Hey, friends! I hope you all are fairing well with everything that is going on. I decided to take this blogpost and write about a place I recently visited. I first heard about this trail a few years ago and knew from the start I wanted to check it out. I checked out about 2 miles of the trail, with hopes of going back and checking more of it out-at least as far as I can make it. Let me explain..
First, I would like to start with a little bit of history. The Meadow River runs nearly 53 miles from Greenbrier County to Fayette County, where it joins as a major tributary to the Gauley River. Whitewater rafting is offered to only intermediate and advanced levels, fishing is available in places, rock climbing, as well as a hiking/biking trail. But, we’re here to discuss the trail, which at one point served as a railroad for the timber industry.
The Meadow River near Nallen, WV.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, the Meadow River was mined for its virgin hardwood timber. Due to the rocky area, the logging industry waited for the completion of the railroad, which finished not long after 1900. From 1906 to 1975, the Meadow River Lumber Company operated the world’s largest sawmill out of Rainelle. (Pretty cool, huh?) After the closing of the lumber mill, the rail line would lay in silence, giving a testament to what once was. This wouldn’t be the end. Fast forward nearly 30 years, plans began to take shape in converting this once bustling rail line to a rail trail.
Meadow River Rail Trail
Today, the development of the trail is still underway. In 2016, part of the trail-mainly on Meadow River Bridge #2-was damaged after major flooding. I’m not sure how many miles of the trail have been completed to date, with parts of it still needing repaired from the flood damage. Once completed, the trail plans to run roughly 23 miles, linking Rainelle to Nallen. It’s certainly a trail worth checking out. If you choose to do so, I suggest starting at Nallen, either parking at the Meadow River Campground, or the post office in town. This section of trail follows along the river, where it connects the campground to the post office.
Bridge #2
My hope is to explore this area as it continues to develop. In time I hope to post more about the area, maybe finding more history on it as well. For now, I leave you with a few links for anyone who is interested in further reading. These links also served in research for this post.
I hope you all enjoyed this. For now, stay safe, and I’ll see you on the SouthSide.