We've been coming to a campground near Hico for decades, meeting up with 2 - 4 dozen friends, staying for 4 - 8 days, and adventuring by day, visiting with old friends by evening. Rafting with a profesional company or another one day. We have had white knuckle heart-in-throat drives down to the canoe/kayak put-ins plenty of times, and we always say "NEVER AGAIN" but we did it again today. Thought we would take the bikes down to the river endpoint and see if we could ride uphill 4.7% for 1.8 miles. We got to the bottom and went around the loop and went right back up, rejoicing as we emerged from under the Midland Trail on Hawk's Nest Rd that we had not met even one oncoming vehicle as we went down nor as we came up. (There is 90% of the time not room for two cars to pass each other, and it's steep and very sharp turns here and there, and there is a lot of sheer rock or dirt wall on one side and sheer drop on the other.)

After we calmed down over a split order of biscuits & gravy at the Ansted Tudor's Biscuit World, we drove back to upper trailhead, on Hawk's nest Rd just south of where it passes under Midland Trail, and there *is* parking. We parked and walked a bit. It's lovely, and I hope we can return when there is less foliage and better views of the creek.

We are mid-sixties, more fit than many (which is not saying a lot) and not mountain bikers, just commuters. We might have made a quarter mile going up on our bikes.

Walked this trail today, which still had a bit of snow and ice. It’s a bit of a grade, so make sure you’re fit for it. Start at the end where the sky lift for Hawks Nest park is. The trail will be uphill, but it’s better walking downhill on the way back. The rushing water with the snow and blue green pools were beautiful.

It was a nice trail but if you need to be in shape to get back out.

a+

Beautiful hike with gorgeous scenery . Easy flat hike perfect for all ages with awesome access to incredible waterfalls .

Went there with a friend on a perfect fall day & enjoyed it. A bicyclist came upon us fast from behind & nearly ran us over. So be careful.

Very pleasant but the map isnt quite accurate. It shows the three trail heads which are the ends of the paved sections. The gravel continues further to the west. The 8 miles listed as the distance includes the gravel section. The paved portion from Summerlee to Carslisle is about 4.5 miles with a 1 mile side spur. There is a bit of a grade from Oak Hill to Carlisle but not bad. At that end of the paved trail you see the New River Company Oakwood Store long abandoned. The New River Company was a big coal company operating in the New River Gorge.

Goes through Oak Hill residential and partly country. Nice to see the town and you can take side roads into town. Also some nice local parks including Collins Park that has a disc golf course and playing fields.

Easy down hill trail for bicycles. The best part is that on hot days you can go swimming and sliding in the creek next to the trail. There is a safe 15 foot water jump at the falls half way down, but make sure you check the water depth yourself. It was 10 feet deep when we went in June. Farther down, you can go into a coal mine - we went 30 feet before turning back.