Find the top rated bike trails in West Virginia, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Rode 26 miles of the trail over the weekend and have to say it was probably the worst trail that I have ridden.
We rode from the northern trailhead in Cass on Saturday, and then headed south from Marlinton on Sunday. There was one location of less than a quarter mile where it seemed to have been maintained - more for hiking than for biking as it was a combination of so much gravel that it was like biking on sand then in the same stretch there were large stones better for keeping a pickup from sinking than for biking.
Much of the trail was a pair of tire grooves spaced about the width of a pickup truck, with weeds growing in between. There was little evidence that trail - the riding surface - had been maintained in a few years. In a couple of areas the trail was barely visible through the freshly mowed lawns. There were areas where the tire tracks were without gravel and which had become mud for a biker to navigate.
And, it's a state park? So, are we to assume that there is an annual maintenance budget??
Maybe the sections of the trail further south are better for biking.
Nothing spectacular, but just a nice trail for a quick ride after work. Easy access every few miles for those who live in south or west hills of PGH. Have not yet done the full 58 mile “out and back”’to WV, but will someday! I believe that the portion of trail in Wash. Co PA is paved. The portion in Allegheny Co PA is crushed stone, but very easy ride for adults and kids alike.
My husband & I walked this trail recently, going up to Pt Marion PA. Very nice trail with some original railroad items along the way.
It was a nice trail but if you need to be in shape to get back out.
Not being maintained,it is July 18 and still hasn't been mowed, parts of the trail are not accessible used to be a beautiful trail, now it is rough
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.
I began at the Trailhead near Carnegie, PA and rode only to the West Virginia State line since I was doing an out and back making my mileage 47.25 instead of 58. I rode the day after some very heavy rain. The trail in Allegheny County is gravel and while wet, for the most part, the water was absorbed by the trail or ran off. There were a few places where you could see a bit of the trail washed out, but it was no problem with the 28 mm gravel tires I was riding. A tree had fallen and was blocking a portion of the trail in Allegheny County when I passed in the morning. Upon my return a few hours later, crews were working on the remains of the tree which had been removed from the trail surface.
God Bless Washington County where I grew up, the trail is paved from the Allegheny County line to the West Virginia Line. There were no puddles from the heavy rains and the pavement was just about pristine. Beautiful riding surface. Much to my surprise, this trail had some elevation changes if you care to call 879 feet of climbing over 47 miles an elevation change. I doubt any grade exceeded 1.5%, but there were both uphill and downhill sections going both directions.
The reviews of this trail were pretty negative. One complained about the pavement in Washington County and I have to conclude the author was off his meds. I thought it was wonderful. Others complained that it was not very scenic. While there were no tunnels or viaducts or vast expanses to view, it was just a rural ride that I felt was all beautiful all of the time. I saw many deer including a Mama and her fawn and an assortment of other critters.
On my return trip, I stopped in Burgettstown for a late breakfast of pancakes and eggs at the 1709 Main Street restaurant just off the trail. Typical small town diner, good food, courteous country people, and great prices. A couple ladies riding the trail also came in to eat while I was there.
I am sure I will ride the Panhandle Trail again when I am visiting Pops. I can find little to not like about the Panhandle Trail. I ding it one gear as there is no outstanding feature that is a must see, so it gets 9 Gears (on a 10 gear cassette).
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)
Many rewards here. There's a couples of great swimming holes located within the first mile and a trail loaded with roots and rocks. Glade Creek Falls is a creek wide fall, picnic on top, jump in or swing into. The next two mile the trail leaves the creek and climbs up and down 600 foot. I had to carry my bike at times. The third mile brings the only bridge on the trail and finally levels out and is better kept. Four and half miles in brings you to Kate's Fall, very nice when you have a little H2O. The fifth mile you will go under the highest interstate bridge in the US at 700 foot. Just under a mile to the other trail head you can access by Little Beaver State Park. The turn around trip is mostly down hill.
This trail is actually 80 miles. I'm not sure why it says 77, but my family started at mile marker 80 this July. We road down to mile 75 and back. This part of the trail starts at Cass and has a slight downgrade. It's crushed stone, but the trail is kept up nicely. It also follows the river. Our goal is to keep going back and doing it in sections each year.
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