Kaymoor Trail

Kaymoor Trail is an 8.6-mile, one-way hike through the middle of New River Gorge, from Wolf Creek Trailhead to the Cunard access. The forested route follows old roads and former rail grades, with its most memorable stop at the Kaymoor mine site. It is a point-to-point walk, not a loop, so settle the ride between its two ends before you start. The park rates it moderate and lists about 1,297 feet of climbing and 875 feet of descent. A typical through-hike will take around four and a half hours, including a short look at the mine; give yourself longer to read the exhibits or walk at an easy pace.

The north end begins at Wolf Creek on one-way Fayette Station Road. From the Lansing-Edmond Road turnoff, follow signs down Fayette Station Road, cross the New River on Tunney Hunsaker Bridge, then continue about 1.2 miles to the small trailhead parking area. Spaces are very limited. Use the trailhead area or the right-side pullouts beyond the hairpin; parking on the left approach blocks larger vehicles and is prohibited. The south end is at Cunard River Access. Its parking area is on the right after the signed access road, and the trail begins about 50 yards back across the road. There is no loop back to Wolf Creek, so arrange a second car or a pickup before setting out.

The first two miles follow an old road from Wolf Creek to the mine. Near the start, a walking bridge crosses the creek beside a waterfall; a mossy cascade nearby drains from Kaymoor Two through a connection built in 1942. It is an unusual reminder that the mine shaped the landscape beyond the ruins themselves. This north section is the easy way to see the mine, but the two-mile figure is only the one-way distance from Wolf Creek to the site, not the full Kaymoor Trail.

Wayside exhibits at the mine bench explain the workings and the company town that grew around them. The name Kaymoor came from John Kay, who helped build the town and became its first superintendent. The first coal shipment left in 1900; by its peak, the company employed more than 800 people. Kaymoor had homes and stores on upper and lower levels, with the mine between them. Look for the old fan-house remains and foundations among the trees; thinner foliage in fall and winter can make some of the low stonework easier to pick out. Stay on the route and do not enter, climb on, or remove anything from the abandoned structures.

The named trail continues beyond the mine through forest toward Cunard; it does not end at the Kaymoor Miners Trail stairs. Craig Branch joins farther south. Old road and rail-bed surfaces make up much of the route, but the southern half is rougher, with dirt and gravel and some larger gravel patches. Expect that section to take more effort than its gradual-looking map line suggests. The route is also used by bicyclists, so keep an ear out around bends.

If you only want the mine, walk from Wolf Creek to the site and return the same way: about four miles round trip. That gives you the creek, waterfall, old road, and exhibits without the long continuation to Cunard or the point-to-point ride logistics. The much steeper Kaymoor Miners Trail is a separate branch from the mine area, with its own stairs and climb; it is not part of the 8.6-mile route described here. Pets are allowed on park trails on a physical leash no longer than six feet. There is no drinking water at the trailheads, so fill up before the drive down.