Cranberry Wilderness · WV
North Fork Trail
Follows an old forest roadbed down the North Fork of the Cranberry River to the North Fork Shelter, passing streamside campsites and native brook-trout water. A key leg of the wilderness's longer loops.
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.
Score breakdown
- − 81°F air — Above trail running's comfort zone (28–78°F)
- − 17 mph wind — Gusty — bring a windbreaker
- − 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.
- − 91 min of daylight — You need at least 202 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 13.48 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1226 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.2824, -80.2416 — WV.
Park
Part of Cranberry Wilderness.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is North Fork Trail?
North Fork Trail is a 13.48-mile route with 1226 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.
What's the trail surface like at North Fork Trail?
North Fork Trail is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages North Fork Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
North Fork Trail is in Cranberry Wilderness, 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.