The Greenbrier River Trail
A Wild Biking & Camping
Adventure
Story & Photos by Matt Bayman
The Greenbrier River Trail in West Virginia passes through one of the most remote regions in the eastern United States and is never far from the beautiful and wild Greenbrier River.
The 78-mile trail (the longest Rail Trail in West Virginia) runs north-south and connects the tiny village of Cass to the north with Lewisburg to the south. Lewisburg is located a few miles from The Greenbrier resort, which, until it was exposed in the 1990s, was the secret location of a bunker where Congress would go in the event of a nuclear war. The remoteness of the region is also why the government chose to build the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (LEARN MORE) near the river. In fact, part of the trail lies within the National Radio Quiet Zone where there is no cell phone reception.
The Greenbrier River Trail follows mostly flat terrain (1% grade!) along the path of an old Chesapeake & Ohio railway line and is open to mountain bikes, hikers and horses—all of which you’ll encounter on the trail. It provides many breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains as it passes through beautiful valleys, several small towns, crosses 35 bridges, goes through two tunnels and cuts through some of West Virginia’s largest state forests. The trail is one of 50 Millennium Legacy Trails in the United States and was rated one of the top 10 hiking trails in the country by Backpacker Magazine.
It was the allure of this kind of seclusion, beauty and status that drew me and my son, James, to the Greenbrier River Trail in the summer of 2023. It would be our first time camping while biking, which turned out to be an experience that, if it’s always this fun and convenient, is something we’d like do again, only now with a few lessons learned. ​​​
Camping Vs. Hotels on the Bike Trail
One of the problems with using hotels or AirBnBs while bicycle traveling (especially on Rail Trails) is that they must be booked in advance. This means riders are locked into a specific location and schedule, which, as my son and I have learned through past experience, can be stressful!
Bicycle camping, on the other hand, offers freedom and flexibility, especially on the Greenbrier River Trail, where four campgrounds with covered shelters, running water and other amenities are spread out along the length of the trail and are free to use. If these campsites are full, riders can pitch a tent or hammock in a number of rougher campsites (with no amenities) next to the trail, also at no cost. With no set schedule to worry about and so many options for camping, this allows cyclists to simply “sit back” and enjoy the ride, which is very easy to do on the Greenbrier River Trail.
An Easy Going Trail
The last major bicycle trip that James and I completed was the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) in Pennsylvania and Maryland (LEARN MORE). It spans more than 150 miles, crosses up and over the Eastern Continental Divide and took us three excruciating days to complete. Although we planned to ride about 100 miles on the Greenbrier River Trail over two days and one night, we both knew it was going to be a lot easier and more relaxing than the GAP, which was something we were looking forward to. We just wanted to have fun!
We had read that the best and most scenic part of the Greenbrier River Trail is the northern section, specifically between Cass and the Droop Mountain Tunnel—a distance of about 50 miles one way. This is the route we chose to ride round-trip in early September of 2023, during a particularly hot and dry period.
Thankfully, the heat never really bothered us. This is because a vast majority of the trail is under the cover of trees or in the shadow of a mountain, providing plenty of shade from even the strongest midday heat. Besides, if you really get too hot, there are a number of designated swimming holes in the river to cool off in. There’s also very little breeze or wind to slow down riders. It’s just fresh crisp mountain air!
But it gets even easier! If you start in Cass at Mile Marker 78 and travel south, you’ll essentially be moving downhill during your entire trip (albeit very gradually), give or take a few slight inclines. On top of this, the trail is made of compact gravel that is very smooth and easy to ride on. It’s pretty much like riding on pavement. In fact, we were surprised to learn that, in our first hour, we covered 10 miles. In comparison, on some of the harder Rail Trails we’ve done, we averaged about 6 or 7 miles, or less, per hour, often due to steep inclines or very rough trail conditions. The Greenbrier River Trail, as is obvious along every inch of the journey, is very well taken care of, like a National Treasure! If a tree falls, it is immediately removed and there is very little rubbish on or near the trail. The campsites, too, are equally well-maintained.
