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A great write up about the Allegheny Highlands Railtrail

Allegheny Highlands Trail is a level path in middle of W. Virginia mountains

By BOB DOWNING

Akron Beacon Journal

Related:

• http://www.randolphcountywv.com
• http://www.canaanvalley.org
• http://www.ohio.com/
• http://www.highlandstrail.org
• http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf

PARSONS, W.Va. - It was no contest: The yellow jackets won.

I had pedaled from Parsons to Hendricks. I got off my bike in Hendricks (population 317) to check the information kiosk for a new trail map.

A few yellow jackets buzzed. One got stuck in my jacket sleeve. That angered him. He stung me and called in reinforcements.

I took off running and swatting. I got about a dozen stings to my hands, face and the back of my head. Ouch times 12. But there was no allergic reaction; I could still gratefully breathe and swallow.

Welcome to West Virginia's Allegheny Highlands Trail.

The rail-trail stretches 21 miles along U.S. 219 from Elkins in Randolph County to Parsons in neighboring Tucker County. That section opened in 2001.

Most of Tucker County and 25 percent of Randolph County lie within the rugged 919,000-acre Monongahela National Forest. The elevations within the national forest range from 1,000 feet to 4,863 feet.

But the Allegheny Highlands Trail is mostly flat, and that's the biggest surprise.

The trail follows the route of the old West Virginia Central & Pittsburgh Railway that was built in 1884 by Henry Gassaway Davis. Later it became the Western Maryland Railway. That explains the lack of steep grades in a land dominated by mountains.

Now the trail runs an additional 2.63 miles from Parsons with its old railroad depot along the Black Fork River to Hendricks. That pretty section opened in early 2004.

A 1.04-mile section in Parsons was completed in late 2009.

A new bridge is under construction on U.S. 219 at the edge of Parsons for the highway and trail. The trail is now detoured through the U.S. Forest Service's Nursery Bottom forest research center at Bretz.

Parsons (population 1,784) also wants to restore the old 240-foot-long Western Maryland Railway bridge over the Shavers Fork River into a trail-only structure.

A 0.8-mile southern section through Elkins is still to be completed, from Highland Park to the restored Western Maryland Railway station in the Elkins rail yard.

The trail will be 25 miles when completed.

A warning: West Virginia's Allegheny Highlands Trail is different from Pennsylvania's old Allegheny Highlands Trail that now is part of the Great Allegheny Passage that runs from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md.

But the Allegheny Highlands Trail is a work in progress.

There are plans to extend the trail from Hendricks to the northeast, up the Blackwater Canyon 10 miles to Thomas at the edge of Canaan Valley, and from Douglas to Mount Storm.

That section from Hendricks to Thomas (population 713) will be a steep uphill climb: an ascent of nearly 1,300 feet. You can hike and bike that section now, although it is not yet improved.

Trail supporters are also working with the Allegheny Highlands Trail Partners to connect Thomas to Cumberland and the Great Allegheny Passage in western Maryland.

There will be a guided ride through the Blackwater Canyon from Thomas to Bretz on Sept. 25. The 12.5-mile downhill ride will begin at 1 p.m. Helmets are required.

The ride should take about three hours with rest stops and history stops. Shuttle service will be offered to the drivers of vehicles. The ride is not recommended for children under 10. For more information, call 304-637-7505 or e-mail info@highlandstrail.org.

Some of the best hiking and biking options along the Allegheny Highlands Trail between Parsons and Elkins are found just off the rail-trail on roads and single-track trails that lead into the national forest, according to the Highlands Trail Foundation, a grass-roots group based in Elkins.

The rail-trail provides easy access to empty back roads and wooded trails in the national forest, including those on Pheasant Mountain, for hikers and bikers.

The South Haddix Trail is an experts-only 12-mile ride that starts at Montrose. You ride up an old logging road, climbing a ridge to the east to reach a single-track trail that appeals to mountain bikers willing to climb a steep ridge and savor a wild descent.

You can also access the South Haddix Trail from Moore via Forest Service Road No. 116. It is a loop of nearly 20 miles.

The Upper Shingle Tree/Pheasant Mountain ride is a 4-mile loop from Porterwood. The trail climbs on a narrow-gauge railroad bed and then descends on a forest service road. It is accessible from Forest Service Road No. 933 at the Cheat Cooperative Wildlife Management Area.

You can also ride 15 1/2 miles from Kerens along the pretty Shavers Fork of the Cheat River.

Kerens offers a series of short loops to the west on Laurel Mountain's back roads and trails for beginners and intermediate riders.

The trail foundation lists 11 suggested loop rides off the Allegheny Highlands Trail in a trail map/brochure it distributes.

The trail runs through remote and undeveloped countryside, forests, meadows, farms, wetlands and small towns.

Geocaches have been installed along the trail for people with global positioning system (GPS) gear.

The trail's southern terminus is currently at Highland Park on the northern edge of Elkins, the Randolph County seat and a one-time railroad, lumber and coal town.

The trail was built by the West Virginia Department of Highways as a bicycle accommodation for the new Corridor H highway.

