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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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...
Great trail, as described with more words by others.
Just one thing: When you head down from Thomas and you get to the sewage plant, make sure you hook a right at the end of the fence that surrounds the plant. It's easy to miss the actual entry into the trail. If you miss the entrance, you ride through some river-bottom neighborhoods and get peoples dogs excited.
It's definitely mountainbike territory once you get past the forest service gate. Pretty coarse gravel and the occasional branches across the path. Also, a few small washouts that are well marked.
And while it's a 'rail trail', the grade is a bit steeper than you will find on many other rail trails. During the coal hauling days, they would add 6 locomotives to the train just to get the empty hopper cars up the hill. Nothing wrong with it, just something you need to anticipate for the way back up.
I completed this ride the first week of September, cycling from Cumberland to DC the day after Hurricane Ida passed through. The first time I have done a multi-day ride. Took the Amtrak to Cumberland with my bike and stayed at 9 Decatur (recommended). The trail was in good shape. A couple of additional puddles from the rain but very rideable. I had a great time. Four days and three nights. Rode 50/50/50 and 30 miles. Camping worked out very well at the hiker/biker sites. The only major hitch was the Pawpaw tunnel had just closed and taking a bike loaded with gear up and over is quite a slog. Hopefully some entrepreneurial locals have come up with some drive around alternatives. Unless you are a purist I recommend taking advantage if they have.
Don't expect stunning vistas but settle in to a rhythm and enjoy the history and it is a meditative and fulfilling experience.
Thanks to all the park staff who keep the park in such great shape.
After a ride on part of the Blackwater Canyon railtrail yesterday my buddy and I decided to check out this trail. Traillink has exactly one sentence mentioning that this segment exists and that's it though it does appear on the map. This segment along with the Blackwater Canyon trail and the as of now unimproved Davis Branch between Thomas and Davis are all supposed to eventually be part of the AHT - I suspect that is several years away if it happens.
As for the segment which is called the "Corridor H railtrail" on some other biking sites it was decent enough. It is easy to find. After turning on Rt 93 from Rt 219 go a short distance and take the first left shortly before the road turns to 4 lanes. There's a decent parking area and the trail is easily seen with bike signs. This is a fairly flat trail that has a little bit of rise and fall. You start right along the higway but soon pull away enough to not really notice it. Surface is fine gravel most of the time with some a bit coarser. There is one spot by what appears to be a beaver dam with some ruts washed out but we were able to ride it. There is a short paved section at the end and then the trail ends at a road going to a coal prep plant. Be aware that this trail has almost no shade so it can get a bit hot but up this high there is usually a breeze. 3 stars only because it's disconnected from anything but once connected to the town of Davis I would probably bump it up to 4.
Started in Cumberland and headed west. Complete glide back to Cumberland
my son and i rode this trail over 3 days camping along the way at West Newton & Confluence. this trail is peaceful and quiet once out of Pittsburgh. The people in all the towns are social and glad to help in anyway needed. The trail has plenty of places to rest and relax. you follow rivers probably 120 of the 150 miles
Well maintained, shaded, beautiful scenery and beautiful waterfalls around mile marker 12.
My wife and I rode this portion of the trail on our recumbent tandem in June. It has been on of our favorites. The climb from Frostburg to the eastern continental divide was not too bad. It was great fun on the way down. ;-). The tunnels and the views are the big highlights. It was so cool how the lights came on as we rode through Borden tunnel. The cicadas were out in force as we rode through the woods. The Mason Dixon line is a great photo stop. We highly recommend the trail and will be back to ride more.
It’s a great trail. Been riding it since the beginning. The elitists need to tone it down though. People like to enjoy the scenery and shouldn’t have to worry about getting ran into or yelled at by the Strava segment obsessors.
What a great trail of crushed limestone…great climb up from Cumberland at 660’ to about 2,600’ at the Eastern Continental Divide, then a slow decline the rest of the way to Pittsburgh. Great B&B’s along the way in Meyersdale, Rockwood, Confluence…Ohiopyle State Park is one of a few terrific places to stay for the night and take a day off for whitewater rafting. Also take a moment for a bit of hiking or even a trip to see Falling Waters, a Frank Lloyd Wright home built on a waterfall. Only went as far as West Newton this time around but will be back to do it again. Many also start at Pittsburgh and finish at Cumberland enjoying a 24 mile downhill ride into town. Many choices for food and shelter.
We just did the entire trail from Cumberland to DC and it was awesome. Lots of cool tunnels and good bike riding when dry. We had one wet day and trail got pretty muddy near Cumberland. Interesting history along the way. This is a must do bike trail.
I followed the review from September 2020 "Beautiful scenery...good trail surface...enjoyed the coast back down the hill
bikin-mike"
He knows what he's talking about! The Spring Suites was the perfect spot to start the trail unless you want to see the dilapidated area of Morgantown, although the trail is paved. Behind the hotel is a HUGE lot for Semi-truck parking and you can easily slip over to the trail without being in danger or crossing any barriers.
The trail itself is..... steep. But it is a slight incline, remember a train used to ride on it so it can't be too crazy steep. I was able to maintain a reasonable speed of 8-10mph with my 26x2.0in mountain bike but i was pushing it. The first few miles had a lot of busy road crossings but afterwards you follow the creek which is quite a bit below the trail. The waterfall pictures you see in the gallery took some rock crawling to get to but nothing too difficult for someone in good shape.
The rapids and waterfalls lasted for a few miles and then the creek gets closer in elevation to the trail and is much calmer. Still a beautiful wooded area with a creek. I rode a mile or 2 past Masontown park, it meets right up to the trail and signs are everywhere. There are a few bridges but the trail becomes much more bland compared to what you've just experienced..... so again I agree with the previous review mentioned, turn around at Masontown.
Your way back will be much easier! You can coast at a slower speed or if you pedal you're able to make it back 3x's faster than on the way up.
All and all, you will be tired but you will be VERY glad you did this trail! Spectacular!
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