Stories

Mountain Biking the Tea Creek Mountain Trail

By ,

July 22, 2020

Located just outside Marlinton, in the Tea Creek Wildlife Management Area, is one of West Virginia’s most thrilling downhill mountain bike trails. The 4.7-mile trail is full of challenging obstacles and steep, dropping terrain. The trail is marked as a black diamond, meaning it features “difficult” terrain.

The trail descends 1,613 feet in total, providing more than enough speed to flow through each section. There are also several challenging obstacles in play on the trail. These include, but are not limited to, drops, large rock and log obstacles, and other hazards that feature very few, if any, alternate routes to avoid them.

Weather conditions can vary heavily in the area, with rain being very common. Please remember to allow at least 24 hours for trails to dry after heavy rainfall; this helps keep trails for longer use and less maintenance.

It is recommended that a full suspension or hardtail mountain bike be used on the Tea Creek Mountain Trail to better handle the difficult terrain and obstacles. Make sure to wear a helmet and protective knee and elbow pads to ensure your safety. Always bring at least one water bottle to stay hydrated along the way.

The trailhead is at the bottom of the Gauley Mountain Trail and does have limited parking available. It is recommended that cyclists and hikers carpool to allow more users to park there.

After the exciting slope down, the trail finishes at the Tea Creek Campground, so setting another vehicle at the campground to avoid the climb back up is very easy.

For more information, reviews, and directions, visit the Trail Forks website.

GPS Location

38°20’29.9″N 80°13’50.4″W (Recommended Start)

38°20’29.3″N 80°09’48.4″W (Recommended End)

Tea Creek Trail is accessible from Tea Creek Campground to the south, off Forest Road 86. Take the Highland Scenic Highway (SR 150) west from US 219 and turn right on Williams River Road (FR 86). Follow the signs to the campground and park. You can also access some trails from the Gauley Mountain Area off US 219 north of its intersection with SR 150. Look for the signs on the left. There is also access near the Big Spruce Overlook area. Limited parking is available here.