Greenbrier River Trail (South Half)
North Caldwell, WV to Seebert Road Bridge, WV
43 Miles (86 Miles Round Trip).
A 373 feet climb to Hillsboro over 43 miles.
Flat railroad grade (0.2%).
Worst Grade: About 1.5 Percent.
Number of intersections: About 16.
Number of people passed on the trail: 15.
Pros: A very quiet ride with hardly any people traffic. The 77 mile long unpaved trail has several designated biker/hiker camp sites. Drinking water pumps and restrooms are conveniently located along the trail. Trails goes through some very remote areas teeming with wildlife, including bear which is why campsites have bear-proof garbage receptacles. Did not see a single piece of litter. Bathrooms were clean and had toilet paper.
Cons: Even more dense canopy compared to the North side meaning the sun remains hidden much of the trip and for most of the trip you cannot see the surrounding mountains or the Greenbrier River. The trail is mostly two single tracks instead of being a wide trail. This means having to keep the tires confined to about a 2 foot area lest you run off into the grass. If you are claustrophobic, there is a tunnel on this trail. If you are afraid of bear, this trail is not for you.
Hindsight: 86 miles was a bit much to ride in one day on an unpaved trail. After seeing quite a few deer in the morning, the wildlife disappeared and nothing was seen in the afternoon making for a boring ride because of the dense canopy. The last 20 miles back to North Caldwell trailhead start I was riding on autopilot just wishing the ride would be over soon. I liked the north half of Greenbrier River Trail much more than the south half. Instead of riding the south half of the Greenbrier Trail I should have started at the Seebert Bridge Trailhead and rode up into Watoga State Park. It is a 1000 foot climb over 4.5 miles on an almost traffic free road that goes along Island Lick Run Creek.
Ratings: (1-5 scale, 5 being best)
Trail: 4 (Lots of smooth, a little bumpy.)
Critters: 4 (You will likely see deer on an early morning ride.)
Scenery: 2 (Dense Canopy hides most of the surrounding scenery.)