Find the top rated walking trails in West Virginia, 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.
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I rode this trail on my way back from RAGBRAI to check off West Virginia and maintain my fitness. It was perfect for that purpose. I rode it on a road bike with 28 mm tires, and they performed well. We started our journey downtown at Heritage Point. There isn’t dedicated trail parking, but there’s free parallel parking on the street next to the trail. We headed north first. We crossed under the 1848 suspension bridge and navigated through areas between buildings and woods. Further down, there are stretches of a couple of miles next to a road. The road was not busy, and it was entirely safe. There were many expansion cracks but few heaves. There weren’t many road crossings. We turned around after 8 miles, where there’s a structure that I suppose is used for loading coal onto barges. The trail was nicely paved, but we rode back and then to the southern terminus. South of heritage point it seemed there were more heaves in the trail surface. They were outlined with white paint. Much of the south part was not very scenic. It was about 3 miles to the trail terminus.
Rode only about 14 miles of it...7 out and 7 back last spring. Lots of walkers in the downtown area. It was clear and was well maintained when I was on it. Pretty flat on the section i rode. I'd ride it again.
I parked in Wellsburg and rode through town first. Very unkempt and Unmarked. Bumpy and just all around super unenjoyable. Headed back the other direction. While nicer, admittedly, it was still pretty unkept. 2/10 for being lackluster. At best.
Did 16 from Oakdale to Burgettstown. Ate at Paradise on the Trail. Allegheny County had black topped a bunch, which is great. Fantastic trail!!
Finished a 3-day ride that started at the trailhead in Cass, WV and ended in a small park outside of Lewisburg. First 2 days we had periods of downpours and sunshine, but nice temperatures. The last day was sunny with low humidity.
All 3 days, the trail was in good condition despite some puddles during the downpours. The crushed stone surface held up well with no serious wash outs. A lot of the trail was "2 track" with thick grass between the tracks, but very manageable even in the rain.
Beautiful trail that's mostly shaded and close to the Green River most of the way. Did not see many other riders, especially during the 2 rainy days. I consider it a remote trail and cell phone service is spotty at best. There are a number of "vault" bathrooms on the trail next to primitive camping spots. The only town of any size that you go through is Marlinton that has about 3 miles of asphalt instead of the crushed stone.
Beautiful is the best way to describe it from my experience. The only drawback is that the crushed stone is a little rough in some areas, so you have to pay attention most of the time.
Highly recommend it if you like remote trails with plenty of scenic areas.
About three miles east of Morgantown begins a steady 11-12 mile climb. Lots of shade, no facilities. Great ride but takes effort
38 miles round trip of shaded bliss. Nice wide track of crushed stone. No facilities except at Ft Prickett. Rode in 100 degree heat but was very comfortable.
We parked at Colliers Station and traveled a few miles down to Weirton. Weirton is the low elevation on the trail. We biked to the Pennsylvania/West Virginia state line. There is a marker and picnic area. Continued uphill in PA and stopped in Burgettstown. The replica train station along the trail is a little restaurant with ice cream, cold drinks, sandwiches, etc. We biked up to Bulger PA which is the highest point on the trail. Trail is asphalt paved in very good condition. Most of the trail is not shaded and goes through open areas. There are occasional sections of the trail that are wooded and offer shade. Between Weirton and Bulger we passed a few well maintained parking lots. There are map signs at each trailhead. We plan on riding the rest of the trail another time.
I am happy to report that the Allegheny Highlands Trail is 100% open and in great shape. We departed Hendricks not fully knowing if the trail was open, closed or just in very rough shape. We were delighted to find out that the trail was not only open all the way but the smoothest part of the trail was where the bridge construction was. The repair to the trail is complete and there is a nice layer of crushed stone to take you through where the construction site was. From Hendricks to Hambleton, the trail is paved but has quite a few cracks and ridges. Nothing too bad and very passable. The rest of the ride from Hambleton to Elkins is a mix of pavement and crushed stone and the trail is excellent shape the whole way. There a few parts with high grass and vegetation that crowds the trail but again, nothing that hinders passage. The thing I loved most about this trail is the variety of towns and countryside. It is truly a ride through the back yard of Americana culture and a window to way people live in rural America. The town of Parsons had some great little restaurants and be sure to grab a cup off coffee at The Sunrise Coffee Company. Elkins was a great place to stay the night and offered great food and a free concert in the park with Top Shelf performing. Great band!
After finishing this trail I was surprised to see that it received a 2 star review. While this is not a well groomed urban trail nor a remote back country ride, this trail offers a pleasant ride through the back yard of America with wonderful little towns along the way and absolutely beautiful countryside. The wild flowers alone were a spectacular addition and the small towns offered us a place to grab some lunch along the way. The best part of all is that the trail exists for our enjoyment and is absolutely free to anyone who wishes to wander its path. That alone deserves more than 2 stars.
After riding from Elkins to Hendricks, we decided to extend our ride and take on the uphill ride to Thomas. We throughly enjoyed a rainy day ride through the canyon and on into the town of Thomas. The climb is constant but never that difficult. The trail, while rough at times was doable on a Trek FX3 with 40mm tires. However, I would recommend suspension for the downhill ride. Our hands were quite numb from the vibration of the rocky trail with no suspension on our bikes. Overall, the trail was a great addition to our ride that day and added a challenging 10.7 miles up and a very easy coast back to Hendricks. Great scenery along the way with waterfalls, deep canyon ravines, coke ovens and the wonderful town of Thomas. I think in order to fully appreciate this ride you need to start in Hendricks for the ride up the canyon to Thomas to fully deserve the very easy downhill ride back to Hendricks. After traveling from Elkins, we thoroughly enjoyed the remoteness of Blackwater Canyon and constant sounds of the river below. The trail is rocky but well maintained for the most part and high grass was not an issue at all. This trail has been on my list for years and was well worth the wait.
THE CLOSURE NOTICE AT THE TOP OF THE DESCRIPTION IS INACCURATE. As of June 2026 the trail is open to at least MM 15. The bridge repairs are causing a series of rolling closures and you need to check the trail website to see what's currently closed.
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