Bruceton Mills, PA

Just over the Pennsylvania border is a land of soaring vistas and rocky crevices. Coopers Rock State Park in West Virginia offers over 50 miles of hiking trails, rocking climbing and bouldering, historical sites, and access to the Cheat River for rafting. This route loops through some park highlights and ends at the iconic Coopers Rock overlook. Afterward, head to Screech Owl Brewing for a large line-up of craft beer and a delicious full kitchen menu.

THE HIKE: Cooper’s Rock Loop

Length: 8 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,160 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Time:  4 hours
Trail use: Hiking, leashed pets

Coopers Rock State Forest spans nearly 13,000 acres in West Virginia, making it the state’s largest state forest. It’s just 13 miles from Morgantown and is a great day trip from SW Pennsylvania. The park is popular for its wealth of outdoor activities. The forest is named for the series of rocks that jut out above the Cheat River. Legend has it that a barrel maker (known as a cooper) hid among these rocks after running from the law and continued his barrel-making from the shelter of the woods.

Access and Parking: Cooper’s Rock State Forest is free to visit! Park near the main overlook, use coordinates 39.63807011575319, -79.81564713061613.

The Route: There are miles and miles of trails in Coopers Rock from challenging wooded trails to wide gravel paths. This route makes a wide loop of the park to hit some of the major highlights: Raven Rock, Henry Clay Furnace, Rock City, and the stunning Coopers Rock Overlook.

Begin your trek at the main parking lot for the park by the main overlook, but don’t head there quite yet! We’ll end the trek with a dramatic view. Instead, head into the woods to the right following the signs for climbing access. This trail, while not always super well-marked, leads past huge sandstone boulders that are popular for climbers. It’s very impressive to see folks free-climbing and bouldering across the ancient stones.

After one mile, the access trail reaches a junction with the Raven Rocks Trail. Turn right to start an out-and-back 2-mile trail to an overlook. The way is wide and you’re likely to encounter others on this popular trail. You’ll follow the wide yet rocky path downhill among a sea of green ferns. After 0.75 miles, it starts to ascend upwards and you’ll find yourself suddenly open huge rocks with power lines stretching across. You’ll pass under the powerlines and reach Raven Rock overlook. The wide rock offers expansive views of the Cheat River Gorge below. Although the power lines stretch out from the rocks, there’s plenty to see without the visual obstruction.

After enjoying the vista, continue back along the Raven Rock Trail until it reaches the main park access road. Carefully cross the road and get onto the Roadside Trail heading to the right. Follow this for a half mile before reaching a trail junction. Bear to the left and follow the unmarked trail as it skirts around the small pond. Just before the trail heads back into the trees, turn left to get on the Clay Run Trail. The beginning of this trail is open and gravelly and frankly not too interesting. But after 0.5 miles, the tree cover returns and the trail becomes peacefully wooded once again.

At 5.5 miles into the journey, you’ll emerge onto another trail junction. Turn right to cross the stream and visit the Henry Clay Furnace, the first iron blast furnace in West Virginia. The pyramid structure stands tall at the juncture of the left and rock forks of Clay Run. After exploring, cross back over the bridge and take the Rhododendron Trail up the hill to the right. After a half mile of a steady uphill climb, turn right on the Bench Trail. In only 0.2 miles, Bench becomes Ridge, and then in a few hundred feet, turn left to get on Rock City Trail. This was by far my favorite trail in the park. Suddenly, the trail dips down into a rock crevice and you feel like you’ve entered another world. Tall cliffs rise up on either side and spindle rhododendron bushes twist out of corners. The way becomes quite rocky and steep, but the views are so beautiful, you almost don’t notice the effort! This section of the trail is only 0.3 miles and then you’ll continue on the Rattlesnake Trail to the right which follows along the cliffside as you slowly ascend toward your final goal: Coopers Rock Overlook.

At 7.5 miles, the trail lets out onto a flat wooded area not far from the parking lot. Follow the trail signs for the overlook. You’ll emerge onto a huge rock face lined with a wood fence. It looks out over the river gorge and is stunning at any time of the year. After enjoying the view, follow the trail back to the parking lot. Bonus – a West Virginia swing is nestled between two pavilions!

THE BEER: Screech Owl Brewing

Address: 2323 Ralph Livengood Rd Rd, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525
Distance from Trail Head:  15 miles, 22 mins 
Website: http://screechowlbrewing.com/
Food?: Full Kitchen Menu (Spent Grain Cafe)
Details: Indoor and outdoor seating, kid playground

Spent Grain Brewing is Preston County’s first brewery. It grew from a newly discovered passion of Roger Jameson. After retiring from a long career of truck-driving, Roger began brewing beer and quickly discovered a love for the craft. He and his wife Crista built a small brewery in their garage in 2015. Since then, Screech Owl Brewing has become far more than they ever could have imagined! With a full restaurant and brewery, the family-run business has grown into a community staple. You’ll catch Roger and Krista greeting guests while their son Jameson mans the grills and daughter-in-law Kristin minds the kegs.

And if delicious beer wasn’t enough, the restaurant features homemade bread made from the spent grains from the brewing process.

Looking for more Hikes & Hops in West Virginia? Check out Grandview Rim to Turkey Spur & Weathered Ground Brewery, Long Point Trail & Bridge Brew Works, or Endless Wall & Free Folk