Ride Guide
This intermediate loop east of Durbin offers a quintessential Monongahela National Forest gravel ride, linking long but steady climbs with flowing descents through quiet spruce and hardwood forests. Grades are generally moderate, making the route approachable for newer gravel riders while still delivering the satisfying rhythm of backcountry mountain riding. Several natural springs and dispersed camping areas along the route also make this a strong option for a beginner-friendly overnighter.
Not far east from Durbin lies the historic community of Bartow, home to the Camp Bartow Historic District, where the Battle of Greenbrier River was fought in October 1861 during the early months of the Civil War. Nearby stands Traveler’s Repose, a rare surviving 19th-century inn that once hosted travelers crossing the Allegheny Mountains along early turnpike routes.
The route also passes through landscapes shaped by later conservation efforts. In the early 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps established Camp Thornwood in this region, one of several camps whose crews helped build roads, plant trees, and restore forests after the intensive logging era. Much of the quiet gravel riding in this part of the forest still follows infrastructure first constructed during that New Deal conservation period.
Along Buffalo Fork Run, riders pass Lake Buffalo, a quiet forest pond that makes a scenic spot to pause with restrooms and picnic tables. From here, a recommended side trip climbs to Smoke Camp Knob (about 5 miles and 500 feet round-trip from mile 15). The summit offers sweeping views across the surrounding ridges and includes a small picnic area at the top. Smoke Camp Knob once hosted a fire lookout tower, a reminder of the era when rangers watched for wildfires from these high Appalachian vantage points.
After descending Long Run, use caution on a brief stretch of Route 28 before turning onto Middle Mountain Road (just south of Island Campground). A steady climb with a reliable spring along the way leads to Johns Run Road over Burner Mountain, followed by a long descent past another spring toward the small community of Frank. From there, the route reconnects with the Widney Park Rail Trail for an easy spin back into Durbin, where riders can celebrate the finish with coffee, sweets, or a hot meal along the town’s historic railroad main street.
