West Virginia

Ohio and Erie Canalway Towpath Trail under the I-80 overpass in Summit County, Ohio | Photo by Bob Callebert

A View From ... The Industrial Heartland Trails Network

Posted 09/13/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, Featured Magazine Articles, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Trail Destinations, West Virginia

The Industrial Heartland Trails system is a collection of nearly three dozen pathways featuring scenic wilderness, dramatic railroad tunnels and trestles, welcoming trail towns and historical sites from the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution. The system is ambitious and breathtaking in scope: 1,450 miles of trail spiraling out across four states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York. Here is a sampling of the beauty to be found within the network.

Bicyclists wave on day 1 (Sunday, June 19) of RTC's West Virginia Sojourn, which took nearly 130 riders from Parkersburg to Salem, W.Va., and back via the North Bend Rail Trail. | Photo by Mark E. Abbott

RTC Sojourners Wrap Ride in West Virginia

Posted 06/24/16 by Parkersburg News and Sentinel in Building Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Biking, Demand for Trails, Sojourn Series, Trail Businesses, Trail Communities, West Virginia

Nearly 130 bicyclists ranging in age from 7 to 77 rode into the city Wednesday to conclude Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's 2016 West Virginia Sojourn.

Former B&O Railroad bridge along the North Bend Rail Trail leading to the quaint town of Cairo, West Virginia | Photo by Mike Tewkesbury

Six Great Things You'll See on the North Bend Rail Trail

Posted 04/04/16 by Laura Stark in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Sojourn Series, Tourism , Trail Destinations, West Virginia

The North Bend Rail Trail exemplifies “Wild and Wonderful” West Virginia. For those who seek adventure on this remote and pristine pathway, RTC’s West Virginia Sojourn (June 19-22) provides a stress-free way to explore the 72-mile rail-trail with a friendly group of fellow travelers and experienced guides. Here are some of our favorite highlights from the route.

Fort Duquesne Bridge and Walkway along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (the hub for the developing 1,450-mile Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition vision). | Photo courtesy Wally Gobetz | CC by 2.0

1,450-Mile Developing Trail Network to Revitalize America’s Industrial Heartland

Posted 03/29/16 by Jake Lynch in Building Trails, America's Trails | Tagged with Celebrating 30 Years, Connected Systems, IHTC, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tourism and Economic Development, Trail Destinations, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia

The Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition envisions a 1,450-mile system of off-road trails that will connect many of the major centers of America’s Rust Belt and industrial Appalachia. The trail network will span 48 counties across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York. Here's more about this ambitious project.

The North Bend Rail Trail out of North Bend State Park, near Cairo, West Virginia. | Photo by Jake Lynch

West Virginia's North Bend Rail Trail

Posted 12/09/15 by Jake Lynch in America's Trails, Building Trails | Tagged with Rural Communities, Success Stories, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, West Virginia

There aren’t many rail-trail stories like this. In the late 1980s, the abandoned CSX rail corridor that would one day become the North Bend Rail Trail was little more than an overgrown afterthought—a dumping ground, a place for derelict “partying,” an informal pathway for hunters and landowners in a densely wooded part of rural West Virginia. All that was about to change.

RTC's 2015 West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn | Photo courtesy Cleo Fogal

100 Riders, 3 Days, 7 Trails (and Sheep!): RTC's 2015 West Virginia Sojourn

Posted 05/04/15 by Tom Sexton in Building Trails | Tagged with Biking, Demand for Trails, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Trail Communities, Walkability and Bikeability, West Virginia, Why Use Trails?

On April 24, 2015, approximately 100 people came together for RTC’s 2015 West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn. This 122-mile, three-day bike ride through four counties and seven rail-trails promised beautiful landscapes, warm communities and lots of adventure—and we weren't disappointed! Here are a few highlights from this incredible event.

Locks and dams—like this one along the Monongahela River—make for some awesome sightseeing along the Mon River Trails | Photo by Jeff Wimer

Top 10 Attractions on the Mon River Trails (Sojourner's Guide)

Posted 03/09/15 by Laura Stark in Trail Use, America's Trails | Tagged with IHTC, Trail Destinations, West Virginia

RTC is pleased to present you with this top 10 list of great attractions (in no particular order) that you will find along the spectacular Mon River Trails system. But don’t take our word for it; this April 24-26, check out the trails firsthand on our first-ever West Virginia Rail-Trail Sojourn; registration is now open!

Photo by Steve Shaluta, courtesy Mon River Trails Conservancy

West Virginia's Mon River Trails

Posted 02/11/15 by Laura Stark in America's Trails | Tagged with Connected Systems, IHTC, Trail Destinations, Trail of the Month, West Virginia, Wild and Wonderful

“Wild and Wonderful” is West Virginia’s slogan, but the same could be said of the Mon River Trail system in the north-central part of the state. The beauty of the trail network spiraling out of Morgantown is that you have access to four trails—and four unique experiences—all in one interconnected system spanning nearly 50 miles.

Photos © Katie Harris

Trail Towns Roll Out the Red Carpet: "Impressions" of a Greenway Sojourner

Posted 07/10/14 by Katie Harris in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Maryland, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Businesses, West Virginia

My absolute favorite part of RTC’s 2014 Greenway Sojourn (June 22-27) was talking to many of my fellow 300 riders about their experiences as we made our way from just outside Wierton, W.V., to Cumberland, Md. Every evening, I would strike up a conversation with someone about the day’s ride; some exhausted after, say, their first 50-mile day, others eager to share their list of wildlife sightings, and all excited for what would come next.

Photos © Cleo Fogel

Tales from the Trail: RTC's 2014 Greenway Sojourn

Posted 07/02/14 by Katie Harris in America's Trails, Trail Use | Tagged with Maryland, Pennsylvania, Sojourn Series, Tourism and Economic Stimulus, Trail Communities, West Virginia

Here's a great wrap-up of the 12th Annual Greenway Sojourn by RTC's Katie Harris! Katie talks about the impact of the trip on her, her fellow riders and the communities through which they had the pleasure of passing through during their six days together.