Allegheny Trail

The Allegheny Trail runs south from the Mason-Dixon Line near Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, to the Appalachian Trail on Peters Mountain at the Virginia line. The West Virginia Scenic Trails Association, the all-volunteer group that builds and maintains it, gives its length as 316 miles. West Virginia State Parks gives 311. The association splits it into four sections: 94.2 miles from the Pennsylvania line to the stables at Blackwater Falls State Park, 83.8 miles on to the Cass Scenic Railroad, 64.5 miles from Cass to Lake Sherwood Road, and a last section from the Laurel Run Trailhead to Peters Mountain. That last section is not continuous. Section 4 North runs from Laurel Run near Lake Sherwood to the Jerrys Run trail exit at I-64; a road walk, which the association's guide calls the Gap Road Walk, joins it to Section 4 South, which runs from the village of Laurel Branch to the A.T. on Peters Mountain. The trail is marked with yellow blazes. The association publishes the Hiking Guide to the Allegheny Trail (4th edition, 2019) as digital downloads, by section or all four together, with a companion nature guide, and its website has an interactive map with trailheads, parking, access points and alternate high-water routes. No single permit covers the trail. It passes through six state parks, two state forests and three national forests, and the rules depend on who manages the ground. The Monongahela National Forest says you do not need a pass or permit to camp in a dispersed area. Where it has designated dispersed sites, you must camp in them. Stays are limited to 14 days, and to 8 people per site, unless posted otherwise. A group event of 75 or more people needs a special use permit. In West Virginia state park and state forest campgrounds, you camp only at designated, numbered sites, and fires go only in designated grills or areas. The association asks hikers to register their trip before setting out. It has also worked on its relationships with the landowners along the route. On the Monongahela, obey any fire restrictions, because fires may be limited or banned at times. On Canaan Mountain, burn only dead and down wood, keep fires small, and camp at least 200 feet from streams. The Forest Service encourages lightweight stoves there. At a site that is not designated, dig and cover a latrine well away from water; the association says 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water, trails and campsites. In state parks and forests, the only pets allowed are dogs and cats, and they must be leashed. On the Monongahela, pets must be leashed in developed recreation areas. At George Washington and Jefferson National Forests recreation areas such as Hanging Rock, the leash can be no longer than 6 feet. The association names spring (April and May) and fall (September and October) as the best times. Summer can be hot and humid, with insects, and the association highly recommends long pants over shorts. Winter needs advanced skills and gear for snow, ice and short days, and the association says the trail is for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter, not hiking. The weather can drop about 60 degrees in a day, so layer in every season. Summer afternoon thunderstorms are common, so plan to be off the ridges by 2pm. On Canaan Mountain, freezing temperatures and snow can come in any month, mostly between October and April. Southbound gives the easier start, because you can drive to the northern end. It finishes with a road walk and then some of the hardest terrain. Northbound gets the long road walk done in the first few days. Much of the trail is remote, and it crosses the National Radio Quiet Zone, where you will have no cell service. You might go days without seeing another hiker. In Section 1, Cheat Canyon, from about mile 16.5 to mile 25.7, is a 10-mile railroad grade with no exits and a hard water crossing at Gibson Run. It lies in a state wildlife management area. Section 2 has few road crossings and long stretches of uninterrupted trail, and Section 3, through Seneca State Forest and Watoga State Park, is some of the most remote backcountry in the state. There are 12 shelters along the trail, as well as campgrounds and lodging. Canaan Mountain has three first-come, first-served shelters; on the Allegheny Trail there, a 6-person Adirondack shelter stands just north of the junction with the Plantation Trail. In Section 1 the association says water sources are generally reliable, but treat all of it. The Forest Service says to boil water for at least three minutes or use a filter labeled for Giardia, and it does not consider iodine or chlorine effective. On the Forest Service stretch between Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley, purify all water or bring your own. Lake Sherwood Recreation Area has drinking water seasonally, and Horseshoe Recreation Area has hand pumps and a fountain. Gaudineer Scenic Area and Hanging Rock have no drinking water. Because of bear activity, a Forest Service food-storage order covers the areas mapped in it in the Gauley and Marlinton-White Sulphur ranger districts. Where it applies, keep food in a bear-resistant container or hang it at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet out from the tree, and do not burn or bury food or trash. The association warns that the trail is lonely, with no hiker bubble and few delis. Davis, by Blackwater Falls, has full resupply, a gear shop and restaurants. The association lists Albright, Bruceton Mills, Terra Alta, Rowlesburg, Thomas and Davis as towns along Section 1. Durbin, at the middle of the trail, has limited supplies at the station store, so send a mail drop there, to the post office or, sometimes, the Rail & Trail store, which the association says will hold packages. Durbin also has lodging and overnight parking. Huntersville, on Section 3, has a post office, lodging and a shuttle. Cass is good for a hot meal and snacks but has few groceries. Marlinton has a grocery store, pharmacy and lodging, but it is about 5 miles off the trail. White Sulphur Springs has full resupply on the route and is the last major stop before the southern end. Near the south end, Gap Mills has three grocery stores. The northern end is a simple stone monument. Drive in from I-68 Exit 23 at Bruceton Mills. Without a car, fly into Morgantown or Pittsburgh and get a shuttle or rideshare from Morgantown. You cannot drive to the southern end, which is on the ridge where the trail meets the A.T. Hike about 10 to 14 miles north on the A.T. from Pearisburg, Virginia, or take the shorter climb from Hanging Rock and Big Stony Creek Road. The Allegheny Trail parking lot near Hanging Rock is 4 miles from Waiteville on Gap Mills Road. The Hanging Rock Vista trailhead, off Limestone Hill Road, has parking for about 10 to 12 vehicles, a pit toilet near the observation tower, and cell service. To get there without a car, fly into Roanoke or take the bus to Pearisburg. For a shuttle, the association points to the A.T. shuttle network in Pearisburg, and it calls the "Allegheny Trail" Facebook group the most active source of shuttle contacts and trail conditions. Hunting is allowed in the state forests, and Cheat Canyon is in a wildlife management area. The association says to wear blaze orange on public land during active hunting seasons, and the Forest Service encourages high-visibility clothing. For seasons, check the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Conditions change quickly with weather, flooding and downed trees, so check the association's trail conditions page before you go, and the Monongahela National Forest alerts page for closures and restrictions. For snake bites or plant poisoning, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222. When you finish, the association will send an official completion certificate if you submit its completion form.