North Prong Trail
West Virginia
Free — you'll pick up right here.
5.6 mi
Distance
1,234 ft
Gain
2h 26m
Time
No verdict for this trail
We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.
What we do know
Inside Monongahela National Forest
2 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.
Boundary data
What's missing
No access route mapped
We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.
Nobody's filed a report here yet — be the first.
Why you'll love it
Here's your day, mapped
North Prong Trail
Suggested plan · check conditions before you go
Meals
Gear for the day
Elevation & route
- Distance
- 5.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,234 ft
- Elevation loss
- 1,234 ft
- Highest point
- 4,139 ft
- Lowest point
- 3,503 ft
Photos
Directions & GPX
Permits & access
- Managing agency
- Forest Service
- Bikes
- Allowed
- Surface
- Natural
- Accessibility
- Not an accessible trail (Forest Service accessibility status)
Source for bikes, surface, accessibility: USDA Forest Service National Forest System Trails (EDW)
About this trail
North Prong Trail is a 5.63-mile out-and-back hike in West Virginia managed by the Forest Service. The trail gains 1,102 feet of elevation over its round-trip distance.
Facts about this trail
The climb
- Starts at
- 3,555 ft
- High point
- 4,139 ft
- Total climbing
- 1,234 ft
- Total descent
- 1,234 ft
- Steepest stretch
- 15% grade around mile 1.9 on the way out
- Length (round trip)
- 5.6 mi
- Shape
- Out and back
Source: Roamze elevation profile and trail geometry (DEM samples along the mapped route)
When to go
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Glady 1 N, WV weather station, 9.1 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan35° high16° low
- Feb38° high17° low
- Mar47° high24° low
- Apr59° high33° low
- May68° high43° low
- Jun75° high51° low
- Jul78° high55° low
- Aug77° high54° low
- Sep72° high47° low
- Oct61° high35° low
- Nov49° high26° low
- Dec39° high21° low
The station sits about 1,300 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.
Where it is
- Potomac Ranger District · Ranger district
- Monongahela National Forest · National forest
- Managed by
- Forest Service
Conditions
Active alerts for Monongahela National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:
National Forest System Road 86 Closure for Public Health and Safety
caution · posted Sep 14, 2026
Tea Creek Campground Construction Alert
information · posted Sep 8, 2026
NFS Road 76 Road Closure for Public Health and Safety
critical · posted Sep 8, 2026
Fernow Experimental Forest Use Restrictions
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Dolly Sods Wilderness and Scenic Areas
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- Gatewood GroupCamping1 mi
- Elza TrailHiking1.3 mi
- Leading Ridge TrailHiking1.5 mi
- Seneca CreekRiver fishing2 mi
- Spruce Knob boulderingRock climbing3.3 mi
- 1 Entrance boulderRock climbing3.3 mi
- Spruce Knob LakeCamping4.5 mi
- North Fork South Branch Potomac RiverCanoeing6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Add to a trip & share
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Elza Trail
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Elza Trail is a 1.93-mile point-to-point trail in West Virginia with 1,148 feet of elevation loss.
Leading Ridge Trail
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10.57-mile out-and-back hike on Leading Ridge in West Virginia with 1,676 ft gain.
Elza Trail
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2.06-mile out-and-back hike in West Virginia with 735 ft elevation gain.
Allegheny Trail - Marlin Mountain
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High Meadow Trail
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3.97-mile out-and-back hike in West Virginia with 1,448 ft gain.
Big Run Trail
~3 min drive
6.23-mile out-and-back trail in West Virginia with 1,004 ft gain.
Spruce Knob Lake Loop Trail
~3 min drive
1.99-mile loop with 120 ft elevation gain in West Virginia.
Horton Trail
~9 min drive
2.12-mile out-and-back trail in West Virginia with 1,248 ft gain/loss
Spring Ridge Trail
~7 min drive
6.48-mile out-and-back hike on a ridge in West Virginia with 1,790 ft gain
Seneca Creek Trail
~4 min drive
1.86-mile out-and-back trail in West Virginia with 533 ft elevation gain.
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