Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes in West Virginia

The definitive guide to backpacking and hiking in this highly rural and still-unspoiled state.

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West Virginia native and long-distance hiker and author Leonard M. Adkins has walked more than 400 miles to uncover 50 hikes available to outdoor travelers of all ages and abilities. From rugged Allegheny Mountain summits to the banks of the Ohio River, the author leads you to hikes beside rushing streams and crashing waterfalls, up to windswept plains whose flora and fauna resemble that of Canada's, and into hill country's hidden valleys. Other journeys traverse rocky mountain crests, reveal far-reaching vistas, travel miles of nearly level rail-trails, and explore historic sites and Civil War battlefields. One hike passes by a listing wooden shelter once used by President Lyndon B. Johnson; another goes into a series of tunnels cut through the mountains. The shortest hike is 0.5 mile, the longest is a challenging multiday backpacking trek on the state's premier long-distance route, the Allegheny Trail. An overview chart provides information on the 50 hikes at a glance, making it easy to choose the hike that's right for you.

Each hike description includes trailhead directions, total distance, hiking time, vertical rise, a detailed account of the route, and a topographic map.