- Date Biked: June 2-6, 2020
- Posted length: 77 miles **Mile markers start at mile 3 and go to 80
- Total miles Tracked: 161.4 -- All rides were round trips, out and back
- Day 1: 14.1 - Caldwell to mile marker 10 (South Terminus)
- Day 2: 51.5 - Marlinton to Cass (Mile markers 56-80-North Terminus)
- Day 3: 24.6 - Mile markers 10 to 21
- Day 4: 39.3 - Mile markers 21-41
- Day 5: 31.9 - Mile markers 41-56
- Type of Trail: Rail Trail. Asphalt for about 4 miles around Marlinton, Crush/double track trails for the remainder
- Conveniences: Parking lots, water pumps, pit toilets
- Best Features: Sharp's Tunnel and Droop Mountain Tunnel, Bridges, Views of the Greenbrier river
- Worst Features: Only a 1% grade from top to bottom. Becomes a problem after the rain.
- Wildlife spotted: Deer, black rat snake, heron, bunnies, turtles, chipmunks galore!
- Vegetation: Mountain Laurel, rhododendron, hydrangea, hogweed, goat's beard, blackberries, raspberries, and more
- Associated Website: https://wvstateparks.com/park/greenbrier-river-trail/
- Primary Author: James
At 77 miles in length, the Greenbrier River Trail is now the longest rail trail Cheryl and I have ever biked end to end. I've no doubt that a person with strong lungs and legs and no real desire to look at scenery could bike the full trail in a single day, but we decided to take our time, take photos, and essentially bike it twice over five days as a series of out-and-back adventures.
Despite it's mountainous setting in rugged, West Virginia landscape, the Greenbrier is actually pretty flat. It never strays far from the Greenbrier River. This is a broad, wild river that had crystal clear water the first few days we rode along it before thunderstorms turned it brown. It reminded us a great deal of the Rainbow River in Florida for the water clarity. And, make no mistake, the river itself is a bigger attraction than the rail trail. We encountered very few fellow bikers over five days, but saw lots of kayakers and tubers. By Saturday, every stretch of the river we passed had at least a few kayaks on it. There are a few rapids, but they looked pretty mild. The next time we go back to this area we'll definitely set aside some water time as well as biking.
On a trail this length, you need to take a few extra precautions. First, bring a paper map. There's no cell phone service for most of the trail, and few printed maps. Most of the trail is pretty isolated. Marlinton and Cass are the only towns of any size you encounter on the trail. There are often gaps of a dozen miles between parking lots, and many more miles between pay phones (remember those?), so bring along at least a basic repair kit in case you have bike problems. Finally, bring water! There are some water pumps along the trail, but the water had a strong metallic taste, and it took some serious pumping to get the water flowing. There was a water fountain at the Caldwell trail head, but it was closed due to Covid, so we can't vouch for how drinkable it was.
Since this is so many miles to cover, today we'll focus on our second day of riding, when we rode from Marlinton to Cass. This is roughly a 50 mile round trip. We added a bit to the length by starting tracking when we left the Old Clark Inn, our lodging in Marlinton, and riding past the end of the trail into Cass itself.
There's a continuous grade into Cass, but it's pretty slight. We noticed it mostly on the return ride, when our speed picked up a good bit. The ride into Cass takes you through some of the most remote areas on the whole trail. Save for the rail bed itself, there's not much evidence of civilization, no powerlines or cell towers, and only the occasional glimpse of houses or farms. The most common animal wildlife we encountered were chipmunks. They were pretty much everywhere, though far to fast to photograph. We also encountered deer, and wouldn't have been at all shocked to come across a bear in this section.
A few notable places along the route are:
Sharp's Tunnel: This is the longest tunnel on the trail. From the southern edge, it's fairly rustic, just a big hole blasted into the rock, but on the northern side the walls and ceiling are made of railroad ties stacked into an arched ceiling that looks like a cathedral of creosote. Leading into the tunnel from the south is one of the longest bridges across the river, which forms a long, gentle arc.
Why, yes, we do have a video of what it's like to bike through the tunnel:
Clover Lick: Of course, you won't be entirely absent from civilization. A few miles north of the tunnel you'll reach the small village of Clover Lick. Blink and you'll miss it. But, Clover Lick does have a fully restored train depot, a nice reminder that little towns like this were once connected to the rest of the world via rail.
Cass: If it's the "rail" in rail trail that excites you, ride on past the end of the trail to reach the Cass Scenic Railroad. Alas, it was closed due to some pandemic you might have heard of. But, the Cass General Store was open. It has every possible candy you could want, but, oddly, doesn't sell drinks. Ride across the tracks to reach the Bear Creek Lodge if you want bottle drinks. Also, ice cream!
Marlinton: One of the nicest things about departing from Marlinton on this journey is returning to it. Marlinton has a few small local restaurants, at least one local bar, and a couple of bed and breakfasts. After a fifty mile journey through the wilderness, it feels a lot like a big city, but everything you could need is packed into just a few blocks. It's one of the nicest trail towns we've ever stayed in, and puts in extra effort into welcoming trail riders.
Next up: The rest of the trail!
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