Muddy Boots: Six Fall Dog Hikes Around Morgantown — Including Two New Trail Systems
Why fall, and why these six
By early October, we have cooler air, fewer people outdoors, no summer heat to manage, and the leaves are beginning to turn around Morgantown. There's nothing prettier than WV in the fall! It is a fantastic time to get you and your dog onto real dirt trails in our gorgeous forests.
This list is for that kind of walk: actual foot trails with roots, rocks, creek crossings and hills, all within about 25 minutes of AMC. None of them are stroller trails, and that's the point. Lengths and drive times are approximate; check the park's page for closures before you go - especially Raven Rock, which is past where they close the road in the winter.
Two of these are new enough that most of Morgantown hasn't found them yet: Tom's Run Preserve south of town, where the WV Land Trust keeps adding trail, and the loop at Flegal Reservoir, which just opened this year. If you've done Coopers Rock and White Park a hundred times, start with those two.
1. Raven Rock Trail — Coopers Rock State Forest 🦌‼️
A Morgantown classic, the walk to Raven Rock's beautiful overlook never disappoints! Be sure to keep your dog on a short leash when you approach the overlook, as there is no fencing and little signage.
🦌‼️ Fall is also hunting season, so keep track of the dates and deck both you and your dog out in blaze orange when hiking in or near forests areas open to hunting (most areas, especially state forest).
Trailhead: Small turnout on the main forest road just past the McCollum campground, south of I-68 (Exit 15). About 25 minutes. NOTE: This hike is in state forest where hunting is allowed! This hike is in state forest where hunting is allowed
The walk: 2.5 miles out and back, moderate. A rocky old road drops through the woods, then climbs briefly to the Raven Rock overlook of the Cheat River gorge — the classic view of the Cheat River gorge. Rough, rocky footing near the rock.
2. Virgin Hemlock Trail — Coopers Rock State Forest 🦌‼️
A visit to this dramatic hemlock forest is especially beautiful in the snow, so it's a great place to head during any fall snowstorms! There are several other trails branching off the main loop, so you can make a longer walk if you wish.
🦌‼️ Fall is also hunting season, so keep track of the dates and deck both you and your dog out in blaze orange when hiking in or near forests areas open to hunting (most areas, especially state forest).
Trailhead: Roadside pull-off on WV 73, north of I-68, about 2 miles past Exit 15. The sign hides in tall grass. About 25 minutes.
The walk: 1.2 miles, easy, with a loop along Little Laurel Run through hemlocks more than 300 years old — one of the last old-growth pockets this close to town. Soft needle-covered trail, roots, one stream crossing. Gentle enough for an older dog that still loves the woods. No facilities.
3. Tom's Run Preserve 👀 🎉 NEW TRAILS! 🎉 👀
If you haven't yet explored this beautiful new open space, you have a treat in store! This preserve includes property all the way down to the rail trail and the river, and trails are expanding each season! Spacious parking lot, so a good option if you are meeting up with multiple friends & family.
Trailhead: Nice gravel lot off Little Falls Road — I-79 Exit 146 (Goshen Road), left on Smithtown Road at the Pilot, immediate right on Little Falls Road, sign 0.4 miles up on the right. About 15 minutes.
The walk: About 2 miles of loops through 320 acres of mature hardwoods owned by the WV Land Trust. Elizabeth's Loop is the easy one; the Morris Loop climbs for a real deep-woods feel, and a short spur drops to a small cascade. Hand-built singletrack, mostly dry, no understory, so you see other dogs coming. Foot traffic only; no restrooms or water.
4. West Virginia Botanic Garden
A favorite spot with lots of trail options, including a short portion that is stroller accessible. It's the only one on this list with public restrooms (limited hours).
Trailhead: 1061 Tyrone Road; upper and lower lots, maps at the lower-lot kiosk. About 15 minutes.
The walk: About 4 miles of trail and boardwalk across 85 acres of forest, wetland and meadow on the old Tibbs Run reservoir. The flat 0.9-mile Reservoir Loop is the warm-up; the hillside trails above it are where the color is. Free, dawn to dusk.
Two public restrooms (one accessible) and a water fountain in the lower level of the Education and Event Center; the lower lot is open 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m. in October, the upper lot dawn to dusk. Waste stations in both lots. Range noise from the neighboring gun club is normal and can rattle a sound-sensitive dog.
5. Flegal Reservoir Loop 👀 🎉 NEW TRAILS! 🎉 👀
It's new and it's great!! Starting across the foot bridge, a trail skirts around the edge of the lake. It is in progress, but there is already plenty to explore. Allow for an "out and back" walk, as the full loop is still under construction and may not yet connect.
Trailhead: Cobun Creek Road, between Grafton Road and Kingwood Pike, just off the I-68 downtown exit. About 10 minutes.
The walk: Morgantown's newest trail: a planned 2- to 3-mile loop around the Flegal Reservoir, built in 2025–26 with more to come. Open water on one side, wooded hillside on the other, and quiet because most people haven't found it yet. Wide gravel path with bridged crossings, muddy in the low spots after rain. It's the city's backup drinking-water supply, so no swimming and keep dogs out of the water.
6. White Park
Walking in White Park is a Morgantown staple right in town — great for a quick mid-week walk in the woods! Plenty of parking, new trails added to old favorites. If you haven't been there since they built the new trails, go check it out!
Trailhead: 1001 Mississippi Street; roadside spots along Mississippi, or the Ice Arena lot across from the ball fields. About 10 minutes.
The walk: Five miles of wooded trail across 170 acres, pieced into loops of any length; the main loop is about 3.7 miles. Real hills and dirt on a weeknight without leaving town. Rooty, rocky singletrack shared with mountain bikers, so keep the dog on your side and listen on the descents. Trailheads aren't well marked; a trail app helps the first time.
Map
Before you go: the vet's checklist
Tick preventative, all 12 months. Ticks are active every day of the year unless the ground is frozen solid or completely covered in snow, and a warm fall afternoon in the leaf litter is prime time. We recommend every dog stay on a tick preventative year-round. If a dose has lapsed, restart before the first hike, not after.
Water for your dog. None of these trails has water you really want your dog drinking, and the Botanic Garden is the only stop with restrooms. On a warmer day or a longer walk, carry a bottle and a collapsible bowl and offer water every 20–30 minutes.
Leash on. Every trail on this list requires one — 10 feet max in the state forest, 6 feet under the county ordinance everywhere else. Tom's Run's owner allows voice control, but the county rule still applies. Beyond the law, a leash keeps your dog off cliff edges, out of the water and away from other hikers and cyclists.
Leptospirosis. Creeks, standing water and a reservoir, all used by wildlife, and all a lepto risk. Leptospirosis vaccination is needed annually and is now a covered core vaccine in our Free Vaccines for Life plan for dogs; if yours isn't current, this is the season to fix that.
Paws and coats. When you get home, check between the toes for burrs and seed heads, and check ears, armpits and belly for ticks.
🦌‼️ Hunting season. Both Coopers Rock trails are in a state forest where hunting is allowed. Archery deer season opened Sept. 26; buck firearms season is Nov. 23–Dec. 6. Blaze orange for you and a bright vest for your dog while the hunters are out.
