Find the top rated walking trails in Morgantown, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail winds through the rugged hills in the former coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Although remote, the trail passes through several small towns,...
The 61.5-mile Montour Trail follows most of the former Montour Railroad’s main line west and south of Pittsburgh. This little short line was incorporated during the late 19th century and, despite its...
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 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 East Wetzel Rail-trail is a 1.5 mile pathway that runs through the town of Hundred in West Virginia. The trail provides connectivity to various local destinations including the high school, the...
When complete, the Harrison South Rail Trail will extend south from Veteran's Memorial Park and the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg to the rural community of Lost Creek. The trail,...
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...
The Glen Dale to Moundsville Rail-Trail runs for 3.4 paved miles between Glen Dale City Park and Moundsville Riverview Park. The trail parallels the Ohio River behind shopping plazas and...
The Marion County Trail—better known as the MCTrail—runs for nearly 3 miles along Pricketts Creek through rural Marion County. The trail's main highlight is a 1,200-foot lighted tunnel (Meredith...
The Rotary Walk provides a pleasant stroll through southern Pennsylvania's Uniontown. From its western terminus off of Lebanon Avenue, the trail heads northeast for just over 1 mile along a former...
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...
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 Cheat Lake Trail is the result of a generous donation of land by Allegheny Energy (now FirstEnergy) near its Lake Lynn Power Station on scenic Cheat Lake. The area was once home to West Penn...
West Virginia's West Fork River Trail provides a snapshot of some of the most beautiful scenery in this region. Its official name is the West Fork River Ralph S. Larue Trail in honor of the director...
Closure Notice: Starting February 2021, a section of the Wheeling Creek Trail will be closed for an estimated nine months. The trail by the Hempfield Viaduct/Tunnel west of Rock Point Road will be...
The central point of the Caperton Trail is located in Morgantown, known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. Morgantown...
The Elizabeth J. “Binky” Poundstone Memorial River Trail is nestled into the City of Buckhannon, tucked along the Buckhannon River in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. A short portion of the...
The stars in the Big Dipper and Little Dipper help navigators locate the North Star. Following the five stars in the Five Star Trail—the municipalities of Hempfield Township, Youngwood, South...
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 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 central point of the Caperton Trail is located in Morgantown, known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. Morgantown...
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...
The Glen Dale to Moundsville Rail-Trail runs for 3.4 paved miles between Glen Dale City Park and Moundsville Riverview Park. The trail parallels the Ohio River behind shopping plazas and...
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...
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 East Wetzel Rail-trail is a 1.5 mile pathway that runs through the town of Hundred in West Virginia. The trail provides connectivity to various local destinations including the high school, the...
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...
Closure Notice: Starting February 2021, a section of the Wheeling Creek Trail will be closed for an estimated nine months. The trail by the Hempfield Viaduct/Tunnel west of Rock Point Road will be...
The Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail winds through the rugged hills in the former coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Although remote, the trail passes through several small towns,...
The Marion County Trail—better known as the MCTrail—runs for nearly 3 miles along Pricketts Creek through rural Marion County. The trail's main highlight is a 1,200-foot lighted tunnel (Meredith...
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 Rotary Walk provides a pleasant stroll through southern Pennsylvania's Uniontown. From its western terminus off of Lebanon Avenue, the trail heads northeast for just over 1 mile along a former...
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...
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 61.5-mile Montour Trail follows most of the former Montour Railroad’s main line west and south of Pittsburgh. This little short line was incorporated during the late 19th century and, despite its...
The Greene River Trail provides an up close tour of riverside communities whose histories are steeped in the coal industry. You can see remnants of coal mining along the trail, as well as chipmunks,...
Nearly two miles of the proposed 12-mile Browns Run Trail is currently open near Masontown in German Township, Fayette County. The trail follows the former Monongahela and B&O lines from Lardin House,...
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 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...
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 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 61.5-mile Montour Trail follows most of the former Montour Railroad’s main line west and south of Pittsburgh. This little short line was incorporated during the late 19th century and, despite its...