Another great thing about the trail is that it crosses very few roads. Those it does cross seem to be sparsely traveled and used mostly by fishermen and hunters. So, when it comes down to it, you’re really out in the middle of nowhere, often surrounded by tall cliffs and rock formations, dense patches of wildflowers and giant forests that fan out in all directions from the river, but you’re on a safe, well-trodden path. At night, it is the definition of peace and quiet. And the skies and stars are crystal clear.
For better or worse, the Greenbrier River Trail passes through only a handful of small towns. While this means more seclusion and nature for trail users, it also means fewer creature comforts, such as restaurants, super markets and gas stations, where supplies and rest can be found. The most notable town on the northern section (and the only place to find such amenities) is Marlinton—located about 25 miles south of Cass. This distance makes it a great place to stop for lunch, including at the Dairy Queen or Subway or, for a more local experience, the Greenbrier Grille and Lodge or Alfredo’s Italian & Greek. There are also a number of lodges and bed and breakfasts there that are popular with cyclists.
We had eaten breakfast and parked near The Last Run Restaurant in Cass in the morning and were equipped with a hammock and small pillow for the evening, plus water and snacks to start our ride. We planned to stop in Marlinton twice, once for lunch (and to purchase dinner supplies) on our first day and again in the morning for breakfast and fresh supplies on our way back to Cass. This would keep our load light. Adding to this, there are plenty of water faucets on the trail, so you can simply refill smaller water bottles and carry less weight. Other than that, not much else is needed, or so we thought…
Riding into the Night
I did bring one other important tool in my backpack, as did James. We both had sock hats equipped with powerful headlights. We brought them so we could see on the trail if it got too dark and to help us set up our campsite at night. It was a good thing we brought them!
We had reached the Droop Mountain Tunnel and turned back toward Cass to find a suitable campsite for the night. There still seemed to be plenty of sunlight left in the day. But, since we were down in the river valley and beneath a canopy of trees, it went down quicker than we anticipated. With a few miles left to reach our campsite, it became completely dark—an experience both of us will never forget.
At one point in the darkness, and with our head lamps shining on the path in front of us (attracting insects toward the light), a group of bats flew directly between our bikes and our heads, taking advantage of the feast of bugs! One bat stayed with us for what seemed like a quarter-mile (it looked like he was standing still in the air) before swooping off.
Without too much trouble we reached the sheltered campsite and looked around for a good place to set up our hammocks. However, (and because we were tired after riding 70 miles that day) we quickly realized that the wooden benches in the shelter would be much easier to deal with. We threw our hammocks over the wooden benches, climbed inside, zipped ourselves in to keep bugs away and settled in for one of the most quiet, yet not-so-comfortable nights of our lives.
If I could go back now, I would have simply brought a good sleeping bag to use in the shelter (maybe with the light-weight hammock for backup). It’s much easier (and more comfortable) to lay your sleeping bag on the raised bench in the shelter than to find a set of trees to pitch a hammock in. Besides, sleeping bags don’t add that much weight to a bike and a good sleep is as important as the food you eat on your trip!
More of the Greenbrier River Trail
After a tough night’s sleep, James and I were able to finish the final 30 miles of the trail before lunchtime, including a stop in Marlinton and a few other places. We had enjoyed our longest single-day ride ever (and it hadn’t been very hard to do) and we had experienced and enjoyed bicycle camping.
If we could have continued past the Droop Mountain Tunnel, we would have enjoyed a number of other points of interest. This includes blueberry picking at White Oak Blueberry Farm, swimming and tubing in the river near Mile Marker 13-14 or in the Norman Blue Hole, and visiting the Locust Creek Covered Bridge. The southern section of the trail is still covered with trees and surrounded by forests and mountains, but it eventually begins to pass through small communities and more congested areas, which is why it is less attractive to cyclists and hikers than the northern section.
Overall, the Greenbrier River Trail is an ideal place to fall in love with Rail Trail cycling and bicycle travel. It is absolutely beautiful, yet easy to ride, and it contains camping and lodging options to suite any taste. And, as you can see in this magazine, there are a number of interesting and unique places to visit in the area, and it’s not too far from home.