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Section I
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A trailhead parking area is available at the northern terminus, courtesy of Columbia Gas Transmission; an information kiosk was built in the spring of 2000 by Chris Kolar of the Mountaineer Area Council Boy Scout Troop #32 with funding from Allegheny Energy.
Blazes are fresh within the past three years for the entire length of this section of trail, although in some areas the paint weathers poorly. Please see the attached file for Section I trail conditions and hiking guide changes as of June 2008.
NOTICE: Allegheny Wood Products (AWP) has closed the Allegheny Trail through the 9.5 miles in the Cheat Canyon. When you pass the small church in Mt. Nebo, continue straight ahead through the intersection. A re-route has been blazed.
The Army National Guard is enlarging its practice firing range and will close the abandoned county road that the ALT currently uses. National Guard personnel are working with ALT maintainers to establish an alternate route. A re-route is expected before the end of the 2009 summer hiking season.
The old, wooden-planked bridge over the rail yard near Rowlesburg has been replaced by a new concrete structure. Blazes are once again visible at both ends of the new bridge. About a half mile before you get to the bridge is a gated road to your right as you come down off Briery Mountain. This road is private property, but the Rowlesburg Area Historical Society invites ALT hikers to walk around the gate to access the lip of Cannon Hill where you can see the Federal gun emplacements that were intended to protect the railroad and bridges from the Confederate army. As an example of how the WVSTA and local communities work together, the town of Rowlesburg has offered the large flat area on your left as you approach the new Charles B. Felton Bridge as an authorized camping area. WVSTA volunteers constructed a spacious Adirondack-type shelter overlooking the railyard in 2006. The area is patrolled by volunteers from the town of Rowlesburg. The town of Rowlesburg has a new restaurant--the Rope's End--around the corner from Bell's Market. And there is a new World War II museum with mannequins costumed in military dress from that war. Other sights in Rowlesburg include the Railroad Museum in the original depot and the V.M.D. Black Box that makes model airplane parts.
As you travel up Lantz Ridge Road, the old Wotring Chapel, which burned a few years ago, is no longer visible. It stood across from the small cemetery at a sharp switchback in the road.
An Eagle Scout project in 1998 and the cooperation of a private landowner along Lantz Ridge provided a shelter near the Wotring Chapel site. White blazes direct you to the shelter, which is on the other side of the small pond you can see in the field across from the cemetery. Follow the woods road away from the trail, turn left onto another woods road and left again on a rough woods road near a creek. You will see the shelter on your left in about 50 yards.
Watch for the right turn (southbound hikers) at Lantz Ridge Church, called by local residents Mt. Olivet. The church is never locked; you can enter and enjoy the peace and beauty of this small chapel and leave a comment and a donation.
Gary Sypolt, Jr. lives in the white house on the right about 1/4 mile southbound from the church. He offers water and camping to hikers on the 600 acres of which he is caretaker. His father, Gary Sypolt, Sr. offers camping on his leased 151 acres above Beech Run.
Beware of the black and white dog named Lady (Lady is no lady) at the last house on the right as you proceed downhill. She is decidedly not friendly and very aggressive.
Bronson and Heather Griscom offer camping accommodations on their land
on Snake Road, one mile from the turn off Route 50. They have cleared
land and a spring. If you plan to stop in their meadow, please call or
write
Bronson & Heather Griscom
Rt. 1 Box 543
Rowlesburg, WV 26425
Home phone: 304-454-2056
e-mail: bronson@morphoblue.org
Instructions to the Griscom campsites: One mile north on Snake
Road (rt 110) the road passes over Little Wolf Creek (small bridge).
Just after this bridge on left is a gate and driveway to a small house
("Griscoms" sign at gate). Keep hiking up Snake road (you will see No
Trespassing Signs - Griscom along this section), and enter the next gate
on the left - this opens to log landing. Hikers can camp at landing, or
hike up the southern face of the mountain to a clearing where the ridge
levels off (spring near clearing to north-west). There is no direct
trail to the clearing right now (hope to make one) so you can bushwack
or follow logging road to left which eventually zig-zags up.
Because of a reclamation project, the section of trail from Coketon into Blackwater has been rerouted onto State Route 32. Follow the yellow blazes. Watch for the turn off Route 32. We have also had reports that the blazes are hard to find coming NORTH out of Blackwater. At the stop sign in the park, the trail goes to your right along the hard-surface road, follows Route 32 North for 3 miles and turns left toward Coketon just as you enter the town of Thomas. If you get to the post office in Thomas, you have gone too far. Special Notice: The small ice cream parlor-restaurant in Thomas is once again open. The Purple Fiddle is owned by John Bright. Good homemade ice cream is available as well as soups, salads and sandwiches. Southbound hikers should turn left at the Route 32 intersection and follow the river into Thomas. The second building on the right is the Purple Fiddle. The duplex next door has been turned into a bed and breakfast, also owned by the Brights.