The Mon Forest Towns Partnership (MFTP) announced the launch of the Mon Forest Gravel and Bikepacking Route Network, a comprehensive collection of more than 60 curated routes across eight counties in the Monongahela National Forest region. The network spans routes ranging from family-friendly day rides to intense multi-day bikepacking adventures, all accessible through the newly expanded monforesttowns.org and Ride With GPS.
Locally known simply as “the Mon,” the Monongahela National Forest covers nearly one million acres of rugged Appalachian terrain, including high spruce plateaus, deep river valleys, remote backcountry, and thousands of miles of forest roads. Within and around the forest, State Parks, Wildlife Management Areas, Wilderness Areas, and historic mountain towns unfold across a landscape uniquely suited for multi-day gravel riding and bikepacking.
The route network links these landscapes through a collection of routes that activate gravel roads across the Mon for visitors and local communities alike, with a core mission of deepening the connection between gateway towns and the surrounding public lands. Most routes pass through at least one of the twelve Mon Forest Towns, offering opportunities to resupply, grab a meal, or spend the night before heading back into the mountains. The most ambitious route in the collection, the Mon Circuit 600, links all twelve towns in a single continuous journey with more than 50,000 feet of climbing.
“The launch of the Mon Forest Towns Gravel and Bikepacking Route Network marks an exciting milestone for our region and our work,” shares Josh Nease, Executive Director, MFTP. “By weaving together existing forest roads and historic infrastructure, we have created a world-class recreation asset that physically and symbolically connects all 12 of our mountain towns to the Monongahela National Forest, and to one another. This network is more than just a trail system; it is an engine for economic development. It invites the global cycling community to experience our rugged beauty while providing our local communities with the platform to host premier races and events, contributing to new jobs and thriving main streets for generations to come.”
The network at a glance:
- 66 routes ranging from 10 miles to 600 miles for a total of 4,800 miles of routes
- Gradual rail-trail grades to challenging routes full of steep Appalachian climbs
- 11 Signature Bikepacking Routes and many more overnighter options
- 12 ‘Ride to the Mon’ routes linking surrounding regional hubs and trails such as the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal into the network
- Collections of routes from each of the 12 Mon Forest Towns
“With this launch, we’re excited to help establish the region as a world-class destination for gravel and bikepacking.” shares David Landis of V2V Trails, “The Mon has always been a hidden gem for cyclists who knew where to look, but this network changes that — it makes the full depth and variety of the forest navigable for anyone, from someone planning their first overnight to a rider seeking an epic route with 50,000 feet of climbing.”
This network is part of even larger momentum building all across West Virginia to support rural economic development through gravel cycling and bikepacking. The Mon Forest Network connects to the Mountaineer Gravel Network, extending more than four counties in north-central West Virginia. Additional route networks are forthcoming in other parts of the state.
The Mon Forest Gravel and Bikepacking Route Network was developed through a collaborative regional effort led by the Mon Forest Towns Partnership. Route design and mapping was led by V2V Trails, in collaboration with MountainRides LLC and Bikepacking Roots, organizations whose local expertise and national reach helped shape a route network designed to serve both everyday riders and dedicated bikepackers.
Riders looking to experience the network firsthand can join the Bikepacking Roots Annual East Coast Summit, hosted in Marlinton from May 29 through June 1, 2026. The gathering is expected to bring together 150-200 bikepacking enthusiasts from across the region for 4-days of group rides, workshops, community building, and more.
“We’re so excited to bring riders from all across the US to explore the new Mon Forest Towns Gravel & Bikepacking Route Network, a one-of-a-kind riding destination. We welcome everyone from bikepacking-curious riders to seasoned bikepackers to explore the southern Mon Forest’s most scenic terrain with us,” shared Bikepacking Root’s Executive Director Noelle Battle.
The full route network is available on Ride with GPS, organized into a series of Ride with GPS Collections designed to make trip planning simple: https://ridewithgps.com/partners/monforestgravel
Extended planning information can be found on the Mon Forest Towns and Bikepacking Roots’ websites.
About Mon Forest Towns Partnership
The Mon Forest Towns Partnership is a nonprofit organization supporting twelve gateway communities across eight counties in the Monongahela National Forest region of West Virginia. MFTP works to strengthen recreation-based economic development, connect communities to the forest, and support authentic, place-rooted storytelling across the region.
About V2V Trails
Village to Village (V2V) Trails was founded by David Landis, who brings 20 years of expert route design experience grounded in the deep belief that trails and routes connect people across diverse communities. He has been instrumental in building the bikepacking community in Virginia, initially from the Trans Virginia Bike Route, and expanding to a variety of gravel and bikepacking route projects in VA, WV, and PA.
About Bikepacking Roots
Bikepacking Roots is the only national non-profit dedicated exclusively to the support and advancement of bikepacking, the growth of a diverse bikepacking community, and access to and the conservation of the landscapes and public lands through which we ride.