Overall Route Rating
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4.5 out of 5 Rider Rating 4.5
6 Reviews

Motorcycle Route Author

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By Guest (0 McR Points) on Apr 30, 2008

Rider Reviews

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Guest
December 15, 2013
2 buddies and I rode this from Gauley Bridge to…
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Guest
January 7, 2011
This is a great road that is fun to ride. I…
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Written Directions

Start in Summersville, WV, at US 19 and head east on WV 39. Cross into Virginia shortly before you get to the endpoint in Warm Springs, VA, at the intersection of US 220.

Scenery

WV 39 is just a fantastic motorcycle touring road! At various times you will ride along beautiful mountain streams, thick forest, and cranberry glades as you cruise along the valley and over the mountains. If there is a BETTER motorcycle touring road in WV - I am not aware of it!

Headed East from Summersville you will go past the Cranberry Tri-River Trail Head, Summit Lake, the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, the Chesapeake & Ohio RR Depot (in Marlinton) and the lush greenery of the Monongahela and George Washington forests.

You will hug the banks of the gorgeous Cherry river for several miles.

Road Quality: 4

WV 39 offers a near perfect balance of sweepers, tight turns, elevation changes and wide-open spaces for passing (when needed). There aren't very many hairpin turns - only a few spots are what I would label as "technical".

The constant change of terrain serves to make this road an absolute pleasure to ride.

Heading east from Summersville, WV 39 really starts to deliver after about 15 miles when you enter the Monongahela. At the 54 mile mark - WV39 borrows a typically fun & exhilarating section of US219 before getting back to business and heading out to the George Washington forest at Marlinton.

The condition of the tarmc is good to great - only a few small sections of patchwork. The only issue I had with the road was what seemed like more than the usual and customary amount of loose gravel in the tighter turns. .



Roadside Amenities:: 4

Summerville offers all of the usual and customary amenities with plenty of chain hotels and restaurants as well as some local establishments - its tied to the New River gorge tourism business.

There are several small towns along the way - Richwood and Marlinton have several places to rest and to dine that looked very inviting...maybe next time!

Drive Enjoyment

WV 39 offers a near perfect balance of sweepers, tight turns, elevation changes and wide-open spaces for passing (when needed). There aren't very many hairpin turns - only a few spots are what I would label as "technical". The constant change of terrain serves to make this road an absolute pleasure to ride. Heading east from Summersville, WV 39 really starts to deliver after about 15 miles when you enter the Monongahela. At the 54 mile mark - WV39 borrows a typically fun & exhilarating section of US219 before getting back to business and heading out to the George Washington forest at Marlinton. The condition of the tarmc is good to great - only a few small sections of patchwork. The only issue I had with the road was what seemed like more than the usual and customary amount of loose gravel in the tighter turns.

Tourism Opportunities

Summerville offers all of the usual and customary amenities with plenty of chain hotels and restaurants as well as some local establishments - its tied to the New River gorge tourism business. There are several small towns along the way - Richwood and Marlinton have several places to rest and to dine that looked very inviting...maybe next time!

Motorcycle Road Additional info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .
 

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Guest
December 15, 2013
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Standard
2 buddies and I rode this from Gauley Bridge to Virginia in 2011. We've ridden all over and this road is excellent. The day we rode this there was very little traffic and WV39 was just excellent.

The thing we most liked was there is just a great variety in the scenery and the variety of curves. We just did Beartooth Pass, Chief Joseph Hwy, among others in 2013 and WV39 is still one of our faves.
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3 riders found this road review useful
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Guest
January 7, 2011
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport - Touring
This is a great road that is fun to ride. I recommed that you ride the whole route - 20 miles East of US220 is fantastic as well. Great write-up and nice pics - THANKS!
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2 riders found this road review useful
Akumu
November 21, 2019
3916 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport - Touring
As mapped this is a great semi technical to technical twisty run. Everything about this mapped route sings sport tourer or sport bike. Do yourself a favor and go 3 miles further east of the map route to get the twisty bit out of Warm Springs before turning around and heading back the way you came. Great ride. Great fun. Just watch yourself when you get back in to Summersville. That's how its reputation speaks for itself I think.
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2 riders found this road review useful