Discover Morgantown: Culture and Rail Trails

If you’re looking for a hotel in Morgantown, the focus of your trip can help guide your plans: rail trails, downtown culture, or the WVU Core Arboretum each represent a different side of the city. The specific sites vary in trail length, format, and programming. You can start by deciding whether trails and outdoor activity, architecture and cultural offerings, or a natural setting will shape your trip.

Rail Trails Through Morgantown

The Mon River Rail-Trail System includes the Mon River Trail, the Caperton Trail, and the Deckers Creek Trail. The Caperton Trail runs through Morgantown and forms a paved, 6-mile section in the middle of the system. The Deckers Creek Rail-Trail branches off from it in Morgantown and runs 19.5 miles along the creek. This gives you two different options: a paved section and a much longer route alongside the creek.

Culture and Architecture Downtown

The Metropolitan Theatre has been a cultural anchor in the Downtown Historic District for nearly 100 years. In its historic building in downtown Morgantown, the theater presents plays, films, and other events. If a particular program is the reason for your trip, check the specific event dates for your travel dates.

The self-guided Historic Downtown Morgantown Audio Walking Tour explores the downtown area’s classic architectural styles. It is available through an audio guide as a printed tour booklet, via Google Maps, or as a downloadable booklet. Unlike a single event date, this tour focuses on downtown architecture.

The Monongalia Arts Center is a local museum, theater, arts education center, and cultural center. The Art Museum of West Virginia University offers artist demonstrations, workshops, lectures, concerts, and theater performances alongside its exhibitions. These events complement the exhibitions and give culture enthusiasts a range of program options to consider when planning their trip.

The Ruby Amphitheater in Hazel Ruby McQuain Park is an outdoor concert venue with more than 1,500 seats in historic downtown Morgantown. If a concert is the reason for your trip, check the specific event dates for your travel dates.

Arboretum and Other Trail Options

The WVU Core Arboretum covers 91 acres of hillside and bottomland near Hope Coliseum, between Monongahela Boulevard and the Monongahela River. The grounds have 3 miles of footpaths. The Caperton Rail-Trail also passes through the arboretum as part of the larger Mon River Rail-Trail System. This lets you distinguish between the footpaths within the grounds and the rail trail that passes through them.

For kayaking, Walnut Street Landing is a specific location: the public, accessible kayak launch with an EZ-Launch system is at 2 Walnut Street. It adds a designated kayak launch to the options for exploring trails, natural landscapes, and culture.

Explore more destinations: Westover, Cheat Lake.

Return to the main travel overview: Monongalia.