North Bend Rails to Trails Foundation
Make sure to wear the appropriate clothing and footwear considering your outdoor activity and weather conditions. It is also very important to ensure you have an adequate supply of water or favorite beverage (alcohol is prohibited), and snacks to allow you to complete your visit comfortably.

West Virginia law requires youths 14 and younger to wear a helmet while biking. Regardless of age, wearing a helmet is highly advisable as the potential for head injuries is greatly increased if the rider is involved in an accident. Headphones and other non-essential items are discouraged as they compromise safety for everyone on the trail.

There are also some right-of-way rules you should note. Bikers must yield to hikers, and both bikers and hikers must yield to horseback riders and horse driven trollies and wagons. This is very important, as some sections of the Trail (Cairo to Ellenboro), may experience high volumes of usage .

Suggestions for a safe ride on the trail
Along theTrail, you can expect to see and enjoy an amazing variety of wildlife: Whitetail Deer, Leatherback Snapping Turtles, Wild Turkeys, Beavers, Smallmouth Bass, Great Blue Herons, Squirrels, Red-Tailed Hawks, song birds and other critters too numerous to mention. Please try not to spook or stress our animal friends in their habitat. Please do not feed the wildlife.

No hunting or loaded guns are permitted on North Bend Rail Trail. Please respect private property notices.

ATV's are strictly forbidden.

Native wildlife on the trail
Trail Head Locations
© 2011 North Bend Rails to Trails Foundation
A beautiful segment of trail near Nicolette Road in Wood County.
Wild birds abound.
Happy Valley trailhead: Heading South on 1-77-Exit Right on Interstate 77 to Rt.47. turn left at bottom of exit ramp (at light), go 1 mile to 2nd light at Swisher Lane (near WVU-Parkersburg) and turn right. Go 1/10 mile to four way stop and turn right, then turn left 2/10 of a mile to Happy Valley Road and 3/10 mile to where you find parking on the right.

Heading North on 1-77=Exit Right on Interstate 77 to Rt. 47, turn left at bottom of exit ramp (at light), go 9/10 mile to next light at Swisher Lane (near WVU Parkersburg), turn right and go to the four way stop, 1/10 mile, turn right and 2/10 mile and turn left on Happy Valley Road. The parking is on the right 3/10 of a mile.

Walker trailhead: Exit Right on Interstate 77 to Rt. 47. North and South bound both turn left on Rt. 47 and go 7 miles (South bound add 1/10 miles) to Walker Road. Turn left on Walker Road for 4 1/2 miles and parking is on the left.

Walker trailhead: Exit Rt 50 onto Progress Ridge Road and go 5 1/2 miles. Turn left on Walker Walker Road and travel 6/10 of a mile. The parking is on the left.

Petroleum trailhead. Exit Rt 50 onto Goose Creek Road and go 6 1/2 miles. Parking is on the right. The rest area is on the left.

Cairo trailhead: Exit Rt. 50 onto Rt. 31 and go 4 miles to town. RT. 31 crosses the trail and parking is available on the blacktop in the town square or just of Main Street near the old Bank of Cairo.

Ellenboro trail head: Exit Rt 50 East and turn left 1/10 of a mile to the parking on the right. West bound turn right and parking is less than 1/10 of a mile.

Ellenboro Horse trailer trailhead. Exit Rt. 50 ,East bound turn right on Rt. 16. West bound turn left on Rt. 16 for 3/10 of a mile and turn right at the stop sign, Lamberton Road, and go 1/10 of a mile, turn right at the parking lot sign.

Pennsboro trailhead: from the West use Pennsboro/Bunnells Run Exit towards Pennsboro and travel 1 1/2 miles then turn left or Rt. 74 go 1/10 of a mile and park at the depot. From the East exit Rt. 50 at Rt. 74 North for 1 2/10 miles. The parking is on the left at the depot.

Toll Gate trailhead. Exit Rt. 50 at the Toll Gate exit. Travel 3/10 of a mile to the stop sign at Toll Gate. Turn left and park along the trail, but not on the trail.

West Union trailhead. Exit Rt. 50 at Rt. 18 North. Go 5/10 mile to stop sign. Turn left toward Rail Trail. 1/10 mile on right is trail parking. The trail is blacktop in West Union.

Smithburg trailhead. Exit at Smithburg exit. Go 7/10 mile. Park on left off the road in front of the Smithton Depot.

Salem trailhead.From the west. Exit Rt. 50 at Salem Road. go 2.5 miles to center of Salem . Park behind the Cornerstone Bank parking lot. Trail parking signs are beside the Salem Depot. Do not park in Cornerstone lot. From the east Exit Rt. 50 at Downtown Salem exit. Go 1.5 miles to center of Salem. Park behind the Conerstone Bank parking lot. Trail parking signs are beside the Salem Depot . Do not park in Cornerstone lot.

Wolf Summit trailhead is closed due to pipeline construction along the trail to near Salem. It is recommened if comming from the East to start the trail at Salem until further notice.

The North Bend Rails to Trails Foundation, Inc., in cooperation with the North Bend State Park maintenance crew for the trail, is patching and resurfacing portions of the trail in Ritchie County. Due to severe weather and erosion, a number of the locations are being resurfaced with slightly larger stone to create a stronger surface base. Although this larger stone is a little difficult to ride on at this time, this is a necessary step to improve the trail surfacing. Please use caution and be patient while we continue this process.

In addition, be aware of an accumulation of sand at the western end of the Ellenboro bridge in Ritchie County. As you approach the bridge, the sand is loose and deep on this end of the bridge. It is hoped this situation can be repaired in the spring.

Also, 2012 is the year we will begin resurfacing most of the 22 miles of trail in Doddridge County. The Foundation will be administering a $100,000 trail surfacing Federal Transportation grant. This will greatly improve conditions in Doddridge where there has been severe erosion and weather damage over the years.

Trail Conditions Alert