Oct 14 & 15 Greenbrier River Trail

Running alongside the Greenbrier River Trail is its namesake, the Greenbrier River, for the full 77 miles, North Caldwell to Cass WV. Last operated by the C&O in 1978, this trail and its corridor is owned and operated as a West Virginia State Park. Condition of the tread-way is excellent, crushed gravel and a 4 mile paved section through Marlinton.

I used Marlinton as my base for two days of riding. Marlinton is the largest community for some distance in all directions. Somehow it survived after the logging era ended. Prior to the railroad being built in the early 1900's, logs were floated down river to Roncerverte in the spring runoff. Once the railroad was built, logging could proceed on a much grander scale. Many small communities rose up along the tracks. many of these places are long gone today. A few remnants remain but you need to search for them.

Heading north out of Marlinton, the trail follows the east side of the river with mountains rising up right next to it. On the west side of the river is a long fertile valley, still in use as pastureland. Nine mile from Marlinton everything changes. The trail crosses the river and immediately into the 500 foot Sharps Tunnel, seen above.

Note the still standing, tell-tail to warn persons on top of the train to get down. I hope those trains were traveling slowly as there does not appear to be much warning. Once through the tunnel, the trail is on the west side and you are in a gorge. Mountains rise up on both sides. Scenery changes and weather changes. I've noted this transition before. Now there are many more maples and the fall colors are more vibrant.

Here is one of those whistlestop towns. Cloverlick is a tiny place with just a few homes but it does boast this beautiful train station.

I continued on to Cass which was a major base for a timber operation. The trail ends here but the railroad lives on with a tourist attraction train. The Cass train works its way up a mountain using switchbacks in which the entire train is pulled onto a spur at the apex of each swithback, then the track is switched, the steam engine reverses and the train slowly makes it way up or down.

The obligatory self portrait on my return ride to Marlinton. The ride today was about 47 miles in perfect fall weather as you may see from the photo background.

The last time I was here, this was a charred skeleton. Now rebuilt it looks as spiffy as ever.

The following day, I rode the opposite direction out of Marlinton. Above, in the former community of Watoga, is this bank vault trailside. You can see it from the trail but it is easy to miss. I understand it was part of the company store. The concrete vault is about the size of a large closet. It sports a steel door and frame. There are pieces of the foundation crumbling nearby but the vault was built to last.

There are a few houses along the trail. In Seebert there is a parallel road for about a mile, lined with small vacation homes. It seems every trail I've ridden in WV has a prison on it. This is no exception. Denmar Correctional Center is trailside. Originally a hospital for tuberculosis and later, other terminal diseases, it occupies such a bucolic setting. There is also a federal prison in Anthony a bit further south near the trail.

I didn't have the legs to make it all the way to the Droop tunnel, my original plan. I turned back at MP 33, stopped for lunch at Jack Horners Corner in Seebert and finished up just before 3pm having traveled 49 miles.