Wall Fork

Dogs Unknown

Wall Fork is a great trail with a wide variety of conditions, from technical rock gardens to faster, flowing sections. It is a bit off the beaten path. Access is from the rear of Kanawha State Forest.

At the end of the paved road, two dirt roads will bear off on the left. Take the left road of these two roads, Middle Ridge Road (Forest Rd. 801) for approximately a quarter mile. Then, at an intersection, Middle Ridge Road (Forest Rd. 801) will bear left. Turn right onto another gas well access road (East Boundary Road).

Stay on this road for approximately 1.3-1.4 miles. About 0.6 miles into this road, there is an intersection where you'll want to bear left. At about 1.25 miles in, at the top of a rise, there is another intersection. Stay to the right. The trail entrance is just down the hill from here. The access to Wall Fork is on your left. It is not well marked, but there is a power line cut that crosses the road. The trail entrance is on the left just before the power line cut, so if you start back up the hill and go past the power lines, you have gone too far.

The trail starts out under the power lines in high grass. After a short time, it will enter the trees and opens up a bit. It will run on a gas well road for a short distance, then it will bear off to the left into the woods. From here, it is a narrow trail that is off-camber and benched into the side of the hill. There are several more technical, rocky sections.

Then, as the trail drops in elevation, it begins to transition from rock gardens to a more open, flowing trail. Finally, towards the bottom, it runs along the creek bottom before ending on County Rt. 23/15 (Range Rd.) very close to the Kanawha State Forest shooting range. The range is on the left as the trail outlets and is close to the trail. The range is popular and crowded and it will sound as if shooting is very close—because it is. This can be a bit disconcerting, so stay alert, especially when the leaves are out as the leaves obscure the range from view.

Runners can then take Hoffman Hollow back up the hill to the rear of the forest to access Middle Ridge Trail. Or runners can go down the road to Middle Ridge Road Access, which will climb back up the mountain to also access Middle Ridge Trail, but from the front of the forest. Continuing on the road will lead runners to the main entrance and parking lots at the front of Kanawha State Forest.