Words and Photos by Josh "Soulslosher" Sheets @soulslosher
THE ALLEGHENY TRAIL QUICK HITS
Length: 315 miles
Time to Hike: Spring and/or Fall
Why Hike: Unique, remote, wild & wonderful, supportive trail communities with a robust volunteer network, and easy resupplies
The Appalachian Trail?? No. The Allegheny Trail (ALT). It’s 300+ miles of ‘Almost Heaven’ bliss. This trail is West Virginia’s longest hiking trail, extending from the Mason-Dixon Line at the PA | WV border south to Peter’s Mountain. It intersects the Appalachian Trail atop Peter’s Mountain in SW Virginia–which is interesting because you could take the ALT as a northbound alternative to the AT until you reach Pennsylvania. The ALT offers up a much more remote, wild, less populated experience than the AT. In essence, I believe it is what the AT used to be. I thru hiked the ALT (SOBO) last Fall and am happy to share my experiences with you!
On a warm mid-September afternoon, I was dropped off at the northern terminus and immediately reminded that most termini of trails aren’t grand but more symbolic in nature. I appreciated standing at the famed Mason-Dixon Line and the historical sign that detailed the area’s fraught history. After obligatory terminus photos, I departed and began walking the famed country roads (they might just take me home!) to my first night’s stop, the Mt. Nebo Baptist Church. I didn’t mind walking these country roads because, as I would find out, they usually offered some of the best views (and traffic is quite minimal)!
The ALT is divided into four (4) sections; Section 1 runs from the northern terminus to Blackwater Falls State Park. The first highlight in this section is the gorgeous Cheat River Canyon. Full disclosure: the trail was quite overgrown in this section, but I emerged at the end to find Jim, the caretaker at the Cheat Canyon Campground. He was very welcoming to me and loves hikers, in general. I grabbed a pepperoni roll at the nearby Kwik Shop and proceeded through the town of Preston and back up into the mountains. Night three was spent at the Lantz Ridge Community Building. Continuing Southbound, the trail winds its way past the rail town of Rowlesburg and up into the high country. Night four was spent camped in the small yard of the historic Close Mountain School, where I watched windmills twirl on the next ridge over. This trail showcases the critical importance of relationships fostered by trail organizations with local resources. Because there is quite a bit of country road walking in Section 1, camping can be hard to come by. A big thank you to West Virginia Scenic Trails Association (WVSTA) for maintaining these partnerships that allow hikers to camp and utilize services. It is also important for hikers to be respectful and gracious to ensure access continues. To wrap up Section 1, the ALT skirts along the majestic Blackwater Canyon (the side trip to Olson Fire Town is worth it!) before taking you through the mountain towns of Thomas and Davis. I opted for an AirBnb in Davis to clean up and partake in all thing’s town.
Once departing Davis, the trail takes you on a tour of Blackwater Falls State Park (yes, the short side trip to see Blackwater Falls is also worth it!) It is here that I truly was impressed with the ALT because it manages to string together what is some of the absolute BEST of West Virginia. Leaving Blackwater Falls, the trail follows the ridge that overlooks the Canaan Valley. Here, you will find tundra-like wetlands similar to those found in Canada. It is truly unique and a sight to behold! It is also here that you will find the first shelter of the trail (going SOBO). The trail meanders through the no-town of Red Creek (use the on-trail but limited-hours P.O. for a food drop, if you’d like). I found the Laurel River Club (LRC) B&B just off the trail to be quite welcoming and a decent stop. Marsha and her family will make you feel right at home! The B&B is actually what used to be The Superintendent’s House when this area was bustling with train and rail traffic. After a nice stay, I was back on trail and, in a few days’ time, traversing not only the halfway point but also the highest point on the ALT atop Gaudineer Knob (4,400+ feet). This part of the trail actually goes through a virgin spruce forest! That forest was spared from logging due to a surveying error in the 1920s and it was majestic to be among such old and towering giants! There had been a lot of rain from remnants of Hurricane Helene, and I took one of the handful of ‘high water detours’ that are offered on the ALT as I made my way to Durbin. Durbin is the perfect trail town, as it offers everything hiker trash desires: a restaurant with affordable accommodations upstairs, a laundromat, and friendly folks. If you ask nicely, moonshine might be had.
The start of Section 3 features the historic Cass Scenic Railroad to Lake Sherwood in Greenbrier County. But before I arrived at Cass, I have to mention that this trail takes you atop the ridge overlooking the famous Green Bank Telescope, the world’s largest steerable telescope. I popped into the Cass Trading Co. for a simple but good breakfast. It was a treat to watch the Shay locomotives across the river depart the station while I enjoyed my breakfast. Time sorta stands still in Cass and, well, in all of West Virginia along the ALT. I relished this and found it to be a bonus characteristic of the ALT. The trail leaves Cass on the scenic Greenbrier River Trail, and I had flashbacks to my AT hike when I left Harper’s Ferry on the C&O Canal Towpath. I climbed up into the Seneca State Forest and made camp at the Seneca Spring Shelter, which featured a massive stone fireplace. It was used nearly nonstop that night. The remnants of Helene brought off-and-on rain for nearly a week, and I was soaked and cold, testing my fortitude. I decided that I would go into the next town (Marlinton) and stay in town at the Old Clark Inn to dry out, lift my spirits, and get some solid grub.
Back on trail and about to enter Section 4 with spirits lifted, I hiked through West Virginia’s oldest State Park, Watoga State Park. This scenic park has laundry and campground amenities and is in overall great shape. The trail then bypasses Sherwood Lake on its way to White Sulphur Springs. A few miles before town, you are back to road walking and what is known as “The Gap” (about a 20-mile section). While this type of road walking was my least favorite, the Crown Jewel of the ALT laid ahead and that is what kept me moving forward. I am, of course, talking about Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory. For me, this had almost a Katahdin-esque vibe to it. It was perfectly awesome, and I took pride in having walked such a long way to see it. Plus, it added a cool ‘end factor’ to my hike. I stayed the night and, the following day, walked the spine of Peter’s Mountain to the end of the Allegheny Trail, intersecting the AT for a trip literally down memory lane.
It would be remiss of me not to mention that I had the pleasure of linking up with some ALT maintainers, volunteers, and trail angels during my hike. We all linked up with folks from the Pocohontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to promote the area’s pristine outdoor recreational opportunities. We hiked a portion of the ALT in Beaver Creek Gorge. We got some stellar photos and videos to be used in promotional ads! West Virginia is truly a world-class outdoor playground, paradise, and an often underrated and underappreciated gem. The folks who painstakingly work to maintain and elevate the ALT know what they have; they want to see the trail grow and be appreciated for all that it is.
So, what do you think of the Allegheny Trail? My two cents? Are there road walks? Sure. Is the treadway not as “cruisy” as more well-known and traveled trails? Yep. But these aren’t detractions. The ALT and other smaller trails like it make you realize and appreciate the diamonds in the rough. All trails ultimately evolve over time from a concept to a plan to a rough patchwork to a dedicated pathway. Trails don’t just magically appear in the woods. Maintaining trails, getting them off roads, navigating private and public lands, rights of ways, partnerships with multiple organizations, etc. are all aspects of the often decades-long evolvement of a trail. I loved seeing this trail for what it is but also for what it strives to be. The ALT is also checkered with history, both local and regional, and it showcases it splendidly. I could actually enjoy it. To think. To read. To take the time. I rather enjoyed all the solitude.
