The most developed
Coal River Water Trail
The Coal River Water Trail. Eighty-eight miles across three rivers with maintained access points and current maps published by the group that built it.
Full guide to Coal River Water Trail →Water Trails
Water trail development has expanded significantly over the past decade. The New River Water Trail is being built as a route of more than 320 miles across North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The Cheat, Coal, Elk, Guyandotte and Upper Monongahela rivers all have organized water trails maintained by local watershed organizations.
The most interesting thing happening in West Virginia recreation right now is happening on rivers that used to be written off.
Water trails are volunteer infrastructure: mapped access, published mileages, hazard signage. Where they exist, river paddling gets dramatically easier.
Our recommendations
Where we'd send you
The best story
The Cheat River Water Trail
Calm-water access on a river that was one of the most acid-damaged in Appalachia thirty years ago and now hosts a festival every spring.
Full guide to Cheat Canyon →The one to watch
The Elk River Water Trail
Being developed alongside a 73-mile rail-trail on the same corridor — paddle down, ride back, on one of the finest rivers in the state.
Full guide to Elk River Rail Trail →Practical note
Water trail groups are small and underfunded. Their maps are far better than any national app, and a twenty-dollar membership changes what they can do.
What to know before you go
- Coal River Group has one of the most developed access networks in the state
- Water trail groups are also the best local source for hazard and cleanup information
Regions that do it best
Water trails and forest trails near Charleston
Metro Valley
The Kanawha and Guyandotte valleys around Charleston and Huntington, containing the largest share of the state's population.
Cheat River whitewater and rail-trail networkMountaineer Country
The northern counties around Morgantown.
Sandstone climbing, big whitewater, a national parkNew River Gorge
The New River has cut a gorge roughly 1,000 feet deep through Nuttall sandstone, protected since 2020 as New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
Reservoirs, trout water, developing rail-trailMountain Lakes
The geographic center of the state and its least-visited region.
Every place we cover for water trails
River · Mountain Lakes
Elk River
One of the finest and least-known trout fisheries in the Appalachians.
Tailwater cold year-roundWild browns fishery
Trail · Mountain Lakes
Elk River Rail Trail
A developing rail-trail on the former Buffalo Creek & Gauley and Elk River Railroad grades, opening a long, remote corridor along the Elk between Gassaway and Clendenin.
73 mi planned corridorDeveloping status
River · Eastern Panhandle
Cacapon River
One of the finest gentle canoe rivers in the East — clear, shallow, warm and slow, winding through farmland and forest with reliable smallmouth fishing and easy multi-day trips.
Class I–II difficultySmallmouth fishery
River · Metro Valley
Coal River Water Trail
An organized water trail on the Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal rivers south of Charleston, with maintained access points, mapped mileages and signage — the product of sustained work by the Coal River Group to turn a working-class industrial river back into a recreation asset.
88 mi water trailClass I difficulty
AdvertiseThis space is available
Guides and rentals for water trails
Reserved for a West Virginia operator serving this activity. Everything above and below it is unpaid editorial.
List your business hereQuestions people ask
How long is the New River Water Trail?
It is being developed as a 320-plus-mile route spanning North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, coordinated in part by the New River Conservancy.
Organizations, agencies and resources · 16
The groups doing the actual work — access, maintenance, licensing and data. Starred entries are worth following continuously.
WV TRAIL — Trails & Recreation Advocacy & Information Link
Nonprofit
Statewide organization covering non-motorized trails of nearly every type: hiking, biking, water trails, equestrian, rail trails and accessible trails.
Visit
WVDEP Watershed Groups Directory
Government
Extremely useful master directory for finding Friends-of-the-River and watershed organizations throughout West Virginia.
Visit
West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Nonprofit
Statewide river protection, public lands, water quality, and paddling-related conservation and recreation.
Visit
Friends of the Cheat
Nonprofit
Cheat River restoration, recreation, water trail, access, events and conservation. Its work specifically combines restoration with promoting recreational opportunities.
Visit
Cheat River Water Trail
Nonprofit
Paddling access points, river sections and recreation information along the Cheat.
Visit
Greenbrier River Watershed Association
Nonprofit
One of West Virginia's oldest watershed associations and especially important for Greenbrier, Monroe, Pocahontas and Summers county research.
Visit
New River Conservancy
Nonprofit
Major New River conservation organization spanning North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Now also developing the New River Water Trail, making it especially important for paddling and tourism.
Visit
New River Water Trail
Nonprofit
Emerging 320+ mile multi-state paddling route with West Virginia access information.
Visit
Upper Monongahela River Association
Nonprofit
Monongahela River recreation, boating, riverfront development and quality-of-life initiatives.
Visit
Coal River Group / Coal River Water Trail
Nonprofit
Paddling, river access, conservation and recreation along the Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal rivers — one of the most developed water trail networks in the state.
Visit
Guyandotte Water Trail Alliance
Nonprofit
Guyandotte River paddling and water-trail development in southwestern West Virginia.
Visit
Elk River Water Trail
Nonprofit
Elk River paddling access developed alongside the Elk River Rail Trail.
Visit
Upper Mon River Water Trail
Nonprofit
Monongahela River water trail access from Fairmont to the Pennsylvania line.
Visit
Elk River Trail Foundation
Nonprofit
Supports the Elk River Rail Trail, Water Trail and the BC&G trail system.
Visit
Harrison Recreational Trails
Nonprofit
Develops hiking, biking, running, equestrian, accessible and water trails in Harrison County.
Visit
Elk River Trail
Nonprofit
Growing rail-trail and water trail corridor along one of West Virginia's best trout and smallmouth rivers.
Visit