Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Bowden, West Virginia

River Road

A county dirt track running primarily along the Shavers Fork River in Randolph and Tucker counties. The majority of the track lies in Monongahela NF. Careful attention should be paid to private property boundaries along…
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Total Miles
24.9
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Parsons to Stone Lake Run

This beautiful twisting winding country gravel road leads from Parsons to Stone Lake Run and eventually down to Bear Haven Campgrounds in Otter Creek Recreational Area. Many gorgeous rock overhangs narrow shelf roadways entire route…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Osceola Spruce Knob

The route travels primarily through Monongahela NF on maintained FS gravel roads. A section of the route passes through private land and rolling farmland on gravel road. The accent from the Forest Service Road to…
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Total Miles
26.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Canaan Loop

Canaan Loop is a 2 way trail passing through the Monongahela National Forest entering or exiting from either WV 32 or Black Water Falls State Park. A mix of dense rhododendron, evergreen, and hardwood foliage…
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Total Miles
13.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp

Canyon Rim Road

This route travels from just outside Thomas, WV connecting back to WV 48. The route is not well maintained and has varying terrain. Mud and natural rock make up the base with some small washes…
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Total Miles
8.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

The Road Across The Sky

The Road Across The Sky, FR75, is in Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. The road runs North-South through the Dolly Sods Wilderness. The Bear Rocks is on the summit of the plateau, and completely necessary…
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Total Miles
14.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Mower East

This a seasonal route that runs from the outskirts of Cass, WV across the mountain to Cheat Bridge. The higher elevation is dominated by dense spruce forest, moss, and ferns. The route is a maintained…
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Total Miles
17.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Old Mine

Maintained gravel forest service route that travels from the Cheat Bridge area to US 250. This section was once a large strip. The route passes along the Cheat River and then up in elevation with…
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Total Miles
13.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Westside Road

Westside Road travels along the western slope of Shenandoah mountain in WV. Be respectful while travelling through private property, from WV Co Route 34 to the National Forest boundary. The route is generally dirt with…
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Total Miles
12.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Brandywine Recreation Area

Brandywine Recreation Area is a national forest fee area located just off Route 33 in West Virginia. The area has a reservoir with a sandy swimming area and is accessible for kayaking and fishing. All…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Reddish Knob

This 20-plus miles of George Washington National Forest back roads stretches from Braley Pond to Briery Branch Gap. With the exception of the northern 2.5 miles of the route which is paved, the rest is…
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Total Miles
18.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Flagpole Knob

Flagpole Knob is located in the George Washington National Forest, along the border of Virginia and West Virginia. Open year round, access to Flagpole Knob can be from Switzer Lake Road, Union Springs or Briery…
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Total Miles
12.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Hone Quarry

Hone Quarry recreation area is a dead end trail passing by a reservoir. The trail starts paved from the state highway passing by day use picnic areas and a pay campground with amenities. The trail…
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Total Miles
5.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Leading Ridge

Leading ridge track is a seasonal two way track from North River to Todd Lake Recreation Area. The track is natural dirt surface with minimal gravel maintenance in areas. Several hiking trails cross the area.…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Vepco Road

This route follows along a power line for the most part with lots of scenic views. The lower elevation section is mainly gravel or a natural stone base. The upper section to the intersection at…
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Total Miles
11.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Highland Scenic Highway

The Highland Scenic Highway is a beautiful corridor through Monongahela National Forest. This designated National Scenic Byway extends 43 miles from Richwood to US Route 219, north of Marlinton, WV. It has four developed scenic…
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Total Miles
27.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi / Su

Tillman

Tillman is a gravel Forest Service Road connecting several other Forest Service Roads to a State Highway. The area includes several reservoirs with fishing and kayaking opportunities. There are several well-traveled hiking trailheads along the…
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Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Trans American Trail WV

Some of the West Virginia TAT. Started in Marlington WV and went to Williams River, Planned on going all the way to Sutton WV but due to flood damage part of this trail is expected…
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Total Miles
19.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Little North Mountain WMA

Little North Mountain WMA has a mix of seasonally open routes that all dead-end eventually. This route includes a scenic, lightly maintained state road to access the area. The roads are marginally maintained gravel with…
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Total Miles
18
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Wi

Nettie to Richwood

If you like dirt roads this place is for you, miles upon miles of dirt/gravel roads. Took this route in about 3.5 hours almost 40 miles through some of the pretties country Nicholas Co WV…
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Total Miles
35.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Emerald Pond

Dead end route to a mountain pond. This route gradually climbs the mountain and ends at multiple locked gates. The route has some exposed base stone and muddy sections but generally maintained gravel forest service…
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Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Cub Run

Maintained gravel forest service road. This route includes numerous hiking trailheads. The southern portion of the route has very spotty cell service which improves in the northern portion. The northern portion includes many dispersed camping…
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Total Miles
8.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Coal Road

This is a 13-mile long forest service road with paved sections on either end. The gravel sections have potholes, but are easily traveled by any vehicle. There are many hiking and biking trailheads located along…
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Total Miles
12.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

St. Mary's

St. Mary's Road is a trail leading to the parking area for the St. Mary's Wilderness area. It is a short gravel forest road with little to no cell service and a large trailhead parking…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Big Mary

This is a gravel forest service road that follows Big Mary Creek. Several walk-in campsites are located just off the trail. There is good fishing and hiking along the trail, and decent cell service in…
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Total Miles
2.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Vances Cove

Vances Cove trail is a meandering gravel road starting at Cold Spring Gap. Descending into the valley along cold spring creek. The road can become washed out in some areas after heavy rain, as the…
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Total Miles
9.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Hawk

Hawk run is a meandering forest road that crosses through some private property as it climbs Spring Mountain along the border of Virginia and West Virginia. The road is mostly gravel with some dirt and…
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Total Miles
6.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Peters Mill Run

Peters Mill Run is a point-to-point easy trail near Fort Valley, Virginia. The trail is stock friendly and is a great spot for those new to off-roading. The trail can be entered from either the…
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Total Miles
7.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Hornet

Hornet descends out the back forest of George Washington National Forest to Hawk Campground. Many dispersed campsites can also be found past the Hawk Recreation and Picnic area. The road down is mostly gravel with…
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Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Nile Road to Gauley River

Short but fun little trail leading from Nile Road in Persinger WV, to the Gauley River. During the downhill journey you will see some of the finest of colors during prime season that West Virginia…
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Total Miles
1.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi