Babcock State Park · WV
Narrow Gauge Trail
Rail-trail on the bed of the former Mann's Creek Railway toward Sewell, running narrow along a cliff above the creek with occasional boulder detours. Gentle grade open to hikers and mountain bikers.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the trail running plan today.
Today's best: trail running
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Dog walking
Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.
Score breakdown
- − 79°F air — Above trail running's comfort zone (28–78°F)
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 2.35 mi
- Elevation gain
- 422 ft
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
37.9914, -80.9600 — WV.
Park
Part of Babcock State Park.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Frequently Asked
How long is Narrow Gauge Trail?
Narrow Gauge Trail is a 2.35-mile route with 422 feet of elevation gain — moderate — some sustained climbing or technical sections; expect to work for it but no specialized skills required. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
Who manages Narrow Gauge Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Narrow Gauge Trail is in Babcock State Park, which is managed by the managing agency. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the agency. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.