Keeneys Creek Trail

Overview

A gentle rail-grade with a gritty backstory, the Keeneys Creek Rail Trail follows a former mining railroad for 3.3 miles one way (6.6 miles total out-and-back). When open, it’s an easy walk or mellow mountain bike ride past trestles, tumbling side streams, and the nationally significant Nuttallburg coal complex—once owned by Henry Ford. Expect big gravel underfoot, broad forest, and an open-air museum feel as you pass the conveyor, tipple, coke ovens, and exhibits.

What you’ll see

The route threads along Keeneys Creek and crosses tributaries like Short Creek, with bridges and old rail features opening up peekaboo views down the rugged terrain. The headline moment is moving beneath the dramatic coal conveyor above Nuttallburg, with industrial ruins and interpretive signs that bring coal-town life into focus. If you’re into scenery and stories, this one punches above its effort.

Distance, difficulty, and surface

The main rail trail is 3.3 miles one way on a wide, compacted but chunky gravel bed—flatter than typical mountain trails but reported steeper than most rail-trails. Most hikers will call it easy; cyclists will want mountain bikes or wide tires. Connected options like the Conveyor Trail are steep and rough—great for a workout, but not “rail-trail easy.”

Access and parking

Access is via Keeneys Creek Road, a narrow, curvy route with single-lane stretches where you may need to yield or reverse. There are two small pull-off parking areas along the road. At the Nuttallburg end, parking and restrooms are typically available when that area is open. Pick up a paper map at Canyon Rim Visitor Center before you commit—the area is remote and junctions with side trails can be confusing.

Closures and conditions

This corridor has experienced washouts and a closed bridge in recent seasons, and the rail trail has been listed as closed due to a dangerous washout. Conditions change—confirm the current status the morning of your trip and be ready to alter plans or turn around.

Connections and add-ons

From the rail grade, you can connect to the Town Loop Connector and the Conveyor Trail up to the mine entrance/headhouse. The town-side loops are short and interpretive; the Conveyor Trail is steep, loose, and slow going. If you want a shorter taste, there’s also a 3.0-mile loop option near the town site when conditions allow.

Geology and context

You’re moving through the famed New River Gorge—an ancient river carved into layers formed over 300 million years, from coastal seas to coal-swamp deposits. The rail line you’re walking once moved that buried swamp-turned-coal to the main C&O Railway; today, the story is told by foundations, coke ovens, and the soaring conveyor.

Best time to hike

Spring and fall shine here: cooler temps, flowing creeks, and colorful foliage. Summer can be warm and buggy; winter can bring ice on bridges and shaded grades. For photography, morning or late-day light plays nicely off the conveyor and creek corridors. Weekdays are best if you prefer fewer vehicles on the narrow access road.

Tips

• Wear sturdy shoes; the gravel can feel like ball bearings. Trekking poles help.
• Bring water, snacks, and a simple repair kit if biking—sections feel remote and cell service is spotty.
• Respect the historic structures—great to look at, not to climb.
• Dogs are allowed but must be leashed.