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 Joel McCann Memorial Trail is part of what will one day be a 16-mile rail-trail from Barrackville to Mannington following the former Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad. Currently, a 1-mile section of...
The Rotary Walk provides a pleasant stroll through southern Pennsylvania's Uniontown. From its western terminus off of Lebanon Avenue, the trail heads northeast for just over 1 mile along a former...
The East Wetzel Rail-trail is a 1.5 mile pathway that runs through the town of Hundred in West Virginia. The trail provides connectivity to various local destinations including the high school, the...
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 Elizabeth J. “Binky” Poundstone Memorial River Trail is nestled into the City of Buckhannon, tucked along the Buckhannon River in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. A short portion of the...
The Indian Creek Valley Bike and Hike Trail winds through the rugged hills in the former coal-mining region of southwestern Pennsylvania. Although remote, the trail passes through several small towns,...
The stars in the Big Dipper and Little Dipper help navigators locate the North Star. Following the five stars in the Five Star Trail—the municipalities of Hempfield Township, Youngwood, South...
When complete, the Harrison South Rail Trail will extend south from Veteran's Memorial Park and the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg to the rural community of Lost Creek. The trail,...
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 central point of the Caperton Trail is located in Morgantown, known as the home of West Virginia University, the inspiration for a Joni Mitchell song and the birthplace of Don Knotts. Morgantown...
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...
The Sheepskin Rail-Trail is a developing pathway located in rural Fayette County, Pennsylvania. As of 2018, the trail is open in three disconnected segments, totaling nearly 6 miles. Eventually, the...
The Cheat Lake Trail is the result of a generous donation of land by Allegheny Energy (now FirstEnergy) near its Lake Lynn Power Station on scenic Cheat Lake. The area was once home to West Penn...
Nearly two miles of the proposed 12-mile Browns Run Trail is currently open near Masontown in German Township, Fayette County. The trail follows the former Monongahela and B&O lines from Lardin House,...
The Marion County Trail—better known as the MCTrail—runs for nearly 3 miles along Pricketts Creek through rural Marion County. The trail's main highlight is a 1,200-foot lighted tunnel (Meredith...
From Parkersburg to mile marker 33 they have put down new gravel. In most places it’s been compacted and is smooth to ride. There is some spots of loose deep gravel that will slow you down. In Petroleum there is a covered picnic and bike repair stand with restroom. Past #33 it is still smooth pea gravel and good to ride to #44 that’s as far as I got. I would do it again. The only warning I have is the gates are closed and can be tricky to get around, one person actually took a bad fall trying to get around one. If you don’t feel confident walk your bike around.
My daughter and I did a round trip from Pittsburg to Cumberland! Then Cumberland back to Pittsburg! Camped and did motel. Just awesome! We have made a few extra trips driving from Mansfield, Ohio to Cumberland to just do the Cumberland to Eastern Continental Divide and back spend night in Cumberland and biked a few miles down the C&O and back before driving home!
Trail was nice to walk our dogs; areas of full sun and shade.
Rode the trail from Pittsburg to Cumberland. had a great time and the views were amazing. My wife and I are planning to hike a portion of the trail. If anyone has done this please let me know what part you hiked. we want to hike from Rockwood to Cumberland. Any advise or tips would be greatly appreciated.
I first rode this trail around 25 years ago and at the time thought it was the worst railtrail I had ever ridden and in my mind it occupied that spot from then on. I went back to see if the trail was any better after about 25 years since I had heard of improvements and there weren’t any recent TrailLink reviews. Sadly it wasn’t better and may be worse.
When I first rode it around 1996 much of the trail was being used by ATVs and in bad shape. Additionally the trail dead-ended at a wire fence near Spelter because of ground contamination. The gate is now gone and you can ride through to County Rt 19/33 now.
I started at the Clarksburg end and right away there is no formal parking for the trailhead. You just park along the road by an abandoned glass factory. There is new signage and at the beginning the trail is paved which it was not years ago. The pavement only lasts for 1/4 mile though and then turns to gravel. There are also some ditches and steel plates from apparent ditching work. This gravel is okay but not great.
