The mountain bike trail system in West Virginia’s Cacapon Resort State Park is expanding dramatically through the “largest mountain bike trail project in state history,” according to a press release from West Virginia State Parks. Construction has already begun on the new expansion, which “will add 35 miles of professionally designed mountain bike trails to the park’s existing trail system” at a cost of $3.5 million.
Cacapon Resort State Park is already home to an expansive 25-mile trail system, and 12 of those miles are already professionally built mountain bike trails. The current network also boasts a skills course area.
“This is an incredible day for Cacapon Resort and West Virginia as we continue to invest in our world-class parks system,” said Brett McMillion, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. “We are excited to get started on this ambitious project and look forward to all of the ways it will improve the experience at Cacapon Resort and attract new people to come and visit our beautiful state.”
The addition of 35 new miles is intended to increase the diversity of the trail system to appeal to a wider range of riders. The project will also add bike amenities for park visitors, including “youth-focused bike amenities,” as well as “constructing a signature trail to attract riders throughout the state and region.”
Greenstone Trailcraft is currently working on phase one of the construction, and the final and second phase is estimated to be completed in 2026.
West Virginia has been investing heavily in mountain bike trail development across the state, both inside and outside of state parks. We recently reported on the new 27-mile Monday Lick trail system coming to Pocahontas County. In addition, over $5 million has been invested in Morgantown “to build one of the largest bike parks in the eastern United States,” according to Danny Twilley, Assistant Vice President for Economic, Community, and Asset Development at West Virginia University. New River Gorge has received $1.5 million in federal funding for a mountain bike trail system, and White Sulphur Springs has received $2.6 million in federal funding for another bike park.
Furthermore, the investment in Cacapon Resort State Park is part of a broader ongoing investment in the West Virginia State Parks system specifically. “Over the last seven years, more than $250 million in improvement projects have been completed,” according to the press release.
