Trail is in great shape even after all the rain. Was pretty busy but not a problem at all. Gravel bikes to the bottom then took Hawks Nest Connector to Fayette Station road and back. Great ride, a lot of downed trees on Connector and a couple small slips, but passible if you don’t mind a little hike n bike. I thought Connector would be more rail trail but a lot of it is narrow and rocky single track. My gravel bike handled it OK but a mountain bike would’ve been better for that section.

From Haskins park towards Walmart could use a bench or something but otherwise a very nice trail. Small tributary nearby and several side trails into the woods by pple and animals. See a lot of birds and deer on the main path itself. A few walnut trees right along the trail. I see several people traveling on it every time I'm there.

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.