Biking the Greenbrier River Trail - West Virginia - Part Two

• 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

Last time, we described the ride from Marlinton to Cass. But, that's only about a third of the trail. There's 53 excellent miles south of Marlinton to Caldwell. Unlike Cass, once you reach Caldwell you're still pretty far from any sort of town center. But, there is a nice trailhead in Caldwell with a water fountain, though the fountain was closed on our trip. In general, there are far more trailheads on the southern section, giving you a lot of options for places to park for rides of various lengths. 

In the first few miles we biked on the first day we reached the trail, we encountered a deer walking on the trail. This was the first of many deer, and a great deal of wildlife in general.

Not technically wildlife, but they were kind enough to pose for us, so it would be rude not to include them. 

This is a turkey running away from us. The photo kind of makes it look like a long-legged turtle. 

We only saw one snake in 160 miles of biking! We found that disappointing, but understand some might see it as a bonus. 

In general, the section south of Marlinton is more developed. You'll pass a lot of houses and cabins situated between you and the river. By "a lot," I mean maybe two dozen in 50+ miles. Despite the reminders of civilization, you're still surrounded by wilderness views as you travel in a narrow corridor with cliffs on one side of you and a river on the other for most of the length. Occasionally, the landscape does open up into grassy fields. The varied terrain keeps the ride interesting.

 

If anyone wants to get onto their hands and knees and report back on what's in these caves, let us know. 

 

Of course, it's not all nature. This is a rail trail after all, and south of Marlinton you find the Droop Mountain Tunnel and two big trestle bridges, plus plenty of old signs and buildings that give evidence of the history. A sign in Marlinton said that the train that ran on this line carried 100,000 passengers a year a century ago. It's easy to imagine the train whistles echoing along the river.

The faded letters say "Bigfoot Lives." 

The reinforced bracing makes me wonder if the Droop Mountain Tunnel has, indeed, drooped in the past. 

The biking surface itself varies a great deal. There's a few miles of pavement south of Marlinton, some crushed, compacted pea gravel, some more course gravel, and occasionally just dirt, or, if it rains, mud. Luckily, the rail bed is remarkably flat in comparison to the surrounding terrain, so you can really ride a long way without wearing yourself out. 

Save wearing yourself out for trying to get water out of the pumps. There's four or five along the trail. 

 

We were puzzled by the small bridge running under the main bridge. There's only about a yard of clearance, so it's too small for vehicles, or even to walk under. 

I mentioned the mud, right?

We weren't sure where to find a car wash, to clean our bikes, so a dip in the river was the most obvious solution. 

In all, the Greenbrier River Trail shot near the top of our list of favorite long trails. It's got a great mix of scenery, destinations, length, and ride quality. It definitely earns it's place in the Rail Trail Hall of Fame.