Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Explorer
I did an explorer ride on some of the “multi-use” (bikes, horses, hikers) trails in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (Blackwater View and Middle Valley). Not a long ride (14 miles, 1100 feet of climbing), but definitely an adventure ride. Terrain ranges from gravel to double track to single track to sand to grass to mud. Even with the varied terrain this is a completely rideable route, and is a great way to get deep into the wildlife refuge. I turned around at the furthest point north, but the trails continue on to connect with A Frame Road, a gravel road that eventually leads out of the valley and connects with US 48 east of Davis. Please note that you should use the CVNWR official map in this area. Trails showing on AllTrails and RWGPS may not be navigable or even exist at all.
Leaving the Beall trailhead parking lot, you will follow a gravel road (Beall Bridge to Blackwater View) to the seasonal hunting parking area. From there Blackwater view becomes a wide dirt trail that gradually narrows to a fairly technical (but fun!) stretch of single track. You will briefly leave the refuge onto private land where you are allowed to stay on the trail, until re-entering the refuge at a bridge over the Blackwater River. The bridge has high and narrow railings, but I was able to get my Surly Moloko handlebars (735 mm) across with a bit of room to spare. On the other side of the bridge Blackwater view becomes a fairly wide grassy/singletrack trail until it joins Middle Valley. From that intersection Middle Valley is a gravel road / double track until it crosses Sand Run over a culvert. From there it goes back to a fairly wide grass/sand trail with a few muddy stretches. The grassy sections appeared to have been mowed. Fantastic views of the valley along Middle Valley Trail.
