Ralph S. LaRue / West Fork River Trail 

   Winding along the West Fork River in the rural heart of West Virginia, the West Fork River Trail connects a collection of small communities—each one boasting tail-wagging dogs and softball diamonds dotted with young players. Locals are the trail's primary users—lines of families on bikes, couples out for an evening stroll, young friends sauntering to a neighbor's house. For out-of-towners, the trail offers a glimpse into classic Americana, a place that bigger places seem to have forgotten.

   The coming of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1852 signaled the beginning of an industrial era for Marion County. Commercial shipments of coal developed into a major industry by the 1890's; the discovery of oil and gas in the Mannington area around the same time caused the population to explode. All this entire industrial prowess declined in the 20th century, however, and railroad use waned. Eventually the corridor was abandoned. Active volunteers have since worked diligently to develop this well-fashioned rail-trail, with future plans to link it with the American Discovery Trail near Clarksburg and the Mon River Trail in Fairmont.

   This narrative begins at the trail's southern trailhead in downtown Shinnston, beneath the US 19 bridge, and follows the order of the mile markers north. Taking off along the West Fork River, you'll notice right away how the trail surface crunches noisily beneath your feet or bike tires. Benches dot the trailside every now and again, beckoning you listen quietly for the breeze rustling through the treetops, Canada geese making a splashdown and water lapping upon the shore.

   Around mile 2 you pass pretty cliffs, with small, white houses speckling the opposite shore. Honeysuckle perfumes the air, and in springtime redbud and dogwood add splashes of brightness to the new-green woods.

   At mile 3 you cut between the little, tidy houses of Enterprise, where T-shirted men mow lawns, women hang colorful laundry, kids play tag. Cross County Rd. 19/2, and once again enter a hilly, woodsy scene. In another mile, a sign indicates you're leaving Harrison County for Marion County; just ahead, look on the left for an old, rusted railroad bridge spanning the river. Houses announce your arrival to the community of Hutchinson around mile 5. You pass by another baseball diamond and an old, burnt-out brick building, then amble among the now familiar wooded hills. Just after passing a sewage treatment plant, you enter the town of Worthington (mile 5.25), where a waterfront park has swings and a softball field, and anglers stand waist-deep in the river's green waters below an old mill dam. Worthington is one of the bigger towns along the trail—though with only 233 souls, that's not saying much.

   A really pretty section waits just ahead; cut through sunny green slopes, then wrap around wooded hills laced with miniature waterfalls. Cross a railroad bridge over a little stream just beyond mile 8, then come to the town of Everson. Cross County Rd. 27, pass by a scattering of houses, and reenter the woods-and-river landscape.

   Around mile 10 you cut across a dirt road then come to the town of Monongah. Cross a railroad trestle, then County Rd. 56. Here, pay close attention to follow the trail up to the right, past an industrial yard and a baseball field. The scenery turns pastoral again, all the way to the town of Norway at mile 14. You can continue half a mile farther on the trail to a bridge spur and overlook. Or, if you go around the gate to the right, you can reach Mary Lou Retton Youth Park (named for the 1984 Olympic gold medalist from Marion County) about a mile away. To reach the park turn left on the paved road (unmarked County R. 56/6), then take a quick right on the uphill road (unmarked Norway Road) through the little town of Norway. After a bit of an uphill climb, the park will be on your left, offering three baseball fields, a picnic area, tennis courts, a playground, and the West Virginia Miner's Memorial, along with parking and restrooms.

   While in the area, be sure to check out the MCTRAIL, which begins on Morgantown Avenue in Fairmont and takes you to Pricketts Fort State Park.

Click On Image For A Larger View