West Virginia · National Park & Preserve trail

Burnwood Trail Stop 10: Old-Growth Forest Network

in West Virginia

Old-Growth Forest Hike Stop 10 - Old-Growth Forest Network On August 4th, 2023, a ceremony was held with over 50 people in attendance to induct the Burnwood Trail into the Old-Growth Forest Network, a national non-profit organization with the goal of dedicating at least one protected old-growth forest open to the public in each county in the United States that can sustain a native forest. Having forests permanently protected in parks like these at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve means more forests will be allowed to continue to grow and mature into old-growth in the future. The research done by Concord University allows park managers to better understand what kind of forest we are managing towards.

Trails like Burnwood allow visitors to look through a window into the past and see what the original forests looked like. Now that you know what kind of unique characteristics old trees and forests have, look for these features whenever you are hiking and you may stumble across a previously undocumented old-growth forest that could potentially be part of the Old-Growth Forest Network. To learn more about old-growth forests within New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, including a video about Burnwood and a link to the research report produced in partnership with Concord University, visit Old-Growth Forests - New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.

States: West Virginia
Trail type: National Park & Preserve trail
Centroid nearest city: Greensboro, NC · 156 mi · ~4 hr drive
Centroid coords: 38.0773°, -81.0753°

About New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

National Park & Preserve

This trail is inside New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, a national park & preserve managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/burnwood-trail-stop-10-old-growth-forest-network.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/neri/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Burnwood Trail Stop 10: Old-Growth Forest Network and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.