Locals boast that they've got 200 miles of trails just outside their doors, and innumerable more twist through the forest as a whole. It's diverse territory, too. Technical singletrack lies just minutes away from a more gentle rails-to-trails route. A couple of resorts, the Elk River Touring Center and Snowshoe Mountain, offer guided tours and shuttles uphill. All in all, there's no reason to stay away from these gorgeous, green mountains for too long. The trails that follow are our best suggestions for keeping busy while you're around Slatyfork.

The Greenbrier River Trail

This former railroad grade situated alongside the Greenbrier River has been converted to recreational use. It stretches from Cass in the north to North Caldwell in the south, running for 76 miles over packed limestone. Because of its easy grade (less than 1 percent) and scenic highlights like tunnels and bridges, this is an ideal route for the entire family. Cass is accessible from Slatyfork via Highway 66.

The Gauley Mountain Ride/Trail #438

This trail, along an old logging-era railroad grade, takes riders through stands of red spruce and hardwoods. It's a ten-mile out-and-back, on a relatively smooth and narrow dirt trail. The ride starts on Forest Road 24, which is located about five miles south of Slatyfork off of Hwy. 219. You begin riding at the Gauley Mountain Trailhead, then continue straight at the Tea Creek Connector Trail intersection, the Bear Pen Ridge Trail intersection, the Red Run Trail intersection, and the Right Fork Connector Trail intersection. The trail ends at the trailhead parking area on the Highland Scenic Highway. Return the way you came.

Photo Credit: Skip Brown, Courtesy of Elk River Touring Center

Bannock Shoals Trail Ride

	Slatyfork, WV West Virginia Mountain Biking Association (304) 296-4142 Pocahontas County Tourism Commission (800) 336-7009 Monongahela National Forest Campgrounds Elk River Touring Center

The Cranberry Backcountry

A wide variety of riding opportunities are available in the Cranberry Backcountry, where hundreds of miles of roads and trails have been closed to motor vehicles. Cranberry River Road, a converted rail trail, offers access to numerous loops. Other trails in the area include Blue Knob, Pocahontas, and Cow Pasture. Riding isn't allowed in the Cranberry Wilderness and Botanical areas.

	Mountain biking trails elsewhere in the Monongahela National Forest include: Pheasant Mountain Canaan Mountain Backcountry Seneca Creek Backcountry and Gandy Creek Area Horseshoe Run Area

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