The Blackwater Canyon is an inspiring landscape with beauty abound. The West Virginia canyon itself was formed by the Blackwater River carving its way through the Allegheny Mountains. Countless smaller tributaries cascade in dramatic fashion, down the gorge walls to the main artery below. Along their journey, they flow through beautiful evergreen forests composed of red spruce and hemlocks that create a thick canopy, letting little light to the forest floor. Ferns, moss, and rhododendron dominate the understory, while the evergreens emit a fresh scent to air. The scene is surreal and fills the senses. 

Nestled just outside the Blackwater’s rim are the towns of Davis and Thomas, West Virginia. These two towns are just two miles apart, and are a perfect base for your outdoor getaway. They have plenty of food and coffee options, like the Purple Fiddle, a local bike shop: Blackwater Bikes, and even a natural food store. For bikers visiting the area, your options for riding are endless. There are trail systems in the Monongahela National Forest on Canaan Mountain, Blackwater Falls State Park, Yellow Creek Natural Area, Canaan Valley State Park and National Wildlife Refuge, and plenty more. The trails are technical, rooty, wet, offer endless beauty, and are coveted as one of the East’s best destinations. Biking is a way of life there, and has roots dating back to the beginning of the sport. 

Not as popular, but just as spectacular, is an amazing network of gravel that passes through the same lands. Perfect for the Chumba Terlingua Titanium. The Terlingua really opens up the ability to cover ground and discover the magic of the Blackwater Canyon. The terrain seems endless. There are well maintained gravel roads in the National Forest and Wildlife Refuge that elevate you to some of the region’s higher overlooks. As you pedal closer to the canyon’s rim, the forest becomes dense, engulfed by lush rhododendrons, moss and ferns. The paths turn muddy and rocky, testing a rider’s technical patience - perfect for the Terlingua. Unique to the area is the Blackwater Canyon Trail, an old railroad bed that ascends the heart of the Blackwater and ultimately brings you back to civilization in Thomas where you can refuel with local eats and beverages.

There is something unique to this area that you can’t find in other places. The forests are truly amazing, the riding superb, and the scenery spectacular. During the summer months while the surrounding region is uncomfortably hot, the Blackwater Canyon is an oasis of cool air atop the Allegheny Mountains at elevations over 3,000 feet. An afternoon thunderstorm can fill the river and its tributaries quickly to create the sights and sounds of cascading water around every turn. The streams are bookmarked by folding layers in the topography when viewed from high up on the canyon’s rim. The Blackwater Canyon is an inspiring place, loaded with adventure and beauty, ready to be explored. - Hunter Davis, Chumba Gravel Ambassador