Pocahontas: Morgan and Lakeview Trails

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Features Drops/Jumps

This is a terrific ride for a full afternoon of fun. The three trails of the Morgan Trail System (Box The Box Turtle Trail (Green Trail) , Morel Ravine Trail (Red Diamond Trail) & Tall Oaks Trail (Blue Diamond Trail) ) with Lakeview Loops I, II, and III. The systems are connected by fire roads and a short road section.

Bring lots of water, it can be very humid. The Lake overlooks are a great place to stop and have a bite.

Starting at the Horner Forest Trail parking lot (annual pass required to park), a short bi-directional connector takes you to meet the Morgan trails about 1 mile before the official trailhead. From there it loops through the beginner trail (a great warmup), the Morel Ravine Trail (Red Diamond Trail), which is black diamond rated with lots of log overs, a couple of avoidable jumps, steep, rooty climbs and some deep ravine drop-ins 6' high. We finish the Morgan trails with an intermediate loop of technical but not overly intimidating singletrack. The route includes the optional "Little West Virginia" section that is truly expert only with lots of drops, log overs, uphill and downhill rock gardens.

After that warmup (about 9 miles) we head over to the Lakeview loops and complete all three including the optional red offshoots. In addition to some great views of Swift Creek Lake, Lakeview offers stream crossings, some great rocky sections, a unique boulder obstacle, a 30' log skinny, rock shelves and more.

The trails were built by Volunteer groups that grew into the Friends of Pocahontas State Park. The Morgan Trail System was named for local legend Stan Morgan who participated in the original trail building, served as treasurer for the Friends group for many years. He also volunteered thousands of hours in the park and many thousands more to encouraging teens to run and ride its many trails.

The Box Turtle Trail passes some really unusual terrain that is actually an old garbage dump (like pioneer old). Riders have cut pirate trails intro that section but please do not ride there - large pieces of metal are sticking out of the ground and could make an otherwise uncomfortable fall, serious or even fatal.