The sections closest to Elkins and Parsons are asphalt paved. The middle section through the farm country along Leading Creek is rolled limestone.

The grade is fairly easy in both directions, but gently descends from the Randolph-Tucker county line in both directions. The high point is between Montrose and Moore.

The easiest way is to start in Elkins, not Parsons.

Parking is available at Highland Park, Gilman, Kerens, Montrose, Porterwood, Parsons, Bretz and Hendricks.

The rail-trail is open to all nonmotorized recreational use including walking, bicycling, riding horses, rollerblading, skateboarding and cross-country skiing. Electric wheelchairs are permitted.

Equestrian use is discouraged on the paved trail sections near Elkins and Parsons.

For more information, contact the Highlands Trail Foundation at P.O. Box 2862, Elkins, WV 26241. You can also check out http://www.highlandstrail.org. You can also get information from the Randolph County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 315 Railroad Ave., Suite 1, Elkins, WV 26241, 800-422-3304, http://www.randolphcountywv.com. Also the Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 565, Davis, WV 26260, 800-782-2775, http://www.canaanvalley.org. You can also get topographic maps of the Monongahela National Forest at the U.S. Forest Service office in Elkins. It is at 200 Sycamore St., Elkins, WV 26241, 304-636-1800. The Internet site is http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf. There are also three bike shops in the area with rentals, shuttles and helpful information:

-Blackwater Bikes, Davis, 304-259-5286.

-Joey's Bike Shop, Elkins, 304-636-0219.

Other nearby attractions include whitewater trips on the Cheat River, the Fernow Experimental Forest, the Otter Creek Wilderness, Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley State Park and the Dolly Sods Wilderness.

Bob Downing: bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com

Posted on Mon, Aug. 30, 2010 07:08 AM

SM 100

ShenandoahMt 100: Mandi 14th woman, 10 hours 36 minutes. Overall she hung in there for a better than mid pack finish.

Me 52nd overall, 8 hours 42
minutes. I rode a fast somewhat party pace all day. Didn't want to dig to deep was more concerned about enjoying my day.

John Weber, 9:34! Awesome finishing time for a fella who only rides 3 times a week!!!

Team JBS got some great exposure at a national level event and we all had a great painful time.

Whitmeadow Rendezvous!!!

Steve,John,Mandi,Me, Andy, Greta(she did the abbreviated Rendezvous) and Sara.

Sara

John's thigh and Mandi.

Andy(he always rides with his eyes closed)

Steve

The Whitmeadow Rendezvous was a smashing success!!! Six people including myself tackled the hair raising trails up on Cheat Mountain. Bruises and bumps abounded but no one had any serious injuries. The ride consisted of: Stonecoal, Crouch, Whitmeadow and the Shavers Fork River trail. The ride length was somewhere around 22 slow rolling miles. The conditions were perfect, dryish, sunny with a nice breeze. Post ride libations flowed freely and tasted excellent!

A big thanks to all that attended and a special big thanks to the fellas from the West Virginia Mountain Trail Runners. Dan Lehmann, Joel Wolpert and Adam Casseday have the trails up on cheat mountain in the best shape ever!

Joey

Saturday August 21st

Tomorrow is the second JBS sponsored WVMBA fun ride of the year, The Whitmeadow Rendezvous (best french ascent). The shop will be closed and I will be riding my bike for as long as possible. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Whitmeadow Rendezvous

The Whitmeadow Rendezvous WVMBA fun ride is just around the corner, August 21st to be exact.

Here are few details:

Where: The ride will be departing from FS road 209, off of RT 250 South of Huttonsville WV. If you are unfamiliar with the area your best bet is to swing by JBS and just follow us up.

When: The ride will start at roughly 11am Saturday August 21 on FS 209. We will be leaving from JBS at 10:00am.

What: This ride is not for novices! The trails are very rooty, rocky, slippery, slow and steep. Some of the most technical riding in WV! The trails are not manicured or groomed in anyway. Simply this ride is tough and scary. Distance will be roughly 17miles and will consist of techy singletrack and some fairly long FS road climbs.

Need any more info: joeysbikeshop@hotmail.com or 304-636-0219

Trail Allert!!!

The Charleston/DC bureaucrats are once again trying to take trails away from a user group to which I and many others belong. Someone thought it was a good idea to add North Fork Mountain Trail to a some pending wilderness legislation. North Fork is by far one of the most beautiful and rugged rides in WV. I have ridden it several times over the years and would hate to be forced into becoming an outlaw to ride it in the future.

Contact your supposed representative and let them know that you want them to keep there greedy blood stained hands off of our trails.

Head on over to IMBA sign up and join the fight.

Joey

Anniversary Sale!!!

Joey's Bike Shop has been serving the cycling community in the Elkins area for three years now!

As a way to celebrate our 3rd year anniversary we are having a SALE!!!

Sale starts Saturday July 24th and ends August 7th:

All 2008-2009 bikes are 15% off or more in most cases!!

All 2010 bikes are 10% off!

All accessories (gloves,cycling computers, mirrors etc...) are also 10%off excludes repair parts.

Big Bear 2x12...

