Cycling & running events in Morgantown, 2026

Morgantown Training Notes

Running: Locals run the Mon River Rail-Trail System when they want steady Z2 without guessing at turns. South Park runners can point three directions on the rail trail and still get variety. Deckers Creek Trail gets beautiful once you get outside town. Botanical Gardens gives you a crushed gravel loop of about one mile. The rail trail system covers 75 miles and gives you quick dirt time. University High School gives you 3-4 grass miles on the cross country course. Morgantown Running meets every Monday on the rail trail behind the store at 5:30pm. Gene's Run, Run the Rock, Rattlerock Ultra, and Morgantown Marathon keep the calendar honest.

Cycling: Locals ride base miles on the Mon River Rail Trail and Deckers Creek Trail, then turn toward gravel when the legs are ready. Country Roads Cyclists has been active in north central West Virginia since 1979 and schedules rides every Saturday and Sunday from March 1 to October 31. The club anchors September with a Century Ride of 100 miles. The shorter loop covers 9 km and gains 1,205 m. The longer loop covers 3 km and gains 1,241 m. Coopers Rock, Preston County roads, Dorsey Knob, and Dents Run bring the climbing, with grades that can hit 10-20% or steeper.

Season: April through October is the clean window for riding, racing, and longer run blocks. Spring colors usually peak in late April, and fall foliage usually peaks in October. Summer brings heat and humidity, with July holding a daily mean temperature of 22.5°C and 13.2 days of +30°C highs each year. Randee Mile runs every Wednesday from June to August at 7:00pm, so locals use it for honest intervals. Shaded routes and higher elevations feel better when the valley is heavy. Winter cools the pace, with January averaging -0.1°C, annual snowfall averaging 60.5 cm, and rail-trail miles turning into steadier maintenance work.