Hardy County is perhaps the most popular in West Virginia for both gravel and road cycling thanks to Jay Moglia, the original owner of the Lost River Barn / Raw Talent Ranch and founder of Lost River Trails Coalition. The Raw Talent Ranch has attracted cycling clubs and teams for 15 years to ride and train on our local roads. Many of the following routes are adapted from Jay’s designs. Others are designed by Ethan Gruber, particularly those which border Hampshire County to the north. There is such a high density of cycling here that many Strava segments ranging from Mathias in the south to Baker in the north have 500+ riders.

The routes are loosely organized by start/end location in the county: Mathias, Baker, Wardensville, or Moorefield areas. Some routes are entirely paved; others feature many of the county’s best gravel roads. Start and end locations can be adapted to individual needs. We try to include known water stops, convenience stores, other sources of food, and lodging. Click on each route for a more detailed description. The full route library can be viewed here.

Beginner Routes

These routes are under 30 miles long and may start in different areas of the county. They are a mix of paved and gravel, although alternate paved roads are typically available for road cyclists.

Mathias Area Routes

These routes can start in Mathias, either in Lost River State Park or the Mathias Community Center. The Mathias-Wardensville-Needmore route can alternatively begin and end in Wardensville (at the old school). Wardensville contains numerous local coffee, bakery, or restaurant options before or after your ride.

Baker Area Routes

These routes are generally designed to start and end at East Hardy High School in Baker. The gravel routes head north of old route 55 and include what is arguably the best network of gravel in Hardy County–roads which are too far north to be included in the Lost River Classic.