Babcock Gristmill Grinder Trail

The Babcock Gristmill Grinder Trail takes place at Babcock State Park in Clifftop, West Virginia, in mid-April. The half marathon (13.1 miles), with about 1,290 feet of climbing, starts at 10:00 AM, and a 5K fun walk (3.1 miles) starts at 10:10 AM. The rugged route features singletrack and a few short road sections, and it rewards runners with lush green moss, ferns, rhododendron tunnels, waterfalls and big views. Organizers have made small changes to the course by removing some road and adding new trail, and a walk option is new. Wet rocks and roots are common in spring, so slow down on technical sections.