Me and my 8 yr old daughter went to Charles Fork Lake today to walk the trails. It started out good we knew where we were going but then the trails got confusing cause some of them were closed and shot off, so because of that we ened up getting lost. But thank GOD some people heard us talking and helped the police find us and got us out of there beofre dark. Please put up better signs so it don't again. Me and my daughter want to go back up there to enjoy the trails or provide help to people throgh the trails. Thank You.

These trails are great when its dry and people hae been riding them. If not, stay away because they can get REALLY overgrown and mucky. The best time to ride them is probably after the WVMBA race here in May. Lots and lots of fun when conditions are good.

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I've road this trail once. I must have been out of shape because it kicked my butt. I drove an hour to get there and can't wait to go back later in the season when I can handle the aerobics better. The trail was well kept up. There wasn't a boring section in the 10.5 mile loop.

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Lake trail one was great.

Wow! What a difference from Sept. 2005 to yesterday, May 14, 2006. My son and I drove to Charles Fork to test ride the race course. We followed the Lap 1 course that is listed on their web page. Do a search for Charles Fork and they have maps listed. The trails were great. We were about 1/3 of the way into the loop and the rains came. Even though we got pretty wet the ride was still enjoyable. They have cleaned up the trees or made them rideable. I had no flats this time around and only ran into one spider web. That may have been due to the downpoor that occurred. Anyway, Lakeview, Trevor's and Charlie's Challenge were in awesome shape. Worth the trip to Spencer. Just don't wait too long after the race on the 21st of May. It should be good for a while after. I'm sure by September it will be like last year so do it early, LOL...

Technical difficulty is average. There are some areas on the trail that might rate a technical 5 and others a Aerobic 5. But the entire ride averages a IMO a 3. My Son is 11 and was able to ride all but one spot and a couple log crossings.

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Awesome ride, just follow lap 1 on the Tour de Lake map. Very fun ride. Especially when you get around to Trevor's Trail and Charlie's Challenge up near Big Rocks. You will love this section of trail.

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See the other maps available on the same site showing all the trails around Charles Fork Lake near Spencer WV.

Seems odd there hasn't been a post on Charles Fork since 03? My son and I drove down there from Parkersburg a couple weekends back and was I disappointed. There were thorns all over the trails (cut down but not moved off the trails) and the spiders were horrific. I have never run through so many spider webs and had so many spiders on my anywhere, anytime. There were so many unridable blockages (trees across the trails) it was disappointing. Just getting out we always have fun however I won't drive all the way there so I can fix four flats, brush off more spiders than I care to think about, and carry my bike around tree after tree. (Not counting the ones we could ride across, which was several). Think the best time to ride here would be right after the race held in May. Just to note, we love the trails there, when they are clear and well used. However, appears there are not many riding there any more, obvious by all the spiders webs and trees across the trails. Probably same reason I won't go back till right after the race next year, if the have it. Hope some more riders in that area take an interest to renew a great bunch of trails. I was told by a rider I met at Mountwood that there is only one guy trying to keep the trails up at Charles Fork. My hat is off to him because there were some features there that were not the last time I was there. He could sure use some help from the locals to get Charles Fork into the shape it used to be. Guess I'll just check it out after the race next year and ride it then.

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Mountwood Park near Parkersburg. Awesome clean trails. Riding for everyone. Several new trails and sounds like some new ones coming.

Doesn't get much better than this

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See Above

lake trail

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see above

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This is an excellent place to ride and you should not miss the race held here in the spring. The local guys keep up the trails and do a very good job. I don't think it is worth more than a 2 hr. drive, but if you are in the area give it a shot. A little for all!

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I get on 33 in Athens and somehow find my way!!!! sorry, follow the others

WAS WORTH THE 4 HOUR DRIVE FROM COLUMBUS, OH. LOTS OF MAJOR HILLS. WE RODE CHARLIES AROUND TO FIRE TRAIL. IT WAS BACKWARD COMPARED TO THE WAY THE RACE GOES. HOPEFULLY IT IS EASYIER THE OTHER WAY BECAUSE THE WAY WE WENT WAS VERY FUN BUT DIFFICULT. WE PUSHED OUR BIKES UP KNARLY! THATS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER DO AGAIN! WOW!! VERY SENIC VIEWS AND CAMPPING ALSO!! WAS A GREAT TIME. NEXT TIME I'LL HIT THE EASIER TRAILS THERE.

The trail started off crappy, a long up-hill ride, for about half a mile, then it topped off and went to the left for 2 miles, after that 2 mile stretch i was sick, i mean, was horrible, i had to stop, i threw up and then say there for a minute, after that, i felt even better!!!!! i hopped on my bike and took off faster than before,

there was so many spiders and spider webs there it was horrible, i had spiders on me, on bike everywhere, anyways.......

i came to a awesome trail called the "narly downhill" it was steeper than my drive way, about a foot wide, and was steep and rocky and twisted back and forth, it was awesome. i could go really fast, jumping over logs ans stuff, it was great. that was the best one.

after that part i came down to a field and rode along the trail which was flat for about 20 minutes, then the trail went up-hill agian, "charlies challenge" was the name it was steep, rough and rocky, real technical, but was great too, after that i hit a trail called the "fire road" it was wider, ( a car could go down it) for about a mile, then turned down to a last section of charlies, the it dropped back down on the Dam, and it was over, .... some fat guy with a weed eater stared at me, and i though he was gonna attack me, but i rode away very fast! :)

i espically like the gully crossings, where the trail makes a sharp jump up the hill .

and the logs crossings, where the rocks are piles up, you can jump them if you want

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Heck, its 15 minutes from my house

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