Prestonsburg Passage Rail Trail

 Prestonburg Passage is a short, 8.5 mile rail-trail in Kentucky. It is paved surface with a mix of wooded, residential and other landscapes. I found it to be a very pleasant ride. The most distinctive feature is the school bus bridge. This is a short bridge with the body of a school bus placed on top allowing trails users to pass through the bus. I think it is a very creative touch.

I rode the trail in mid-April of 2025. I started in Archer Park where crews had part of the park closed for flood cleanup. A couple of miles into the ride I encountered a large tree across the trail. I was not sure who to report this to so I just scooted under the tree and continued to ride. I soon found a rest area including a bench, picnic table, trash can, bike rack and porta potty all beneath a highway bridge. When I returned, I found the tree completely cleared and the park cleaned up and reopened. Kudos to the crew.

The school bus bridge is located at 37.61181, -82.84758. Notice in the pictures the numerous trash cans along the trail. In my experience this is unusual. Most trails are carry in, carry out.

Mon River Rail-Trail

 In mid-April 2025 I started a ride on the Mon River Trail (WV) by way of the MCTrail (Marion County Trail), a 2.5 mile spur that connects to the main Mon River Trail. I parked at the trailhead for the McTrail (39.51735, -80.09564) and proceeded through a short, well light tunnel and continued mostly downhill to Prickett's Fort. This is not just an area name but an actual historic fort. I suggest using the rest rooms at the fort since there are no other facilities until you reach Morgantown, about 19 miles away.

Once on the main trail it was flat and had a crushed stone surface that was easy to ride on. There I had almost continuous views of the Monongahela river. There were mile markers every mile. I passed a couple of lock/dam structures on the river (39.56325, -80.05022), (39.58362, -80.01023). Almost the entire distance to Morgantown it was just the forest and the river and felt like a vacation from civilization. Occasional glimpses of water cascading down the mountain broke any monotony. 

Once at Morgantown it changed into a modern riverfront greenway with businesses, art, comfort stations, monuments and everything would you expect in a college town. The elevated Personal Rapid Transit was interesting as it ran overhead, paralleling the river. The greenway was a paved surface.

As I continued north the trail reverted back to the natural environment I enjoyed south of the city. Another 6-7 miles north of the city is the Pennsylvania/West Virginia line. Once you cross the line the trail name becomes the Sheepskin Trail. This trail is just a couple of segments now but will eventually connect to the Great Allegany Passage.

The day I rode the weather was blustery with significant wind gusts. Added to the mix was occasional rain showers. Twice during the ride I stopped at a shelter on the trail to wait for the rain to ease up. The trail was well worth enduring the weather. I can see why this is a Hall of Fame Trail. My 32.5 mile ride gave me 65 miles round trip.

Waiting for rain to stop

Carter Cemetary

Pricketts Fort