Find the top rated birding trails in Staunton, 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.
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My friend and fellow bike adventurer David and I spent three days riding the entire trail twice. West Virginia is truly scenic and this trail also doesn't disappoint. Many trails claim they are adjacent to water but often meander far away. This trail is next to the scenic Greenbrier River almost the entire 77 miles and the tree canopy was protective on our hot, sunny days. We lodged in Marlinton (TwoTire AirB&B) a town with all necessary services. Day one we rode north to Cass, an historic town with a nice cafe, museum, gift shop and an excursion steam locomotive. The up and back ride was 51 miles. Day two we rode south to Rorer (26 miles) and back for our 52 mile day. We stopped at the really nice general store on the trail in Seebert (10 miles south of Marlinton) and bought sandwiches to take to our lunch stop...this is the only food service on this stretch of the trail. On day three we drove to Spring Creek so we could ride south to the trails end near Caldwell. Spring Creek has very limited and remotely located parking so I'd recommend other parking areas if you follow a similar itinerary. There is no food service on this stretch. we planned to ride into Caldwell and over to Lewisburg but this turned out to be a bad idea. The trail ends at mile marker 3.1. The narrow and hilly country road into Caldwell has no shoulder and had traffic on our Sunday stop. We determined it was too dangerous to cycle but we needed lunch...solution...call Dominoes and have a pizza delivered to the trailhead.
Phone service is limited but we found that stops like Cass, Seebert and Caldwell had service.
The trail is mostly a two track path and is fairly well maintained. The best bike for this trail would be a gravel or touring style bike with 36c or larger tires. I wouldn't recommend a road bike and while we saw one hand cycle and one recumbent, they were struggling a bit.
I did the trail from end to end in two days pulling a BOB trailer with no problem staying overnight at one of the campsites near Cass. It’s an easy trail to ride with wildlife around each bend. I saw every kind of animal WV has to offer including two bears. The campsites are well spaced and well thought out. Water is available but I wouldn’t pass one by without topping off. This is a great trail for an introduction to bike packing. Cell service is sketchy at best so be prepared.
I hiked this trail today and enjoyed it quite a lot. The trail itself is nice and wide, and fairly flat. There’s good tree canopy over most of the route and beautiful views of the rivers and fields. There are benches and picnic tables scattered along the trail as well. Plenty of parking at the Piney River trailhead. Will definitely hike this one again.
We love the Jackson River Trail and ride it several times a year - yesterday was the first for this year. The trail extension was delayed by a terrible mudslide, but has now been beautifully completed two+ miles north into Bath County. I wish Bath County would complete the trail all the way into Hot Springs! It would rival the Creeper Trail for sure. This trail is the best maintained trail we've ridden. There had been inches of rain the day before but there were no puddles, no debris - the trail was completely clear. The Parks and Recreation guys of Covington keep it nicely mowed and the restrooms are amazingly clean. We highly recommend this rail trail. And if you want a great place to eat afterward, try Trani's Grille! Great food!
My wife and I rode this trail 4/15/2025. Great surface, very scenic and NOT busy during the week. Signage was great as we're trailheads
Maybe it was the time of year but kinda boring. Well used by horses as there was ample "evidence" lying on the trail. The Nelson County website mentions "restroom facilities" at the trailheads. The Piney River trailheads "restroom facilities" is a single porta potty. The Roses Mill trailhead does have a small bathroom.
Amazing tunnel and a fun experience with kids. Be sure to bring your flashlight.
Started my journey at Piney River trailhead very early on a crisp October morning. The temperature was 37 degrees, but the sun was rising, and there was no wind. Riding east, my only companions were squirrels, deer and the many birds flying overhead. I LOVE the peace and quiet this trail provides with the squishy crunch of the finely crushed gravel beneath my tires, and the gentle rush of water spilling over rocks in the Piney and Tye Rivers. No nearby roads or traffic meant for a little over an hour of pure escape. The farm and forest scenery and multiple bridges spanning the river provided ever changing views. I was thankful for the regular milepost markers, posted every 1/4 mile along the entire trail length. On the return trip I counted 75 spins of my crank arm to traverse a 1/4 mile section of the trail. The path was well-maintained throughout, with just the right amount of trail-side markers, benches, and memorials to provide short breaks. I didn't use the restrooms, but they were available at the western trailhead and at Roses Mill trailhead near the western end. If I had one wish for this trail, it would be to extend along the original 20 miles of the original Blue Ridge Railway right of way. I'm not sure if that's possible, but I feel it would make this trail garner more attention than it currently receives. The trail's location between Charlottesville and Lynchburg is in one of the prettiest parts of Virginia, and is just south of the many breweries, vineyards and distilleries along Route 151 in Nelson County. It is also a short drive from Wintergreen resort. Come check it out!!
Most of this trail consists of a wide grassy median with two narrow gravel ruts on either side. This is great for bicycles but recumbent trikes, or anything with more than two wheels, will be forced to ride with at least one wheel up on the grass making for a slow rough ride. I rode almost the entire trail over two days on my trike, from mile marker 25 to 77, and it is a beautiful trail -- for bicycles. Short sections that are in full shade in deep forest are pure crushed stone, no grass. This makes it clear that when the trail was originally constructed it did not have a grassy median; the grassy median is due to bad maintenance. Politicians love to attend ribbon cutting ceremonies for new infrastructure, and the press will cover new stuff, but who ever read about politicians attending a ceremony to celebrate routine annual maintenance? Build and neglect.
My wife and I rode the Jackson River Scenic Trail over two days in late summer, Intervale to Smith Bridge the first day and Smith Bridge to the end on the second. We thoroughly enjoyed this trail. The trail was shady, scenic and peaceful. It is one of the widest, flattest and smoothest rail-trails I've ever been on, perfect for kids or casual riders who don't like incessant bumps or grinding grades. The trail is well equipped with picnic areas and restrooms. (No interpretive signage however; it would be a nice upgrade to showcase the human and natural history of the area.) Two of the best sights are located just off the trail. A small sign will direct you to a suspension footbridge over the river. It's well worth the detour to bounce over the bridge. (A sign warns you not to bounce, but just walking across the thing sets it into motion!) Just below the Smith Bridge parking area is the decommissioned Smith Bridge, open to foot traffic only. It offers big views of the river. A couple of caveats: 1) While the trail traces the river for most of its length, there are no places to get wet directly on the trail. A public access area just off the trail at Smith Bridge has a shallow area perfect for getting wet. 2) The lower portion of the trail is located a few miles from a huge paper mill. Depending on weather conditions, you may smell it.
Some friends and I rode the entire Greenbrier River Trail as part of a four-day 180-mile bike tour. (The entire route is part of Adventure Cycling's Short Routes collection at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46271108)
On the Greenbrier River Trail, you're enfolded by green mountains, flowing water, wildflowers, solitude, and lots of places to get wet. And quiet! The near-total lack of cell coverage meant no dinging intrusions from the "real world". So relaxing to disconnect and reconnect!
There is a remote feel to this trail, but you’re never far from camping or water. The primitive campsites along the trail are free and first-come first-served. The campsite at Mile 28.5 was an especially nice place to swim and gather around a campfire. There is also an adjacent Hipcamp and Watoga State Park for those who want a hot shower.
Cass, a former lumber boomtown, has a steam excursion train a small museum for rail buffs. Marlinton offers a respite to trail food, including a combination bike shop-café. Jack Horner's Corner, just off the trail in Seebert, has good food and ice cream.
Several things set this trail apart: the feel of isolation, the abundant camping options and the trailside displays showcasing the human and natural history of the Greenbrier valley.
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