Explore the best rated trails in Petersburg, WV, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the West Virginia Northern Rail-Trail and Rocky Point Trail . With more than 35 trails covering 4324 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Rode from Cumberland to a parking area 23 miles outside of DC, camping at four of the campsites along the way. They have been doing a lot of work to improve the condition of this trail and it shows. Weather was perfect, but most sections seemed like they would still be pretty good even after some rain. There was one detour that was a tough push over really rocky roads for a few miles. Other than that, it was perfect.
Read previous reviews—true! It’s a tough climb but do-able, especially on a sunny day. Good canopy cover, surface was smooth. No bathrooms, no real access to town except Morgantown trail head at park.
I headed out of Pittsburgh Point State Park 8/6/2024 for a day ride to Homestead and back. I quickly ran into large homeless encampments along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail portion of the GAP. No one approached me but the trash, the smell of urine and tents almost on the trail were discouraging and I ended my ride and drove home. I might suggest anyone planning to ride that section of the GAP check the current conditions before proceeding. From what I found online once I got home was that it does not appear to be a short term problem. Other riders have commented on open drug use and the concern for unleashed dogs. I could not find a go around from local riders’ comments.
Some lovely scenery and wildlife, especially wetland species. Definitely a wilder feel than many. There are several issues.
The first is the trail surface. While impediments like downed trees are obviously taken care of, the trail surface itself doesn’t look to have been renewed since the trail was first built. The surface varies from fine gravel to thick gravel to mud to grass. Grass is the dominant surface. There are places where horse hoof and ATV tire prints have hardened into speed reduction bumps, which are jarring. Don’t assume you will be able to maintain a speed similar to other rail trails. Having completed the trail from Glady to Durbin, we ended up riding the gravel road back to our vehicle in Glady - more climbing, but a good trade off. For reference, we’re running 2.0” (50mm) and 2.35” tires on rigid steel framed bikes.
The second issue is lack of amenities. There are no obvious campsites, no pit toilets, no wells. This undeveloped aspect will likely appeal to some even if the trail surface doesn’t. Probably due to the undeveloped nature of the trail, and the fact that we rode on weekdays, we saw no other trail users this trip.
The last issue is connectivity. Currently, combining this trail with the nearby Greenbrier River Trail means a road ride of at least 16 miles. Bridge the gap with trail and make improvements to the West Fork and you’d have a trail system of approximately 118 miles long, which would bring many more riders to the area.
We parked at lock 38 by Shepardstown. Trail is well maintained and gorgeous. Many bikers, runners and walkers out.Note it is a trash free park.
One of the top 10 bucket list rides in the US, easily. And when combined with another, the C&O Canal, you can cycle on dedicated bike paths for 330 miles from DC to Pittsburgh. The 150 miles of the GAP ribbons through pristine forest, past former railway towns being resurrected by all the cycling tourists using the trail.
Whether a multi-day ride from DC 180 miles to Cumberland or individual day rides along the tow path next to the C&O canal, this trail is awesome. And now that much of it has been resurfaced to be crushed granite rather than just dirt, muddy rides will no longer be a problem after and during rains. One of the top 10 bucket list rides in the US, easily.
This trail map does not show how to navigate out of Pittsburgh… specifically the first few miles with a notable gap across Smithfield Street!
The trail is great starting at Cumberland. Pretty smooth and scenic. Not very far in there were quite a few detours as the trail was damaged in many places. I wish there had been more amenities along the trail. The last 40 miles into DC were surprisingly bad, with muddy rough conditions and detours. The trip was memorable and challenging and we were proud to raise money for theplummerhome.org for homeless veterans.
Day1: DC to Williamsport. Day 2: Williamsport to Cumberland. This was an amazing ride with beautiful fall scenery. Trail was well maintained and easy to navigate. It was mostly hard parked gravel with lots of historical sites and great views. Paw Paw tunnel was open. The trail thru tunnel is uneven and wet. Met some great people along the trail. I’ll definitely ride the trail again in the summer.
We took the Amtrak bike train to DC. Had to switch trains in Philly. Between Harrisburg and Philly we had to remove the front wheel and hang the bike. From Philly to DC they were stored in the baggage car and didn't require tire removal. The ride through DC was fantastic and much easier than we expected. The trail got a little confusing to get out of town but once we did we found the trail in much better condition then we expected. We stayed along the way in a hotel and a lock house. My favorite part was the area around the pawpaw tunnel but the trail was in very poor condition in spots. At one point when I tried to go my rear wheel would just spin and the bike wouldn't move. Very mucky and muddy. I'm sure it all depends on the amount of rain they had recently. It completed the ride from Pittsburgh to DC for me. I had ridden the GAP trail about 6 years prior. The only reason I didn't give it a five star rating is because of the mud in some areas. Overall it was great.
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