Champagne Tastes®

  • About
  • Travel
    • Food Travel
    • Outdoor Adventure
  • Recipe Index
    • Garden To Table
    • Seafood
    • Camping Recipes
    • Ferment
    • Backyard Foraging + Wild Game
    • Cooking Basics
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Garden To Table
  • Seafood
  • Ferment
  • Foraging + Wild Game
  • Cooking Basics
  • Camping Recipes
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Food Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Travel » Outdoor Adventure » West Virginia

    Gray Flats South Trail (Beckley, West Virginia)

    Published: Oct 18, 2020 · Modified: Oct 24, 2023 · 1 Comment

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Looking for hiking trails in Beckley, West Virginia? Check out the Gray Flats South Trail in the Piney Creek Watershed for gorgeous mountain views!

    By Elizabeth + Garrett Johnson
    Fall colors along the Gray Flats trail.

    My husband and I are both from deep in the mountains of West Virginia.

    Living in Beckley, though still in West Virginia, isn’t the same. We both get a little homesick for the feeling of being “in” the mountains.

    There isn’t an easy way to describe the feeling for those who don’t know it or say the mountains make them feel trapped.

    For us, being surrounded by old majestic hills makes us feel safe, calm, and like we are where we belong.

    Needless to say, when we found a small trail system that was less than a 10-minute drive from our house we were thrilled!

    There are places on these trails where all urban noise is gone and you feel as if you are completely immersed in natural surroundings.

    Looking for more hikes in West Virginia? Check out Pipestem Resort State Park, Pinnacle Rock State Park, Little Beaver State Park, or the Endless Wall and Long Point trails in New River Gorge.

    Overlook Along the Gray Flats Trail.
    Overlook Along the Gray Flats Trail
    Overlook Along the Gray Flats Trail.
    Overlook Along the Grays Flat Trail

    Piney Creek Watershed Trails

    The YMCA of Beckley has a soccer complex with a nice track around it, but we LOVE the series of trails that surround the complex. They are part of the Piney Creek Watershed.

    Check out maps of the different Piney Creek Watershed trails.

    We love all the trails, but there are a few we frequent.

    Trail Signs for Gray Flats Trail at the YMCA Soccer Complex.
    Trail Signs at the YMCA Soccer Complex
    Gray Flats Trail.
    Gray Flats Trail

    Gray Flats South Trail

    The Gray Flats South trail is one we do a few times a week.

    I like it because I am able to quickly get the distance I'm hoping for without too much elevation change. Yes, I am lazy!

    My goal is three miles, and most days that’s what we finish. 

    There are a few options to start the trail and lots of options for where to go once you are on it.

    Trails in Piney Creek Watershed.

    We like to let the dogs run free-range as much as possible, so we take the less traveled route.

    Dogs are supposed to be on a leash. We use training collars and do leash them when we pass people.

    Dogs on the Trail.

    Parking for the YMCA Trails

    Drive to the YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex at 243 Wilkes Rd, Beckley, WV 25801.

    There are a few parking lots, but at certain times of the year (and currently for crowd control) some may be gated off.

    Have no fear, people!

    Just park in front of the gate or along the road! There are plenty of options to ensure you can still have a great hike and stay safe.

    We park at the end of the road across from the gate, a spot that usually isn’t very crowded and is close to where we like to start our run.

    It’s easy to find; the road turns into a trail.

    Parking Near the Trailhead.
    Parking Near the Trailhead
    Gray Flats Trail.
    Gray Flats Trail

    Hiking the Gray Flats Trail

    We take the Gray Flats South Route. It’s marked as 1.6 miles, and comparing my watch (FitBit Versa 2) and phone tracking, the mileage seems to be pretty accurate. 

    There are lots of trails that you can explore from this one.

    We do take a left onto Rock Ridge Trail for a little bit to avoid a hill at the end of Gray Flats South and still get the mileage (I said I was lazy).

    Rock Ridge Trail Junction.
    Rock Ridge Trail Junction

    I love this part of the trail.

    There are four small wooden bridges you get to cross. Once we reach the fourth, we turn around and head back the way we came.

    Bridge Along the Trail.
    Bridge Along the Trail
    Bridge Along the Trail.
    Bridge Along the Trail

    Once you’ve completed the trail and made it back to your car, the total distance is just over three miles. It's perfect if you want a warm-up or cool-down that isn’t included in the run. 

    The terrain is pretty flat and easy to run, jog, cycle, or walk.

    There is a slight bit of elevation, going down to start and going up on the way out.

    The rocks do get a bit bigger at the beginning but that only lasts for a few feet. All in all, it’s a nice easy trail to enjoy. 

    Overlook on the Gray Flats Trail.
    Overlook on the Gray Flats Trail
    Butterfly Along the Trail at Gray Flats.
    Butterfly Along the Trail

    My favorite thing about doing the same trail so often, other than relaxing and enjoying the run without wondering what’s coming next, is seeing the forest change so much with each season.

    Really, each month brings something new and wonderful to experience as we are out there.

    If you live near here or are just passing through and want to stretch your legs quickly, this is a great place to do it! 

    Hiking the Gray Flats Trail.
    Hiking the Gray Flats Trail
    elizabeth + garrett

    About Elizabeth + Garrett Johnson

    Hi! We are Garrett & Elizabeth from Beckley, WV. To pay the bills we are a firefighter and a nurse. We are also full-time volunteers. We also love backpacking, trail running, camping and hiking. We have 2 dogs who almost always drag us along on the trails. Follow Elizabeth at @smutko.girl.

    More West Virginia Outdoor Adventure

    • Train locomotive letting off steam with cars attached.
      Cass Scenic Railroad State Park (Cass, WV)
    • Wooden stairs between rock cliff faces.
      Beartown State Park (Renick, WV)
    • Rafters navigating whitewater on Gauley River, with boat tipping downwards into the spray.
      Gauley River Whitewater Rafting (Fayetteville, WV)
    • Little Beaver Dam Waterfall.
      Little Beaver State Park (Beckley, WV)

    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Comments

    1. Rosetta Thurmond says

      October 20, 2020 at 8:56 am

      Beautiful would like to visit someday with you both. Thank you for sharing. I love the mountains also.

      Love you both and Murphy and Lucy

      Reply
    bio

    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

    Learn More →

    Currently Trending

    • langostino lobster rolls on a serving tray.
      Langostino Lobster Rolls
    • pan-seared rockfish on a plate
      Pan-Seared Rockfish
    • pan-seared red snapper on plates
      Pan-Seared Red Snapper
    • crab butter sauce on a platter with crab legs
      Crab Butter Sauce

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents
    • Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe and Photo Reuse Terms + FAQ

    Copyright ©2015-2025 Champagne Tastes
    All Rights Reserved.