White Park
Park
193 acres6.5 mi of trail
Blue Diamond TrailLearning TrailLearning Loop TrailWoodland Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Morgantown
Morgantown has 20 miles of mapped trails, 1.9 for every square mile of land
98% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: White Park (6.5 mi), Core Arboretum (2.3 mi), Dorsey's Knob Park (1.6 mi). 744 acres are parks and preserves, 25 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 92% of U.S. towns · #4 of 61 in West Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
455 acres · of 10.2 sq mi of land
Trails
20 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
744 ac
25 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
20 mi
0.9 mi lanes · 18 mi paths
Highest peak
1,430 ft
Dorsey Knob
Lakes & rivers
3
What kind of outdoors town is Morgantown?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Morgantown have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Morgantown is ahead of 92% of U.S. towns, #4 of 61 in West Virginia. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, conserved land lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Morgantown’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical WV town 2% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (20 mi) · WV 0.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land25 acres of park per 1,000 residents (744 acres) · WV 10 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home98% of residents within a half mile of a park · WV 71% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 92%
LessMore
West Virginia towns of 2,500+ (61)Ahead of 95%
Few West Virginia towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Morgantown’s 7% is ahead of 83% of West Virginia towns, while its trails per square mile lead 92% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is White Park, with 6.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Core Arboretum
Nature preserve
80 acres2.3 mi of trail
Granville Island TrailSilver Maple TrailStrausbaugh TrailSheldon Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Core Arboretum Parking Lot
Dorsey's Knob Park
Park
73 acres1.6 mi of trail
Upper Spring Box TrailLower Meadow TrailCross Meadow TrailCherry Tree Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Falling Run Greenspace
Nature preserve
20 acres1.4 mi of trail
Braddock TrailOutlook TrailKeyser TrailKyrian's Curve+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Marilla Park
Managed by Boparc
49 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Whitemoore Park
Managed by Boparc
15 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 18 parks & preserves
White Park193 acres · 6.5 mi of trail
DirectionsCore Arboretum80 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDorsey's Knob Park73 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFalling Run Greenspace20 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMarilla Park49 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Boparc
DirectionsWhitemoore Park15 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Boparc
DirectionsKrepps Park38 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsNath Sculpture Garden2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHazel Ruby McQuain Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Morgantown
DirectionsRaymond J. Lane Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBaker's Ridge Park215 acres
Jack Roberts Park5 acres
DirectionsSuncrest "Lake" Mini Park3 acres · Morgantown Board of Parks and Recreation
DirectionsPaul Preserve2 acres
DirectionsWiles Hill Park2 acres
DirectionsWoodburn Playground1 acres
DirectionsKing Street Park1 acres
Stanley's Spot Dog Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
455 conserved acres
7% of Morgantown’s land. Who manages Morgantown’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city352 ac
Other state land102 ac
Not recorded352 ac
Local Park · 708 acLocal Conservation Area · 99 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Park Local Park | Town or city | 358 | Open |
| Dorseys Knob Park Local Park | Town or city | 137 | Open |
| Marilla Park Local Park | Town or city | 85 | Open |
| Core Arboretum Local Conservation Area | Other state land | 72 | Open |
| Krepps Park Local Park | Town or city | 56 | Open |
| Falling Run Greenspace Local Conservation Area | Other state land | 27 | Open |
| Whitmore Park Local Park | Town or city | 21 | Open |
| King Street Mini Park Local Park | Town or city | 12 | Open |
| Jack Roberts Park Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Suncrest "Lake" Mini Park Local Park | Not recorded | 6 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
22 places to go in Morgantown
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Morgantown
Krepps Park PoolIn Krepps Park
DirectionsMarilla Park PoolIn Marilla Park
DirectionsMarilla Park Water SlidesIn Marilla Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Morgantown
Kingstreet PlaygroundIn King Street Park
DirectionsPicnic tables and play equipmentIn Whitemoore Park
DirectionsPlus 14 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Morgantown
Dorsey Knob1,430 ft elevation · In Dorsey's Knob Park
DirectionsDisc golf in Morgantown
Dorsey Knob Disc Golf CourseHours: sunrise-sunset · In Dorsey's Knob Park · Boparc
DirectionsDorsey Knob Disc Golf CourseIn Dorsey's Knob Park
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.7 miUnpaved · 13.7 mi
Blue Diamond Trail3.4 mi
Learning Trail0.6 mi
Granville Island Trail0.4 mi
Braddock Trail0.4 mi
Upper Spring Box Trail0.4 mi
Lower Meadow Trail0.3 mi
Silver Maple Trail0.2 mi
Outlook Trail0.2 mi
President’s Trail / Campus Connector0.2 mi
Cross Meadow Trail0.2 mi
15 more trails
Strausbaugh Trail
0.2 miSheldon Trail
0.2 miLearning Loop Trail
0.2 miWoodland Trail
0.2 miCherry Tree Trail
0.2 miKeyser Trail
0.2 miKyrian's Curve
0.1 miBarny and Way Trail
0.1 miGlenn Trail
0.1 miDorsey Link Trail #1
0.1 miCliff Trail
0.1 miVandalia Trail
0.1 miGarden Pond Loop
0.1 miLower Glenn Trail
0.1 miNuttall Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
20 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.9 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
18 mi
off-road bike paths
0.7 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
15Tennis
11Baseball
9Basketball
5Football
3Soccer
3Pickleball
1Beach volleyball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →39 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Old Stone HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itWoodburn CircleDistrict · listed 1974
About itEaston Roller MillBuilding · listed 1978
About itOld Morgantown Post OfficeBuilding · listed 1979
About itStewart HallBuilding · listed 1980
About itWaitman T. Willey HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itWalters HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About itHarner HomesteadBuilding · listed 1984
About itJudge Frank Cox HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About itMetropolitan TheatreBuilding · listed 1984
About itRogers HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About it27 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Morgantown: April and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 43 | 52 | 65 | 73 | 81 | 84 | 83 | 77 | 66 | 54 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.9 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Morgantown →
Next door
Morgantown and its neighbors
Morgantown has the most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown | 7% | 1.9 | 25 | 98% | A |
| Westover | 1% | 0.1 | 8 | 96% | C+ |
| Star City | 2% | 0.4 | 4 | 99%+ | B |
| Brookhaven | under 1% | 0.3 | 2 | under 1% | D |
| Granville | 1% | 1.2 | 5 | 50% | C+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Morgantown
Where can I hike in Morgantown?
The longest trail networks: White Park, 6.5 miles; Core Arboretum, 2.3 miles; Dorsey's Knob Park, 1.6 miles; Falling Run Greenspace, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Morgantown is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 2% for a West Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Morgantown’s trails?
White Park and Core Arboretum don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Morgantown?
20 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.9 of painted or protected lanes, 18 of off-road paths and 0.7 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Morgantown?
23,873 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Morgantown or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 744 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Morgantown have?
Ahead of 92% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #4 of 61 in West Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Morgantown neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →