The Sutton Lake Project has many trails in the woodlands of central West Virginia. Many of the trails are located near the Sutton Dam, and northeast in the Gerald R. Freeman campground there are additional hiking adventure trails. Before starting your hike, be sure and check out West Virginia’s native plant species in our new pollinator garden located near Sutton Dam.
The Hardwood Timber Loop Trail is comprised of multiple trails and offers a view of hardwood and softwood timber, along with some special planting areas for the American Chestnut tree. Sunrise Ridge Trail was developed in 2019 with assistance from Glenville State College, Forestry class and local volunteers for a National Public Lands Day event. This is a more arduous trail but offers scenic views of the Sutton Lake area. South Abutment trail is a beautiful hike along the lake and rocks where you can see the Bee Run Marina. Another great trail that features a small river crossing, is the Jeremiah Carpenter Trail that begins downstream opposite of the Sutton Lake Project, traveling up to Bee Run campground entrance road.
The Sutton Lake trails offer an opportunity for an invigorating and relaxing hike in the West Virginia mountains.
Sutton Lake offers 31 trail systems for public enjoyment, with over 30 miles of these trails on the Elk River Wildlife Management Area, that the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources maintains. These trails are made up of 22 other accesses for hunters and fisherman located solely on the Wildlife Management Area on Sutton Lake Property. These are currently in the process of being mapped using a GPS and will be showcased on the next map update.
Your direction of travel on each trail is signified by color markings.
- Jeremiah Carpenter Trail = Lime Green, 4.5 Miles
- Happy Camper’s Trail = Yellow, 1.4 Miles
- South Abutment Trail = Purple, 0.24 Miles
- Hardwood Timber Loop Trail = Light Pink, 1.65 Miles Round Trip
- Sunrise Ridge Trail = Light Blue, 3.04 Miles
- Ellison Cemetery Trail = Forest Green, 0.64 Miles
- Sunshine Line Trail = Orange, 0.64 Miles
- Bug Ridge Trail = Dark Blue, 0.82 Miles
- Left Fork Trail = White, 3.22 Miles, (Gerald R. Freeman Campground)
- Belknap Hollow Trail = Dark Pink, 1.24 Miles, (Gerald R. Freeman Campground)
The overall mileage of the above listed trails is computed and posted on trail markers for your total distance traveled for ingress and egress.
The Sutton Lake Project has been awarded three AmeriCorps Trail Building teams; however, the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed the start until further notice. The Sutton Lake Project conducted a trail work week on April 12-16. The participants of the trail work week did an extraordinary job in collecting garbage, removing debris, installing signage, and landscaping the trails. We welcome trail volunteers to contact our project office at 304-765-2816. A special thanks to Suzanne McGowan, Mike and Dot Gioulis, Steve and Rene Tyo, and Jim Jordan for helping with trail maintenance to make the trails a more enjoyable experience on the Sutton Lake Project.
“’Hiking is a bit like life: The journey only requires you to put one foot in front of the other… again and again and again. And if you allow yourself the opportunity to be present throughout the entirety of the trek, you will witness beauty every step of the way, not just at the summit.” -Unknown