List of rail trails in West Virginia facts for kids

Have you ever wondered what happens to old railroad tracks when trains stop using them? In West Virginia, many of these old tracks have been turned into special paths called rail trails. These trails are perfect for walking, biking, and sometimes even horseback riding! They let you explore beautiful parts of the state while learning about its history. This list tells you about some of the cool rail trails you can visit in West Virginia, and even a few that are still being planned.

Awesome Rail Trails You Can Explore

• Allegheny Highland Trail: This trail was built as part of a big road project called Corridor H.
• Beckley Rail Trail: You can find this trail in the city of Beckley. It's also known as the Lewis McManus Trail.
• Blackwater Canyon: This trail is super long, stretching over 12 miles!
• Brooke Pioneer Rail-Trail: This trail is about 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long. It's paved with asphalt and is in Brooke County.
• Brooklyn-Southside Junction Trail: This trail follows an old railroad line in the amazing New River Gorge. It goes from the old mining town of Brooklyn to a train crossing near Thurmond.
• Caperton Trail: This trail follows the Monongahela River right through Morgantown. It connects the Mon River Rail Trail South and Mon River Rail Trail North.
• Cheat Lake Trail: This trail runs along the eastern side of Cheat Lake. There are plans to extend it north into Pennsylvania to connect with the Mon River Rail Trail North.
• Cranberry / Tri-Rivers Trail: A train station in Richwood was fixed up to be the start of this trail. This 14.5-mile trail follows an old train path along the Cherry River to the Gauley River. It then goes upstream along the Gauley to a tall bridge and into a tunnel, ending at Allingdale. There are plans to extend it from Cowen to Bolair.
• Cunard - Kaymoor Trail: This trail follows an old railroad line. It goes from the old mining towns of Cunard to Kaymoor in the New River Gorge.
• Deckers Creek Rail Trail: This trail follows an old train path along Deckers Creek. It goes from the Caperton Trail in Morgantown all the way to Reedsville. It's about 19 miles (31 km) long.
• East Wetzel Rail-Trail: This is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) rail trail located in Hundred in Wetzel County.
• Elk River Rail Trail: This trail is currently about 1-mile (1.6 km) long. You can find it in Coonskin Park in Kanawha County, just north of Charleston. Some parts of the trail near Yeager Airport have been damaged.
• Glade Creek Trail: This trail is in the New River Gorge along Glade Creek. It's about 5.6-mile-long (9.0 km) long and follows an old train path.
• Glen Dale to Moundsville Rail Trail: This rail trail is about 3.1-mile (5.0 km) long.
• Greenbrier River Trail: This is a very long rail trail, about 77-mile (124 km). It goes through the beautiful eastern part of West Virginia.
• Harrison County Bike and Hike Rail-Trail: This trail is about 7-mile (11 km) long. It goes through Clarksburg and Harrison County.
• Hawks Nest Rail-Trail
• Lime Rock Rail-Trail: This trail is about 4-mile (6.4 km) long. It goes through Blackwater Canyon in Tucker County.
• Lost Creek Rail-Trail: This trail is near Clarksburg. It's also called the South Harrison County Bike-Hike Trail. It runs eight miles from Lost Creek to Mount Clare.
• MCTrail: This is a smaller rail trail that starts in East Fairmont. It connects to the Mon River Rail Trail South at Pricketts Fort State Park.
• Mill Creek Rail-Trail: This trail is in Anstead. It follows Mill Creek to where it flows into the New River.
• Mon River Rail Trail North: This trail follows the Monongahela River from the Caperton Trail in Morgantown. It's currently 2 miles (3.2 km) long, but there are plans to extend it to 6 miles (9.7 km). This extension would go into Pennsylvania and eventually connect to the Cheat Lake Trail.
• Mon River Rail Trail South: This trail follows the Monongahela River from Pricketts Fort State Park and the MCTrail to Morgantown. There, it becomes the Caperton Trail. It's 18 miles (29 km) long.
• Narrow Gauge Rail Trail: This trail is about 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long. You can find it in Babcock State Park in Fayette County.
• North Bend Rail Trail: This is a very long trail, 72 miles! It covers most of the distance between Clarksburg and Parkersburg.
• North Marion Rail-Trail
• Panhandle Trail: This trail is about 29-mile (47 km) long. Some parts are finished, and others are still being built. It stretches from northern Washington County, Pennsylvania to Weirton.
• Railroad Grade Rail-Trail: This trail is about 4-mile (6.4 km) long. It goes through Canaan Valley State Park in Tucker County.
• Thurmond-Minden Trail: This trail follows an old train line. It goes from a train line near Thurmond to Minden in the New River Gorge.
• West Fork Rail-Trail: This trail is about 22-mile (35 km) long. It goes through the Monongahela National Forest in Randolph and Pocahontas counties. It starts near Glady, which is close to the Allegheny Trail.
• Wheeling Heritage Rail-Trail: This trail is about 12-mile (19 km) long. It's made up of three different sections in the Wheeling area.
• White Oak Rail Trail: This trail is paved with asphalt and is about 7.5-mile-long (12.1 km) long. It follows an old train path that used to belong to the Norfolk Southern Railway. It travels through Oak Hill, West Virginia.

Future Trails to Look Forward To

• The Mon River Rail Trail North is planned to be extended north from Van Voorhis Road into Pennsylvania. This new section would then loop back to connect with the Cheat Lake Trail. The Mon River Rail Trail North is currently 2 miles (3.2 km) long, and the extension will make it 6 miles (9.7 km) long.

See also

• List of rail trails