Big Bend Loop

Big Bend Loop is a 2.4-mile loop hike on natural-surface trail in the Potomac Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. The Forest Service manages the surrounding land, and the trailhead is named Big Bend Loop Trailhead. It is an easy route, with a total elevation gain of 109 feet, and it stays within a narrow range of about 1,170 to 1,300 feet. The steepest stretch comes at the beginning, where the grade reaches about 13%, and the rest of the loop is relatively gentle. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring and early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Petersburg, WV, put May highs around 76°F and October highs around 69°F, with July peaking near 88°F. The trail is not accessible, and it is not open to bikes or horses. The loop works well as a short outing, and the Big Bend Loop Trailhead is open year-round. Big Bend campground and Jess Judy campground both sit about 0.4 miles away, and the Long Branch Wall climbing area is roughly 1.7 miles off.