Urban Trail Running: Scenic Opportunities Abound in Morgantown (Plus New Bonus Material)

/ Mountain Ridge Physical Therapy/

I recently had the opportunity to write an article for Highland Outdoors magazine that covered a few of the best hidden Morgantown trail running gems. Head on over to https://www.highland-outdoors.com/urban-trail-running-morgantown/ to read the original full article. But while you are here, check out a couple parks that weren’t included in the magazine!

Westover City Park

As the newest addition to our local trail system, Westover just recently completed the construction of these heavily planned, machine-cut trails thanks to a large state grant fund. The total length of the main loop is about 1.5 miles. There are a couple shortcut trails bringing the total up, but only slightly. There’s a little climbing and descending throughout the winding loop but nothing sustained in either of those departments. The trails are designed to be beginner mountain biker friendly, which ultimately means they are smooth and flowy.

  • Great for: Beginner trail runners or the trail-curious road runner who gets anxious at the sight of a single piece of gravel. This network is small, non-technical, and easy to follow. Parents, bring the kiddos and have them bike ride the loop with you while you run. Done already? Turn around and do it the other direction. Then the kids can play on the playground afterwards.

  • Trail difficulty: 1 out of 5

  • Driving time from town center: 6 minutes to the Dupont Road parking lot, the main trailhead entrance

Mason-Dixon Historical Park

Like White Park, Mason-Dixon Park is another Monongalia County park undergoing a recreation transformation in the last couple years thanks to the work of the park superintendent and mountain biker, J.R. Petsko. What began as a handful of short, poorly maintained trails has blossomed into a well-maintained, 5-mile trail network. Although the official park is in WV, the trails flip flop back and forth between PA and WV. Most of the surfaces are less technical packed clay, typical of a flood plain, or mown grass, but with enough rocky and rooty singletrack to keep things interesting. Running along Dunkard Creek might just spot you a beaver or a bald eagle. Fairies live in the woods, so keep your eyes open. Take on a solid 0.6 mile climb that will require power hiking from the creek to the summit of Browns Hill where the Mason-Dixon Line ended when it was initially surveyed. From the west edge of the park, add more miles along Henflint Road, which is more of a wide trail than a public road.

  • Great for: Beginner to intermediate runners looking for a nearby change of scenery with options to stay flat or take on some sustained climbing if the mood hits. You can stay busy for 60-90 minutes. Like Westover City Park, the Green Trail (in title photo above) is very kid bike friendly and the young ones can stick around to play on one of the many playgrounds before heading home. That is, if you can get them away from the Fairy Doors Trail.

  • Trail difficulty: 3 out of 5

  • Driving time from town center: 24 minutes