Featured Ride: Whitemeadow-Stone Coal Loop, West Virginia
Originally posted on July 7, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Cheat Mountain is a relatively unknown riding area in West Virginia. This 13.8-mile ride is fairly remote, even for West Virginia standards. While the trails are well-signed, you’re definitely out there. Self-sufficiency is mandatory.
This technical, backcountry-style ride is characterized by things you might find in the pages of a Tolkien book: dense mixed forest covered in bright spongy mosses, imposing pine trees growing over boulders and disappearing streams that run underground for miles. You will feel as if you have entered another world.
The route covers a collection of trails that traverse the top of the mountain, descending and climbing from the Shavers Fork River. Its a healthy dose of West Virginia riding and the iconic backcountry trails the state is known for.
There are campsites along the route if you want to hang around for a night. This ride is not too far of a drive from the better-known Spruce Knob trails and North Fork Mountain trail. In fact, there are so many rides in this part of the state, you could easily spend a few days exploring the terrain without having to drive too far or ride the same thing twice. Summer road trip!
Photos courtesy of MTB Project