Articles on Premier Angler may contain affiliate links. Please see our Affiliate Disclosure for more information.
The Best Hiking in West Virginia: Our Top 8 Trails
John Denver got it right when he sang about West Virginia and Country Roads! It truly is “Almost Heaven.”
Mountain State is full of some of the most beautiful hiking on the east coast, making it incredibly difficult to narrow down your “bucket list” of trails to take while visiting.
That’s why we wanted to put together this excellent guide to help you figure out which trails you should prioritize on your next visit to West Virginia. By reading this guide, you’ll learn:
- Where to find each trail.
- How difficult each trail is.
- Whether you can bring along your furry hiking buddy with you.
- The best reason for hiking each trail.
- A short description that will help you learn about why you should definitely hike each trail.
So without further ado, here are our top 8 trails to hike in West Virginia!
Endless Wall Trail
Location: Lansing, WV
Difficultly: Easy
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Spectacular views of New River Gorge and wildflowers
For an amazing view of the New River Gorge, you have to take the Endless Wall Trail. It’s pretty easy as you’ll only cover about 2.3 miles and climb just under 300’ in elevation. You’ll travel through some pretty dense forest as you make your way to the overlook. But once you get through the woods, you’ll be able to access some large boulders to climb on top of to get a good look at the valley below!
Blackwater Falls Trail
Location: Davis, WV
Difficultly: Easy
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Blackwater Falls themselves – you seriously have to check it out!
If you’re short on time while visiting Davis, be sure to go check out Blackwater Falls! It’s absolutely gorgeous and is a quick hike. You’ll climb an easy 130’ to get to the observation area that is just under 0.5 miles from the trailhead. Make sure that you bring your phone along to capture some awesome pictures of the falls, which sends water cascading to the river below from well over 100’.
Lindy Point Overlook Trail
Location: Davis, WV
Difficultly: Easy
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Great for birdwatching, wildflowers, and viewing cool rock formations
Taking the kids with you? No problem! Lindy Point Overlook Trail is a quick 0.8 miles and will only have 50’ of elevation gain! You and your favorite hiking partners will make your way through lush green forests, leading you out to the overlook. The deck that allows you to observe the valley at the end of the trail is real sturdy and will give you some awesome views of the valley below. Try to get out there on a clear day as the fog that can settle into the valley will obstruct your view!
Seneca Rocks Trail
Location: Seneca Rocks, WV
Difficultly: Medium
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Viewing Seneca Rocks from the trail and then being able to climb to the top for a great view of the valley below
Be sure to leave early to get to the trailhead for this popular trail! When you get to the end, you’ll understand why. At the end of this 2.7 mile long trail you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view of Seneca Rocks. They dramatically ascend high above the forest, making them look incredible! If you’re feeling really adventurous, consider climbing up to the top of the rocks to snap some pictures of the valley below!
Wolf Gap Trail to Big Schloss
Location: Lost City, WV
Difficultly: Medium
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Wildflower viewing along the trail and the overlook at Big Schloss
If you’re looking to up the amount of elevation you’re climbing, but not wanting to spend the entire day on the trail, look no further than taking the Wolf Gap Trail to Big Schloss. Big Schloss stands just under 3,000’ above the trail and invites hikers to bask in its majesty as their reward for taking on the 4.5 miles it took to get out to visit it. The very first part of the trail is pretty steep, but those who can push past that will be able to enjoy a relatively easy hike afterwards.
Long Point Trail
Location: Fayetteville, WV
Difficultly: Medium
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Amazing views of the railroad bridge that spans the valley and river below
For a spectacular view of one of the longest railroad bridges in the state, please make it a point to visit the Long Point Trail. You’ll hike 3 miles to get to the observation point that stands at the end of some rocks that hang above the valley floor. The bring extends across the valley over 3,000’, making it one of the largest steel bridges in the country!
Maryland Heights Loop Trail
Location: Harpers Ferry, WV
Difficultly: Difficult
Dogs: Yes, must be leashed
Best Feature: Visiting a national historic site as well as the views of the town below
One of the coolest trails to take in West Virginia is the Maryland Heights Loop Trail. You get to climb over 1,500’ on the 6.5 mile long trail. At the high point, you get an awesome view of Harpers Ferry down below. Harpers Ferry is a national historic park, which is important to preserving the history of John Brown raiding the armory to help free enslaved African Americans in the South, 2 years prior to the outbreak of the Civil War!
North Fork Mountain Trail
Location: Cabins, WY
Difficultly: Difficult
Dogs: Yes
Best Feature: Wildflowers, unique rock formations, and a great view at the summit
Leave early in the morning and pack plenty of water and snacks for this one! Those who are brave enough to ascend the nearly 2000’ to the top of this hike will be rewarded by spectacular views of the Potomac Wildlife Management area below. Go nice and easy on the way up the trail so that you can preserve your energy and leg strength for the way back down. This is a steep one!
Final Thoughts on exploring the best West Virginia Hiking Trails
West Virginia is full of amazing hikes that will take you to some pretty spectacular views. Be on the lookout for all sorts of historical artifacts, as the state is home to some pretty amazing history in addition to all of the choice hiking! Bring plenty of water and food to take your time enjoying everything that these trails has to offer. Which one will you hike first?
Comments are closed.