Bike the Parks

Parks / West Virginia

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

Stacked singletrack loops and old mining trails above a deep river gorge.

5/5
Destination ride

Dozens of miles of trails open to bikes, including the purpose-built Arrowhead loops, make it the best mountain biking in the national park system.

Riding here

New River Gorge is the national park mountain bikers dream about. The Arrowhead Trails are 12.8 miles of purpose-built stacked loops near Fayetteville, and many more trails, from the Southside and Kaymoor trails to old mining grades like Brooklyn Mine, are open to bikes. Fayetteville is a proper bike town with shops and outfitters.

Where you can ride

Bikes may use the Arrowhead Trails and many shared trails, including the Southside, Kaymoor, Glade Creek, Rend, Fayetteville, Keeney's Creek Rail Trail, Brooklyn Mine, Stone Cliff, Little Laurel, Craig Branch, Long Point, Park Loop, Timber Ridge, Headhouse, Tipple, Seldom Seen and Town Loop Connector trails, plus the Bluestone Turnpike Trail and park roads.

Where you can't

Ride only on trails open to bicycles. Yield to horses and walkers, and let uphill riders pass when you're descending.

Rides

  • Arrowhead Trails

    • Mountain bike
    • 12.8 mi stacked loops
    • Singletrack
    • Moderate

    Four purpose-built loops (Clovis, Adena, Dalton, LeCroy) rated easy to intermediate as a system, with tougher individual loops.

    Start: Arrowhead Trailhead, Craig Branch area

  • Southside Trail

    • Mountain bike
    • 7 mi one way
    • Old rail grade and trail
    • Moderate

    Along the river past old mining town sites.

    Start: Thurmond / Brooklyn area

  • Kaymoor Trail

    • Mountain bike
    • 8.6 mi one way
    • Trail
    • Moderate

    Forest riding along the gorge rim near the old Kaymoor mine.

    Start: Kaymoor Top or Fayette Station Road

  • Brooklyn Mine Trail

    • Mountain bike
    • 2.7 mi one way
    • Old mining road
    • Moderate

    An old mining road with river views, often linked with the Southside Trail.

    Start: Cunard area

  • Stone Cliff Trail

    • Mountain bike
    • 2.7 mi one way
    • Trail
    • Easy

    A riverside trail; the only trail where Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed.

    Start: Stone Cliff, near Thurmond

When to go

Spring and fall are prime; October foliage is spectacular. Trails can be muddy after rain.

Safety

Trails are shared with hikers and horses; failure to yield is prohibited. Pack out trash.

E-bikes

E-bikes (Class 1 and 2) are allowed only on the Stone Cliff Trail; Classes 1–3 may use park roads open to motor vehicles. E-bikes are banned on all other bike trails, and must show their class or carry documentation.

Fees

No entrance fee.

Rentals, tours and shuttles

  • Your bike shop hereSample listing

    This spot is for one rental shop, guide service or shuttle near New River Gorge: your name, what you offer, and a link straight to your booking page, at the top of this section.

    Feature your shop on this page, free until spring 2027

  • Arrowhead Bike Farm

    Mountain bike rental and campground near the Arrowhead trails, Fayetteville, WV. Website

Shops listed without a badge are businesses we found near the park; we don't take payment for those. Run a shop near New River Gorge? Add it here.

Sources

Checked November 2026 against these sources. Rules, closures and fees change; confirm with the park before you ride.

  1. Bicycling at New River Gorge (NPS)

Edited by David Bussell. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

Nearby parks