Ride back out the road you came in, past the first parking area, for the viewing area, and watch for the trail on your left. You will ride this wide trail and when you come to a grass covered old blacktop section in meadow (cowpasture) turn left on the trail. I switches from wide trail to singletrack for a while and then mostly singletrack.
This is one of the best places in the state to view wildlife. When you come to a viewing tower stop and take in the view. The trail will cross a nice arched bridge shortly before reaching the Cranberry River Trail. Go left on the River Trail (Gravel Road) and back to vehicle in about 300 to 400 feet.
Cowpasture can be linked with a few other trails to make a large 19 mile loop. If you notice the trail directly across the Cranberry River Trail when you came off Cow Pasture, it goes uphill into the forest, that is South Mountain Trail. Don't go up, you can ride it off Kennison Mtn. Trail. See Pocahontas / Kennison Mtn Loop description for that loop.
UPDATE ! Rode this trail in a larger loop last week, 22nd July, 2010 and it was in pretty good shape, however, note there is a section about 1/2 mile long that is overgrown with 5 foot tall weeds. Had to keep talking real loud to other riders so we didn't run face to face with a bear. One of the bridges is in real bad shape (dangerous). Walk through the small creek would be recommened. I'm sending an email reference to these bridges to the forest service.
| ThankJust rode Cow Pasture near mid July 2009 during the annual Slatyfork Shuffle (mountain bike gathering) and the trail was in pretty good shape. There is a bridge damaged you will need to walk over. Be extremely careful on the old bridges if they are wet (like ice). Check out the gps route. Bunch of fun however I would do it the other way if I did it again. Park at the Cranberry Visitors Center and ride out Pocahontas Trail for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile then go right on Bruffey Reserve Trail. It will dump you out on Rt.39. Do not cross the road onto Bruffey from there (it's off limits on that side of the road). Go across the road and ride the entrance road down past the Glades, past the first parking area onto gravel road and then past the second parking area and around gate. This is the Cranberry River Trail. Go just a couple hundred feet and watch because Cow Pasture will take off to the right. Follow it around about six miles and when you come into a big meadow and ride nearly around a huge low hanging pine tree noted in the pictures you will come to the intersection where you will need to take a left. Ride the grassy fire road back up to the stop sign across from the Visitors Center. About 11 miles total. Counter clockwise just makes you climb the blacktop road out of there which kinda sucked.
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