So this is how it works. One race, 6 laps, two people. Each person has to do 3 laps. Total mileage 39ish miles. Mandi and I entered the coed pro class. On the line $1000.

So this is how it went down:

First lap, Me: I choked on the start and got into the woods somewhere around 20th. I struggled through the first half of the lap but by the midway point my legs had snapped back into shape. I finished up in 6th place overall second in class. Not to shabby for such a poor start.

Second lap, Mandi: In her words "I rode like poo". She could not get into any rhythm and felt if she was riding to hard for the speed she was moving. We lost two positions. 2nd after first lap, 4 after second lap.

Third lap, Me: I had my work cut out for me. I had about a minute to make up on Brad Wilhelm and fourish on Gunnar. I started my lap slow, worked into it and by the end had put about 3 minutes on Brad and maybe a minute on Gunnar. 4th place back to second.

Forth lap, Mandi: The sky opened and the rain came down, hard. The winds picked up and the temperature dropped. All of which played to Mandi's favor. She likes tough girl conditions. Mandi got caught by Betsy but she closed in on Sue, of the Sue and Justin team, the leading team. Started second, came in third, but closed in on Sue and Justin.

Fifth lap, Me: I pooped the bed, sort of. I rode well but not fast. I was struggling with an upset stomach. I didn't reel Gunnar or Justin back in but I opened up a bigger gap over Brad. I limited are losses and left Mandi in a fairly good position going into the last lap. Started third finished in third.

Sixth lap, Mandi: Before starting the lap Mandi was waiting for me in the start tent on the verge of puking. She had nothing in her stomach and figured that the last lap would be a real struggle. She was wrong, she had wings! Mandi caught second place, Sue, and preceded to ride like she has never ridden before. Mandi said she rode like she had some one elses legs.

We finished up with a strong second place showing.

The Big Bear 2x12 was an incredibly fun and challenging event. Our hats are of to Mark Schooley and the Big Bear crew. You folks but together a superbly run event in very short order. I hope it continues for years to come.

Peace, Joey

Don't forget May is national bike month. The week of May 17-23 is national bike to work week.

Great Weekend!!!!

Carryn

John

The Crew: John, Carryn, Bruce, Scott, Andrew, Mike, ME, Mandi, Sarah and John.

Andy

Mike

"Sabrina" and Mandi

John

The 3rd annual Shingletree Shuffle went off without a hitch on Saturday. Ten riders, no broken bones, no broken bikes. The weather was picture perfect! Blue skies, coolish temps and loads of sunshine. Big thanks to everyone who attended and please feel free to ride the Shingletree trail network anytime you like.

Peace, Joey

Bonus: Mandi and I went down to Bluefield WV Sunday for the Crying Wolf Challenge MTB race. Mandi and I were both big wieners! Yeah!!! Mandi 1st expert women! Me first overall!

Shingletree Shuffle...

When: Saturday May 15th, 11am!!

Where: Porterwood terminus of Allegheny Highlands Trail. 219 North. Just a bit south of Parsons.

What: 15ish miles of West "by golly" Virginia singletrack. Long semi arduous climbs followed by fast flowy singletrack descents. Not for the for the weak of heart or timid of spirit.

If you need more info: joeysbikeshop@hotmail.com

Shingletree/Clover

Map your trip with EveryTrail

Thursday Ride: Pheasant Mountain

Small group this past Thursday for the JBS ride. Just Mandi, Mike Stennes and me. We did a 15 mile ride up on Pheasant Mountain. It was a beautiful evening and a very enjoyable ride.

Joey

Post Race interview MMM

Cycling Videos on CyclingDirt

Thursday South Haddix Hussle...

Where we did the hussle.

Me fixing Ben's chain the first time. Lucky for him I have broken plenty of chains in my day.

Ben.

Mike #2

The Crew: Three Elkinites, three Buchaneers, and one Clarksburger.

John in his favorite position.

The Mandena.

Jake

Mike on the SS.

Once again we had a great JBS Thursday evening group ride. This time the eclectic crew converged on Mont-rose WV and hit up South Haddix trail. South Haddix is a typical WV ridge ride. Straight up, straight down. Aside from a couple broke chains or should I say one chain that was broken twice, the ride went off without a hitch. Thanks fellas, it was a hoot.

Peace, Joey

Thursday Shingletree Shakedown...

The crew. Three Elkinites and five Parsonsites.

Andy and his AWD machine.

Wayne the one braked wonder.

Mandi showing all the fellas how "it" is done.

Chris almost making it.


15 miles of sweet WV singletrack! Dry, fast and most importantly fun. Thanks guys for a great Thursday evening ride.

Peace, Joey


Shingletree Trail at EveryTrail


Map your trip with EveryTrail

Mug Shot...

Podium mugs from Big Bear!!! Mandi 2nd woman!!! Joey 4th overall!!! Great way to start the race season.

Joey

New Mail Box!!!

I have had this idea kicking around in my head for a while. It is a broken frame and a non functioning fork. A gutted headset and a very long Coda stem that should have never been and never will be installed on a bike again. My mail man gave it a thumbs up!

Joey