Hike it, jog it, pedal or paddle it, the Greater Morgantown Area offers year-round opportunities for just about every outdoor recreation enthusiast.

Over 50 miles of paved and crushed-limestone surface rail-trail invite walkers, runners, cyclists and ‘bladers to the area’s Caperton, Mon River and Decker’s Creek Trails.

Stretching south from Morgantown to historic Prickett’s Fort State Park in Marion County and north to the Pennsylvania line, the Caperton and Mon River Trails parallel the Monongahela River and offer glimpses of native flora and fauna, migratory birds, river traffic on the Mon and vestiges of the area’s industrial past. Its eight-mile paved portion past the amenities of Morgantown’s developing Wharf District, through downtown Morgantown and into Star City has become something of a week-end promenade for local trail regulars.

Trekkers and cyclists choosing the scenic Decker’s Creek Trail travel east from Morgantown and up into Preston County – the trail’s elevation rises 1,000 feet at a 2% grade along its 19-mile length. Mountain waterfalls tumble through Decker’s Creek’s rugged limestone boulders bordered by thickets of rhododendron, mountain laurel and towering evergreens. Decker’s Creek travelers frequently report wildlife sightings – deer, groundhogs, chipmunks, raccoons and the occasional bear – in the woods and fields along the trail.

The Monongalia/Preston County trail system is most easily accessible from Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park in downtown Morgantown, the Edith Barill Riverfront Park in Star City and at the entrance to the Caperton Trail in Morgantown’s Wharf District.

If you didn’t pack your bike or blades, rent them trailside at Wamsley’s Cycles in Seneca Center (just north of downtown Morgantown) or at Whitetail Cycles in the Wharf District.

Looking for a whole different view of the Greater Morgantown Area? Bring your own pleasure craft or rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboat from Whitetail and spend an afternoon on the Upper Mon Water Trail – the southern-most navigable section of the Monongahela River. Put in at the municipal dock at Star City’s Edith Barill Park and explore the pools between the 65-mile water route’s five locks and dams from Fairmont in Marion County to just north of Rice’s Landing, Pennsylvania.

If more adventurous activities “float your boat,” head to Albright in Preston County for a whitewater run on the Cheat River or Big Sandy Creek. Spring runs on the Cheat regularly feature Class IV or V whitewater – and the 13-mile-long

Cheat Canyon offers over 30 rapids rated Class III or better. Hurl through Decision, Big Nasty, Tear Drop, Coliseum and Fossil Falls rapids for a well-earned dip in Swimmers Rapid at the end of your trip.

Preston County also boasts one of the National Wildlife Federation’s top 100 bird-watching spots in North America – Cranesville Swamp. Located near Terra Alta (WV 7 E from Kingwood), the swamp’s tundra and wetlands host animal and plant life seldom seen this far south and offer even veteran birders opportunities to add to their life lists.

As long as you’re gazing skyward in Preston County, make the drive to Cathedral State Park near Aurora (WV 50 E)), an ancient hemlock forest of majestic proportions. Giant conifers up to 90 feet tall and 21 feet in circumference create natural cloisters throughout the park. Named to the National Registry for Natural Historical Landmarks in 1966, Cathedral "possesses exceptional value in illustrating the natural history of the United States."           

Outdoor recreation is a year-round proposition in the Greater Morgantown Area. If you plan an autumn visit, take a fall leaf-peeking amble through Cooper’s Rock State Park or Mon County’s Chestnut Ridge Park, both just east of Morgantown off I-68. Chestnut Ridge’s 400-foot-long lighted toboggan hill is where the outdoor action is on snowy winter evenings – and you can rent a toboggan and enjoy a steaming cuppa hot chocolate from the concession stand at the foot of the slope before grabbing the tow rope to the top.

Woodland trails winding through both Chestnut Ridge and Cooper’s Rock offer great cross-country skiing during the winter months – trails that challenge even the gnarliest mountain bikers in warmer weather.

Pssst – even most locals don’t know that a fishing license isn’t required to “drown worms” (and maybe even land a trout or bass) in either of Chestnut Ridge’s two stocked fishing ponds. Visiting anglers also may purchase a three-day $5 Class K fishing license on-line, by phone or at any of 400 retail outlets throughout the state.

Morgantown’s municipal park system, administered by the Board of Parks and Recreation Commission, oversees operation of 10 municipal parks ranging from a mini “pocket park” in the Suncrest neighborhood to sprawling White Park whose 170 acres includes baseball and softball fields, three miles of multi-use trails and an ice rink. Marilla and Krepps Parks offer residents and visitors tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits, picnic spots and swimming pools. Even stressed-out adults emerge from a splash down Marilla’s serpentine tunnel slide with ear-to-ear grins.

Team sports more your outdoor style? Mylan Park is one of the state’s fastest growing recreation areas with over 320 acres under development just north of Morgantown off I-79. Park facilities currently include the Anker Baseball and Softball Complex, the West Virginia Miracle Sports Complex, a cross country course used by WVU and the area’s public schools and a special events venue.

Several of the Greater Morgantown Area’s six 18-hole golf courses offer duffers challenging greens and fairways three seasons a year. In Monongalia County, Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa overlooking Cheat Lake is home to two 18-hole championship courses. Meadow Ponds in Cassville and Mountaineer Golf and Country Club in Pursglove, both 18-hole courses, summon duffers to the western side of the county while the area’s newest course, Pikewood, currently features a nine-hole course and driving range. Surrounded by the Preston County hills, Terra Alta’s Alpine Lake Resort offers an 18-hole, 72-par course and the Preston Country Club bills its 7,000-yard, 18-hole on the Cheat River outside Kingwood as “a level spot in the Alleghenies.”

Greater Morgantown Trails & Recreation Information:

Alpine Lake Resort www.alpinelake.com

Board of Parks & Recreation Commission (BOPARC)www.boparc.org

Caperton, Monongahela River and Decker’s Creek Trail www.montrails.org

Chestnut Ridge Park www.chestnutridgepark.com

Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors’ Bureau www.tourmorgantown.com

Lakeview Golf Resort & Spa www.lakeviewresort.com

Meadow Ponds www.meadowponds.com

Mylan Park www.mylanpark.com

Pikewood Golf Course www.pikewoodgolfclub.com

Upper Monongahela Water Trail www.be.wvu.edu/umwt

West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (fishing licenses) www.wvfish.com