After this the gravel changed to 1” size and was progressively harder to ride. The scenery would have been nice if I could have looked a bit but the trail was constantly challenging. At 3.5 miles the bottom fell out. At this point the trail turned to what can only be called an offroad track. The gravel was gone thankfully and the surface smooth, when it didn’t consist of huge mud holes and some tire tracks. This “trail” is obviously being used by vehicles of all types and I figured out why later. For the next 3 miles you constantly are trying to avoid this mud and water and hitting occasionally rocky areas. One section about a 100 ft long was filled with 4” gravel. The last half mile or so before Spelter is gravel again and halfway decent but not great.
As I stopped at the end for a break before going back I realized a huge issue with this trail - not a single gate was closed on it. You could drive it with the appropriate vehicle end-to-end. In fact, on the way back I passed an ATV and a pickup truck using it.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone go to ride this trail - it’s just not worth it when there are better options nearby such as the West Fork River Trail or the Mon River and Deckers Creek trails in Morgantown.
We rode 10 miles from Parkersburg to Walker on a cool late fall day. The scenery was beautiful! We passed only 1 person on the trail during our ride. The gravel trail covered in leaves was challenging. Definitely need wider tires - we rode Trek gravel bikes. But the real reason this trail got only 3 stars was 19 closed gates blocking trail that you had to ride around. Dangerous edges to squeeze around gate - my husband almost wiped out.
Based on other reviews, i decided to go to main parking lot where the playground is located to try to prevent blocked entrances or stairways. Getting to that main parking lot was not the best drive. It was kinda creepy and there was only 1 other car beside me. But once I got to the trail, it was fine. Very quiet given there was only 2 of us out there at the time. From the beginning of the trail, left side is 3.5 miles and right side is the other.9 miles. Back and forth it is 9 miles Views were great.
In Pittsburgh, if you are cycling enthusiast, you must experience Bicycle Heaven - It is a nonprofit, private collection with over 5,000 complete bikes and even more bicycle parts that it is overwhelming. Some bikes date back to the late 1800s to the present.
Departing Pittsburgh’s concrete jungle, I highly recommend that you have the GAP route available on a GPS device as it is marked but you can miss the signs as you are focused on the traffic. Once on the gravel portion, it is an easy navigation exercise!
At the trailheads, there were plenty of new bicycle repair/air pump stations.
The illuminated 3,000’+ Savage Tunnel was an amazing experience as was experiencing the Mason Dixon Line.
Also, confirm (call) your dining options along the trail as even if sites on the internet say they will be open during your visit, you may be disappointed and going hungry due to staffing issues.
This trail is actually 5.5 miles long. Even the sign in Friendsville only shows the roughly 2 miles that take you to Kendall. But the trail continues on past there, although it becomes increasingly rugged as you go.
From a back story standpoint, Kendall was founded in 1889, as a lumber town, and abandoned circa the 1920s. The railroad was removed circa the 1940s. This means that there are few remains, and that the trail bed is rougher than rail trails built on more recently inactive railroads.
With that in mind, I recommend a mountain bike with suspension, although a hybrid will do if that's what you have and you are used to rough trails. There are far too many rocks for a road bike to traverse this trail. Also note that eventually, you'll have to hike if you want to reach the end of the trail; bring good shoes as there is mud (even though it hasn't rained lately).
The first 0.4 miles are gravel from the parking area by the trailhead (east of the river on Morris Avenue, as indicated on TrailLink; there's also parking and a port-a-john at the parking area west of the river off of Church Lane, which is what the signs from Maple Street off of I-68 will point you to). After this section, it becomes a forest trail, dirt-and-leaves with rocks, sometimes rocks obscured by leaves. The number of rocks tends to increase the farther you go.
