Find the top rated birding trails in Morgantown, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
My husband & I walked this trail recently, going up to Pt Marion PA. Very nice trail with some original railroad items along the way.
We started near Washington Pa and enjoyed the quality of the trail. Well maintained and clearly marked with adequate facilities along the way. The tunnels are a treat and an exciting ride through old Pennsylvania rail space!
I rode round-trip from Hendricks to Highland Park (Elkins) and back for a 50-mile trip and never saw another cyclist. On a hot July day the northern half was much more pleasant (shady and scenic), and the grade was very manageable. The southern half is much more open, and the trail occasionally all but disappears into thin lines of gravel. There are really no amenities on the trail, and the southern end stops about half a mile from Elkins, but it is an easy ride on street or sidewalk to town. As noted by another reviewer, the trail is closed from Mile Marker 15-17 for construction work for the Corridor H highway, but I was riding on a Saturday and was able to pick my way past the big idle machines and over the chewed up roadway, rather than detour onto the road.
We started at milepost 6 at the Cliff Mine parking area and went out and back to milestone 25 (national tunnel) on a warm day (88 Deg F). The ride was great with shade over 75% of this portion of the trail. The trail is well maintained and almost all was crushed limestone. We had road bikes and were fine with these.
Went through 2 tunnels (milepost 7 and 25) where it was cool and very moist (water flowing on walls and some dropping from the ceiling).
Nice historic signs along the way describing bridges and coal mining and processing that was previously in this area. Very well done.
It was obvious the trail is continually maintained and was in great shape. Regular water stops and trail maps every five miles and pocket maps available at the trail and online.
Many trees alongside the trail provided great shade but blocked the view.
Gradual grade up and down throughout. Only a few city blocks are on city street. All rest was off road.
Overall great ride. I recommend it.
I began at the Elm Grove Trailhead on the Wheeling Creek Trail and continued north on the Ohio River Trail until it was under water from the recent heavy rains. I should have been within just a couple miles of the northern most trailhead as I traveled out 17.5 miles. I did not ride the southern portion of the Ohio River Trail choosing to go back to the car when the Wheeling Creek Trail intersected.
The Hempfield Tunnel and Viaduct are amazing. The tunnel was obviously for a mainline as it is wide enough for two sets of railroad tracks. Obviously a train has not passed through the tunnel in many years as a huge branch has grown over the eastern entrance to the tunnel well above cyclists. The tunnel was built in 1904 and made to last as the interior and the facades are lined with brick. Unfortunately taggers have left their mark with graffiti but it could be worse.
The paved surface is in very good shape considering the winters that it suffers. There were some rough areas in the pavement, but very few and that beats gravel!. The trail is completely flat along the Ohio river and it goes from urban in Downtown Wheeling then back and forth between wilderness and industrial. No complaints over a lack of majestic scenery as the river is always nearby. The Pike Island Lock Complex is intriguing.
I rate it 9 gears (based on a 10 speed cassette)
We rode Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Cumberland on June 30th. Fortunately the train was very late, so we didn't get on the trail until 3:30 and were able to avoid some of the sun we likely would have had earlier in the day. The climb to the Continental Divide was long and slow, but beautiful. We stopped to take quite a few pictures and chilled for a bit in Frostburg (ice cream shop closed at 4 on a 90 degree Saturday?!?). Stayed at Morguen Toole Co. in Meyersdale and enjoyed a great meal there too. On July 1 we headed to Confluence in the AM. We borrowed a car to visit the Flight 93 Memorial and, once again, managed to avoid riding in the hottest part of the day. Once on our way again we headed to Connellsville and stayed at the Connellsville B&B, which was wonderful. On the 2nd we rode to West Newton for lunch, after an extended stop at Rachel Sager Mosaics in Whitsett. We had a stop at Over the Bars Bike Cafe in Pittsburgh before finishing up the trail just before a thunderstorm hit. We met some wonderful folks along the way and enjoyed a fantastic few days of riding at an enjoyable pace.
I'm normally a moderate level trail biker, but visited this trail as a walker instead, with 2 - 50+ companions - one human and one canine. I will say you see much more when your pace is slower, even though we only covered a short section of this trail. Due to time constraints and the intense summer heat, we chose the section close to Morgantown over the more rural (and probably more scenic) southern section. Parking is available and adequate at Marilla Park and another dedicated trail parking area nearby. We picnicked in the park and walked over the creek via boardwalk to access the paved trail. It's partly urban views - mobile home park, businesses along rt 7 - but the creek is nearby the entire length. Board of parks employees were very visible on a Monday - running a day camp at the park, mowing the grass, and completing a new trail access bridge. Approaching downtown, there is a nice dog park and benches. The intersection with Hazel Ruby Mcquain Park is, well, interesting. There is a trail parking area I imagine is accessed from one of the downtown streets, and I agree that the bus station parking area is best avoided. The Mon and Caperton Trails intersect here but didn't appear to be well marked coming from the Deckers Creeks Trail, it just ends near the bus station where there are many other walkways, as well as restrooms and a water fountain. This also seemed to where displaced persons congregate - they did not bother with us, or us with them. There was light traffic when we visited, although when WVU is in session I would think it would be busier. I look forward to bringing my hybrid to see the rest of the trail next time.
Parts of the Trail from Mount Pleasant to BridgePort are terrible. Large section of the trail is basically large gravel instead of crushed gravel making it very hard to ride a bike on. Also some of the benches are covered with weeds. Trail used to be very nice. Hopefully it will get better soon
The trail is closed from Mile Marker 15-17 for construction work for the Corridor H highway. If anyone has any knowledge of when this will be completed as it pertains to the trail closure please post.
Had a great time. Went from Shinnston to almost Monongah. Very beautiful and pretty easy ride. There is 2 parking lots at the beginning of the trail in Shinnston. There is a sign where you turn in to them.
I rode the GAP /CO this past Labor Day weekend- best bike trip ever. 120 miles from Pittsburgh to Meyersdale (120 miles). Almost flat- never any sense of climbing, smooth trail on a road bike with 32mm tires and fenders. The ride from Meyersdale to Cumberland was easy- downhill the last 30 miles or so. Thanks to all the groups that put the trail together- what an asset to the region.
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