Kaymoor Miners Trail

★5.0

Steep and strenuous trail descending historic mine routes to the river with long staircases, rugged terrain, and sweeping gorge views.

General Information
Length:
1.6 miles one way
Elevation Gain:
800+ ft (via stairs)
Difficulty:
Strenuous
Hours:
Open daily from sunrise to sunset
Fees:
Free (no entrance fee required)
Pet Policy:
Pets allowed (not recommended due to steep stairs)
Closest cities with hotels:
Fayetteville (3 mi)
Seasons:
Spring, Summer, Fall
Location:
Kaymoor Trailhead, Fayetteville, WV
Website:
nps.gov

From Fayetteville (3 mi): Take US-19 north, turn onto Gatewood Road toward the Kaymoor Trailhead parking area, and follow signs to the trailhead where the descent begins.

Overview

The Kaymoor Miners Trail follows the route coal miners once used to reach the abandoned Kaymoor Mine, descending hundreds of feet by switchbacks and wooden staircases to the river. At the bottom, crumbling foundations and rusted equipment mark the old industrial site. The return climb is a long staircase ascent, making this one of the park's most physically demanding hikes.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the Kaymoor Miners Trail, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

german-valley-wv-roadside