Tag: west virginia

Canyon Rim Trail – West Virginia

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Our guide book described this moderate five-mile hike as having exceptional scenery and a couple stream crossings.

The rhododendron along this trail are jungle-thick
The rhododendron thickets along this trail are jungle-dense

Christine Says…

The trail description in our hiking guide, Day & Overnight Hikes in West Virginia’s Monongahela, made this hike sound like a must-do with lots of solitude and great views of the Blackwater Canyon.  It did warn that the overlooks were on hard-to-find spur trails, but we didn’t give that a second thought.  We tend to have a good sense of direction and aren’t afraid to do a little bushwhacking.

The trail was about what I expected… a narrow path winding its way through dense thickets of rhododendron.  The growth was so thick that the forest felt stifling.  The air was damp, heavy and still.  The footing for the first mile was often muddy and wet as the trail descended.  There were many pink lady slippers growing along the trail.  Other than one short initial descent, the trail was easy and mostly level.

Pink Lady Slipper
Pink Lady Slipper

The part of this hike that was unexpected were the lackluster views.  The fist overlook was pretty easy to find.  It cut a short distance through the rhododendron to a big pile of boulders.  The vegetation was so thick at this viewpoint, that you really couldn’t see down into the canyon very well.  Unfortunately, we never found the second viewpoint despite looking carefully on a couple passes.  We’re guessing that the spur path was completely overtaken by new growth.  I really think the views of the canyon from Lindy Point in Blackwater Falls State Park are as nice as anything in the area.

After failing to find the second overlook, we trekked back to the car feeling a little let down by the hike.  Maybe if we had found the second overlook,  I would have felt more than “meh” about the hike.

Adam Says…

I agree with Christine in that I was underwhelmed.  We could see the canyon along the way, but never found a good way to get to it.  Christine did find one overlook, but she didn’t feel that it was photo-worthy.

We did see more lady slippers on this trail than on any trail we have ever found anywhere.  If you’re into those, this is a good trail to check out.

We made our way to Big Run.  We were also trying to find the Canyon Rim Waterfall that was listed in a book, but we didn’t find it or a way to get down the water to view possible places for falls.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 5 miles
  • Elevation Change – 600 feet
  • Difficulty – 2.  Other than a few short, steep climbs, the trail is mostly level.
  • Trail Conditions – 2.   The trail can be very muddy and wet and is often overgrown by the dense thickets of rhododendron.  There are several small streams to cross.  In low water times, these may be dry.
  • Views – 1.  On the day we hiked, we saw one unremarkable view of the Blackwater Canyon.  The path to the second viewpoint was completely obscured by new growth and we were unable to find it.
  • Waterfalls/streams -2.  A few small, pretty streams.
  • Wildlife – 2.  We saw evidence of recent bear activity, but no actual bears.
  • Ease to Navigate – 2.   The main trail is easy to follow and is blazed yellow.  The spur trails to the viewpoints were extremely difficult to find.
  • Solitude – 4.  We didn’t see anyone on the hike at all.  There was a family camping along the Forest Road near the terminus of the trail and we saw/heard them.

Directions to trailhead:

From WV Rt. 219, turn onto Forest Service Road 18. After .4 of a mile this will turn into Forest Service Road 717. Follow 717 for about 1.5 miles. You will see a sign for the Canyon Rim trail on the right and a pull-off for parking on the left. The Forest Service Roads are gravel and are quite rough.

Allegheny Highlands Trail – West Virginia

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As one visitor commented, West Virginia was once part of Virginia, so today we’re stepping outside our home state to share one of West Virginia’s premier bike paths.

Along the Allegheny Highland Trail
Along the Allegheny Highlands Trail

Adam Says…

We decided to try our hand (or feet) at the Allegheny Highlands Trail.  This is a converted rails-to-trails bike path through the West Virginia highlands.  This trail connects Elkins to Hendricks,  mostly following Route 219.  There are plans to extend the trail up to Thomas and beyond.  Currently, there are about 25 miles of established trails.  Parts of the trail are paved and parts are ground gravel, so conditions are nice for hybrid or mountain bikes.

If you are interested in doing the entire trail, I would suggest arranging a shuttle, dropping off a car at Parsons and then taking off from Elkins.  This way seems to be a little easier than the opposite way due to the grade.