Kendall is around mile 2. I've seen some reviews on the Internet that say there isn't anything there. That isn't really true. If you're expecting buildings, this isn't the ghost town for you. But I saw a couple stone foundations that were clearly built by humans, some pieces of lumber that were machine-cut, and a heavily rusted-through iron bucket that had seen better decades. Note that if you decide to explore the Kendall area off the trail, make sure you have a GPS device that marks where you've been - the woods are thick there.
Still, it's fair to say that your primary motivation for this trail should be the rugged scenery and the challenge, not expecting to see a town at Kendall. I suggest Kaymoor, West Virginia if you're looking for a ghost town trail, though that one is hiking, not biking.
Around mile 2.1, just past Kendall, you'll hit the first major (but short) mud section. In a lot of the mud sections, if you have decent speed, you can cross them by bike and keep your shoes dry. If you don't have decent speed (and you won't always), the mud might try to swallow your bike, so navigate by foot as needed.
Just before mile 2.2, there's a downed tree, with two main branch sections blocking the trail. I lifted my bike over each of these, but you may wish to switch to hiking at this point; it would be easy to climb over the tree without a bike. You'll hit another, longer mud section about a hundred feet past this tree.
Shortly before mile 2.4, you'll cross the stream that the other reviewer mentioned. It's necessary to walk the bike across this stream, but it's a fairly easy crossing by the standards of this trail.
Around mile 2.8, a quarter-mile section of very heavy rocks begins. I can't fathom taking even a mountain bike across this area; maybe a Marji Gesick rider would find it to be fun. After realizing the rocks kept going, I left my bike at about mile 2.85. But starting at about 3.05, the trail becomes pretty bike-traversable again.
For the next 1.6 miles, the trail could be biked, although it's a bit narrow in areas, with fairly steep drop-offs to the west (right, heading south) as it gains elevation above the river.
At mile 4.65, there was a rock slide at some point in the past, which took out most of the trail. You can still navigate across it on foot, but it would not be safe to try to cart a bike across this area. This is the reason that I mentioned that you'll have to hike for at least part of it.
The trail continues on until mile 5.5, where it ends at some large rocks, steep elevation, and heavy plant growth. You'll be able to hear some rapids behind the large boulder in the river, and bending low, you should be able to go just far enough under the undergrowth to get a nice view of that area, even with a rock to sit on to rest your weary feet.
Along the route, you'll notice a few branching trails, three if I remember correctly. One is just a direct path (straight) versus a river overlook option (right). The more interesting options branch to the left, and I believe these are the paths of temporary lumber railroads. I didn't traverse those on this expedition, but if they're substantial there may be yet more trail in this area to explore.
Wildlife-wise, I have heard there are black bears and snakes in the area, but didn't see any today. I did run into quite a few spider webs, and wound up with a small black spider with white spots on my shoulder, likely a jumping spider. I also saw a recently deceased deer in Kendall. It may have fallen to natural causes - I saw no obvious wound, although I didn't approach too closely - but make sure you wear bright clothing during hunting season as a precaution.
The trail itself is beautiful, especially this time of year. It's currently near peak color, with leaves on the trail, on the trees, and even in the air, falling as you ride. If you're local, get out on the trail this week and enjoy the autumn foliage.
Finally, I'd be remiss to not mention that there are amazing views of the Youghiogheny River from the trail, and several areas where you can climb down to river level for even better views. Nearly the entire river is chock full of rapids for the duration of the trail.
Oct 2021. Trail in excellent condition. Views of the trail itself is great. Mostly uphill going east/south. Not bad. Easy to follow. Very impressive. Mature Appalachian forest turns to spacious farm land then a little reminder of the business world on both ends. No dogs or distractions. Several road crossings so keep the kids close. Cool watching the creek fall away from the rising rail trail. Then 10 miles later it comes back to greet you. Ye
October 2021. Trail surface in perfect condition. I did a 30 mile out and back as I wasn’t sure if me and the battery could make the 48 round trip to Parsons from Elkins. Lots of shade and a few views of fields and wind turbines. Lot of noise from the bordering highway.
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