Feedback Form

Brooke Pioneer Rail Trail

Brooke Pioneer Rail Trail
Outdoor ExperiencesWalks and Hikes
Brooke Pioneer Trail
Wellsburg West Virginia 26070

Information

304-737-0506
lat: 40.1862203 long: -80.6744333
The Brooke Pioneer Trail follows the east bank of the Ohio River between Wellsburg and the Brooke–Ohio County line at Short Creek. Here the Brooke Pioneer Trail continues into Ohio County as the Wheeling Heritage Trails. Both trails are paved and provide a total of 18 miles of scenic hiking or biking along the river between the two cities they connect.

You’ll find expansive interpretive signs along the way that describe the railroad history—the Panhandle Railroad—of this area. Once called the “Wheeling Secondary Track” between Weirton Junction Tower and Benwood, West Virginia, the line opened in 1878. Serving freight (until 1981) and passengers (until 1951), the tracks were pulled in 1987, and it would be another decade before trail construction began.

In the north, the Brooke Pioneer Trail begins at a connection with the Wellsburg Yankee Trail, another rail-trail open on the same corridor in the community’s downtown. Extending south from Wellsburg, the trail crosses Buffalo Creek on a restored railroad trestle paralleling State Route 2. This is how the route continues for its entire journey: wedged between the road and the Ohio River.

That doesn’t mean the views are lacking. In fact, the road is often shielded from view by brush likely there since the days of the railroad. Looking to the west, trail users are treated to stunning vistas of the powerful Ohio River and the dramatic climbs and drops of the hills in Ohio just beyond.

Those looking for reminders of the area’s industrial past won’t be disappointed, either. The trail skirts the edge of a handful of manufacturing properties between Wellsburg and Windsor Heights, and the large cooling tower and smokestack of Ohio’s Cardinal Power Plant interrupt the views of the rolling wooded landscape on the opposite shore.

Get Directions

Nearby Attractions

High Tower Brewing Company
High Tower Brewing Company

Hightower Brewing Company, County Road 16, Rayland, OH, USA
Distance: 1.05 mi (straight line)

Food and Drinks

View Listing
Martins Ferry Strawberry Festival
Martins Ferry Strawberry Festival

410 Hanover Street, Martins Ferry, OH 43935, USA
Distance: 6.71 mi (straight line)

Festivals and Events

View Listing
Deluxe Toy & Hobby
Deluxe Toy & Hobby

Deluxe Toy & Hobby, Hanover Street, Martins Ferry, OH, USA
Distance: 6.72 mi (straight line)

Shopping

View Listing
Martins Ferry Winterfest
Martins Ferry Winterfest

Martins Ferry, OH, USA
Distance: 6.78 mi (straight line)

Festivals and Events

View Listing
Betty Zane Days
Betty Zane Days

Martins Ferry, OH, USA
Distance: 6.78 mi (straight line)

Festivals and Events Fun and Sports

View Listing
Wellsburg, West Virgina
Wellsburg, West Virgina

Wellsburg, WV, USA
Distance: 6.85 mi (straight line)

Cultural Districts

View Listing
Fonces Produce
Fonces Produce

153R 23rd St, Wellsburg, WV 26070, USA
Distance: 7.76 mi (straight line)

Shopping

View Listing
Mt Wood Overlook
Mt Wood Overlook

Mount Wood Overlook, Mount Wood Road, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 7.77 mi (straight line)

Outdoor Experiences Viewpoints

View Listing
Patrick Gass Gravesite
Patrick Gass Gravesite

Brooke Cemetery Co, 22nd Street, Wellsburg, WV, USA
Distance: 7.89 mi (straight line)

LC Features Other

View Listing
The Eckhart House
The Eckhart House

810 Main Street, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.23 mi (straight line)

Food and Drinks

View Listing
Wheeling Historic Suspension Bridge
Wheeling Historic Suspension Bridge

Wheeling Suspension Bridge, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.48 mi (straight line)

General History

View Listing
Wheeling Suspension Bridge
Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Wheeling Suspension Bridge, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.48 mi (straight line)

Viewpoints

View Listing
Heritage Port
Heritage Port

Heritage Port, Water Street, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.64 mi (straight line)

Outdoor Experiences Viewpoints

View Listing
Victoria Theater
Victoria Theater

Victoria Theater, Market Street, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.64 mi (straight line)

Galleries and Venues

View Listing
Wheeling Artisan Center
Wheeling Artisan Center

Wheeling Artisan Center Shop, Main Street, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.75 mi (straight line)

Galleries and Venues Shopping

View Listing
West Virginia Independence Hall
West Virginia Independence Hall

West Virginia Independence Hall, Market Street, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 8.79 mi (straight line)

Museums and Interpretive Centers

View Listing
Historic Wheeling, West Virginia
Historic Wheeling, West Virginia

Wheeling, West Virginia, USA
Distance: 8.80 mi (straight line)

Cultural Districts

View Listing
Madonna of the Trail – Wheeling WV
Madonna of the Trail – Wheeling WV

Madonna of the Trail, Wheeling, WV, USA
Distance: 9.02 mi (straight line)

General History

View Listing

Sign Up for the Lewis & Clark Trail Experience Newsletter

Our bi-weekly newsletter provides news, history, and information for those interested in traveling along along the Lewis & Clark Trail.


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive the Lewis and Clark Travel Experience newsletter provided by the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance. You can revoke your consent at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribeÂŽ link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.

Instagram Feed