On our first visit to this trail, we did two segments of this trail – Parsons to Porterwood and Bretz to Hendricks.   These were both two short and easy segments.  This time, we decided to do the Montrose to Porterwood section which ended up being a little over 15 miles roundtrip.   We started off in Montrose.  The way to Portwerwood ended up being more downhill than uphill, which made to return trip about five miles on a gradual uphill.  If you feel like getting the harder work done first, I would take off from Porterwood first.  Since this is a rails-to-trails, the grade is not steep and any average cyclist will find the climb to be quite easy, but the uphill is definitely constant heading south.

The scenery along the trail is not amazing, but you do pass through some nice stretches through the woods.  As you are getting closer to some of the towns, expect to see some houses near the trail.  We actually found the Bretz to Hendricks area the prettiest of the areas.

If you are into geocaching, there are a ton of caches to find along the trail.  The caches are not that tough to find, so it is a great idea if you are doing a family ride.  Sadly, my GPS unit made its final find along the Allegheny Highlands Trail  While I was loading the bikes onto the car, I put the GPS unit on the roof and promptly drove off with it still there.  We never found it.  It’s probably busted into a million pieces along Rte. 219.

Biking Along
Biking Along

Christine Says…

This bike ride would have been so much fun if I hadn’t developed a migraine about an hour into the ride.  Literally, I felt like someone was stabbing me in the head with an ice pick.  Adam kept telling me to stop biking, rest on the roadside, and let him bring the car to get me.  But, I am stubborn – so I cried (yes, really) and pedaled my bike for about eight more miles.  We managed to find some ibuprofen in our first aid kit, and that took a little of the edge off the migraine.  I felt quite a bit better by the last couple miles, but for a lot of the ride I was simply miserable.

That said,  I really recommend this bike trail for riders of any level.  The climbs and descents are gentle and the trail conditions are very smooth and pleasant.  There are several large stands of rhododendron along the path and the forest floor is covered with ferns.   I’m always amazed by how few people use the trail.  This weekend, the weather was gorgeous – 75, breezy and sunny.  It was also a long, holiday weekend – but we still only passed a handful of other bikers.  People don’t know what they’re missing!

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 25 miles worth of trails
  • Elevation Change – Some gentle and gradual changes in elevation.
  • Difficulty – 2.  Depends on which way you go and how far you want to ride.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.5.   The trail is paved in some sections, but the gravel sections consist of ground gravel which makes for nice riding.
  • Views – 1.5.  Mostly views through wooded sections.  Occasional views of a few forks of the Cheat River.
  • Waterfalls/streams -1.  A few views of water, but not great looks.
  • Wildlife – 0.  Not much since it is so close to the road.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4.   Easy to navigate, but there are a few passes that cross trafficked roads.
  • Solitude – 4.  This is a slightly popular trail, so expect more people on weekends, especially around holidays.  You still shouldn’t see that many people.

Directions to trailhead:

There are several places to park, depending on where you want to start your trail.  The bike trail runs beside state road 219 that connects Elkins to Thomas.  Brown signs let you know of parking lots along the way.

Visiting West Virginia

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While we want to focus on Virginia trails on our site, we can’t resist occasionally sharing some of the hikes that West Virginia has to offer.  Many of West Virginia’s most beautiful hiking spots are just a couple hours drive away for many Virginians.  We’re really excited about having a full week to explore the Canaan Valley/Blackwater Falls area next week.  We have lots of hikes and bike rides planned (as long as the area’s notoriously mercurial weather behaves for us.)  We’ll probably make side trips to the Seneca Rocks, Dolly Sods and Deep Creek Lake areas while we’re there as well.

The entire area is rugged and pristine, with many waterfalls, high meadows, bogs, rushing streams and mountain views.  It’s a paradise for both outdoor activities and photography.

The area is beautiful and (mostly) untouched.
The area is beautiful and (mostly) untouched.

When visiting the area, Canaan Valley makes a great base for all your excursions.  There are cabins for rent, lodges at the state parks, a couple motels and loads of camping options.  Our family has had a unit at Black Bear Resort for over 20 years now, so we stay there for free.  We’ve also camped and stayed in the cabins at Canaan Valley Resort.

When you visit, don’t miss Sirianni’s Pizza (no website), Mountain State Brewing Company and breakfast at the Bright Morning Inn (mmm… banana walnut pancakes).