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The Official Website of the State of West Virginia

Follow This Abandoned Railroad Trail For One Of The Most Unique Hikes In West Virginia

9/10/2021

In a state full of rail trails, the famed North Bend Rail Trail offers hikers, bikers, and equestrians one of the most unforgettable experiences ever. This almost 72-mile trail follows the grade of a railroad line that dates back over 150 years. 

Cut through the rugged hills by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the years prior to the Civil War, the trail winds through four counties from Parkersburg to Wolf Summit just west of Clarksburg. The rail line was in service for well over 100 years, but by the 1980s the railroad had abandoned it, and it was finally sold to the state of West Virginia, which began to turn it into the recreational opportunity it is today.

Today, the North Bend Rail Trail offers adventurers spectacular and pristine scenery and wildlife. Interspersed along the way are many points of interest: charming small towns, old abandoned buildings, and state and local parks.

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