Login | October 28, 2025
Greenbriar River Trail
PETE GLADDEN
Pete’s World
Published: October 27, 2025
Tucked away in the vast expanses of West Virginia are some pretty amazing places––places that most people have never even heard of let alone had on their radar screens as recreational destinations.
And over the years I’ve offered up a couple of these cool places in Legal News columns.
For instance there are pieces about Dolly Sods Wilderness, North Fork Mountain and Otter Creek Wilderness to name a few.
So let me throw yet another little West Virginian hidden gem into that mix - the Greenbrier River Trail.
Now it takes a bit of road tripping and GPSing to get there - Akron/Cleveland to Cass, W.Va is about a four to five hour drive - but this trail is well worth the extra car time and navigation you’ll have to endure.
That’s because the Greenbrier River Trail is one of those “Crown Jewel” trails that absolutely has to be experienced at least once in a lifetime.
And if you think that’s just me getting a bit too hyperbolic here, well, the Greenbrier River Trail has been designated as one of 50 Millennium Legacy Trails in the United States, that as well as rated by Backpacker Magazine as one of the top 10 hiking trails in the country (you can also ride mountain and gravel bikes on this multi-purpose trail).
So what is the Greenbrier?
The Greenbrier is an old Chesapeake and Ohio Railway line that was abandoned around 1978.
And when the remaining tracks were removed the land was donated to the state of West Virginia, whereupon the state embarked on a six-year project to make the track available for recreational activities.
Today the Greenbrier exists as the state’s longest continuous recreational trail, spanning some 78 miles point to point.
Now one of the more spectacular aspects of this trail is its two tunnels, the 402-foot long Droop Mountain Tunnel and the 511-foot long Sharps Tunnel which are amazing pieces of 19th century engineering.
But honestly, for a nature nut like me it’s all about the wild and wonderful scenery.
Hiking or biking your way down this trail is an adventure in and of itself because there are places where you’ll feel as though you’re hundreds of miles from any kind of civilization.
Cell phones don’t work out there and trailside towns are few and far between.
Along most of this riverside trail are nothing but dense stands of deciduous forest along the hillsides, all of which are set against the softly flowing Greenbrier River which you’ll cross innumerable times on old railroad bridges.
Now being an abandoned RR line, the subsequent crushed limestone trail is pretty darned flat, so amidst all the mountains, hillsides and steep ravines the trail bisects there’s never a worry about struggling up and down the rugged topography.
Nope, it’s the trail’s length that’s going to challenge you, for your options entail either a multi-day out and back, a point-to-point with a couple vehicles or a selection of day segments with a single vehicle.
Now there are several outfitters in the area who offer shuttle services for hikers and bikers.
And of the towns that do lie on or near the trail, Lewisburg and Cass are the most popular starting and ending points since they both offer a host of amenities that are helpful when doing the trail.
So I’ve done the Greenbrier twice, once as a series of several day-trip segments and once as a through ride when I was doing a ride across the US.
And during both of those outings I found this trail to be absolutely stellar.
Thus, whether you’re a hiker, biker, canoeist, kayaker, birder or just a nature enthusiast out for a little exploration, the Greenbrier Trail will most definitely provide you with a sense of adventure as well as a feeling of absolute solitude.
Camping is also available in places like Watoga State Park, the Greenbrier River Campground and the Marlinton Campground.
For more information go to https://www.greenbrierrivertrail.com. And for planning purposes there’s also a great trail map that can be found at https://www.greenbrierrivertrail.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GRTTearoffmap2023.pdf.