Rail Trails
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JanetLynnJudy
Posts: 173 Member
Now that we can hopefully look forward to nicer weather, what Rail Trails have you tried and what are the highlights of them?
I moved back to the Fairmont WV area and spent a good deal of time during the summer on the Marion County Trail. We would park at the east Fairmont end where there is small lot and very close and easy access to the trail. The trail is paved at least to Prickett's Fort State Park, not sure after that point. There is a 1,200-foot lighted tunnel. It's a bike friendly trail and I like that it's kind of tucked away in a wooded area.
Another trail we went on in the Fairmont area is the Ralph Larue Trail West Fork River Trail. I'm not sure if there is an easier way to access this trail, but we've accessed it from parking at Big Lots plaza on West Side and then walking through the residential area behind it or parking at Mary Lou Retton Park and walking through the residential area below. Both ways that we access it we walk about a mile or so on a regular road before reaching the actual trail and you will be going down a fairly steep hill to get to it. This trail runs alongside the river and is not paved in all places, it's small gravel. The highlight of this trail is a old metal bridge with wooden slats that crosses the river.
I've only been on the Fairmont portion of the trails above. I'm wanting to try out some more rail trails this summer.
Does anyone else have any experiences or information about any of the other rail trails in our state?
I moved back to the Fairmont WV area and spent a good deal of time during the summer on the Marion County Trail. We would park at the east Fairmont end where there is small lot and very close and easy access to the trail. The trail is paved at least to Prickett's Fort State Park, not sure after that point. There is a 1,200-foot lighted tunnel. It's a bike friendly trail and I like that it's kind of tucked away in a wooded area.
Another trail we went on in the Fairmont area is the Ralph Larue Trail West Fork River Trail. I'm not sure if there is an easier way to access this trail, but we've accessed it from parking at Big Lots plaza on West Side and then walking through the residential area behind it or parking at Mary Lou Retton Park and walking through the residential area below. Both ways that we access it we walk about a mile or so on a regular road before reaching the actual trail and you will be going down a fairly steep hill to get to it. This trail runs alongside the river and is not paved in all places, it's small gravel. The highlight of this trail is a old metal bridge with wooden slats that crosses the river.
I've only been on the Fairmont portion of the trails above. I'm wanting to try out some more rail trails this summer.
Does anyone else have any experiences or information about any of the other rail trails in our state?
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Replies
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Sweet, we're not that far apart! We live in Monongah, I personally like the portion of the trail that leads from Monongah to Fairmont, it's a pretty walk/jog.0
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I haven't walked any of the Fairmont trails in quite some time and now with living and working in Morgantown I'm rarely even in that area. Hopefully i'll find sometime to walk around here.0
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There's also access (and lots of close by parking) to a paved trail on Earl L Core Rd in Morgantown behind the Kroger's/MedExpress administrative offices. There's a small stream, outdoor art and outdoor classroom along that portion of the trail. I no longer work in the Morgantown area, but I used to go on that trail on my lunch break sometimes. I've since moved away from the Fairmont area and I really miss those rail trails.0
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I live in Jackson County now. Anyone know of any good trails near there?0
