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Level: Intermediate
Length: 17 mi (27.4 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Loop
Elevation: +280/ -657 ft
Total: 10 riders
 

Mountain Biking Gauley-bearpen-boundary-shoals-loop

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#26 of 109 mountain bike trails in West Virginia
#2,859 in the world

The reason for the trail name: you use Gauley Mtn Trail, Bear Pen Trail, Boundary Trail and Bannock Shoals trail for this loop. And it's a tough 17 miles believe me. True back country riding, not manicured trails.

Leave Little Laurel overlook and ride east on 150 for about 1/4 mile and turn left onto Gauley Mountain Trail (well marked). Follow Gauley Mtn trail past Red Run and turn left onto Bear Pen Ridge Trail. Follow Bear Pen Ridge to it's end. When you come to an intersection at the bottom go past the straight past the fire ring someone built in the middle of the intersection. You should do a creek crossing (Tea Creek) and start up Boundary Trail. Do not take a right at the fire ring as that is Tea Creek Trail.
Stay on Boundary Trail for a few miles. You will do two more stream crossings on Boundary and then come to a hard to find intersection. If you go up a short very steep climb and into a tall grassy meadow (strip mine) you missed the turn by about 300 feet. See pictures of trail here so you will notice the intersection. You will go left up the hill into the pine forest. The climbing starts here all the way to the 4 way intersection of Boundary Trail, Turkey Point, Boundary toward FR135 and the overlook to your left. Stop there and walk about 50 yards to the left and check out the overlook.
When you are ready to left you will want to go out toward FR135 (signs posted). This is the remaining portion of Boundary Trail. There is an awesome Mountain Laurel tunnel like section and just after that there is a hike-a-bike down a very steep section through some house size boulders. Once through that you can ride the last 1/4 mile of Boundary Trail. When you come out at the intersection you will want to take a left (not a hard U turn left since that is Saddle Loop), just a left and ride down the grassy old Forest Service Rd./ Bannock Shoals Trail. This will dump you out in Tea Creek Campground at the gate. Just ride down the road through the campground to your vehicle. Bannock Shoals is approx. 5 miles downhill. Watch for obsticles in the grass and water bars. You can eat it fast at speed. There is a ridable creek crossing about 2/3 the way down. Enjoy.

First added by Outdoornut on Jul 29, 2009. Last updated Apr 28, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
  • Drinking water: unknown
  • Lift service: unknown
  • Night riding: unknown
  • Pump track: unknown
  • Restrooms: unknown
  • Fat bike grooming: unknown
  • E-bikes allowed: unknown
  • Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Getting there
Slatyfork is located a few miles south of Snowshoe on 219, however keep going south of Slatyfork to the top of the mountain and take Rt.150 (Scenic Hwy). Go around till you start off the mountain. You will see Little Laurel overlook on your left in this direction. This is where this ride starts unless you don't have a shuttle. If you have shuttle, drive it to the bottom of the mountain, turn onto Williams River Rd. and take a left down the river. Tea Creek Campground will be on your right in about 1/2 mile. Cross the bridge into campground and park on your right. The loop will bring you out on the road straight ahead as you cross the bridge. Leave vehicle here and drive other to the overlook on Rt.150.


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Dusty (on Feb 11, 2014)
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