On a recent visit to Huntington, West Virginia, I set aside a morning just for hiking. I didn’t have a lot of time available, so I chose Lost Trail at Beech Fork State Park because it’s a short drive from Huntington. Lost Trail is a pleasant jaunt through the woods with some peek-a-boo lake views and a mild climb along a ridge. With a distance of 3.6 miles, it’s not super long and one of the more popular Beech Fork hiking trails.
Another popular hike is Overlook Trail which I checked out on a subsequent visit. You can read more about the Overlook Trail at this blog post: A Quick Visit to Huntington, West Virginia.
Welcome to Beech Fork State Park.
Table of Contents
My Experience Hiking Lost Trail
I arrived at the Beech Fork State Park on a Saturday. I did encounter several other hikers on the trail, but I was surprised at how few people I saw given that it was a weekend. The trail is located right next to Moxley Branch campground which appeared to be completely full. I’m used to the crowded trails near Seattle so this was a pleasant change.
At the trailhead. The Lost Trail loop trail officially begins after following a short access trail. From here you can either go right (along the lake shore) or left (along a creek bed into the woods). I chose right.
The Lost Trail loop officially starts here.
The first half of the trail is fairly flat as it follows along the lake shore. I could see the lake peeking through the trees, as well as lots of campers and people along the shore. If you’re looking for solitude then this probably isn’t the hike for you.
Walking along the lake shore.
A view of the Beech Fork campground across the lake through the trees.
After about a mile, the trail intersects with the Mary Davis Trail, another of the Beech Fork hiking trails. The Lost Lake trail heads left away from the lake and into the trees. From here the trail heads up to a ridge with a couple of park benches – I assume the view is pretty nice in winter when there are no leaves on the trees.
Hiking up to a ridge.
As I came to another trail junction, I encountered a group of about 10 hikers from Indonesia who asked me for directions. I’ve never hiked this trail before either but I was equipped with a map and GPS on my phone as well as a lot of experience. After sorting them out, I contributed to follow the yellow blazes back to the parking lot.
Follow the yellow blazes.
Crossing a dry streambed near the end of the hike.
All in all a great little hike. Next time we visit West Virginia I’d like to check out some of the other Beech Fork hiking trails in Beech Fork State Park.
A Rambling Unicorn
Lost Trail Hike Details and Map
3.1 miles roundtrip
456 feet elevation
Parking and Fee Information at Beech Fork State Park
Lost Trail is located in Beech Fork State Park, West Virginia near the town of Barboursville. There is no fee to enter the park unless you are camping (there park has 4 campgrounds.). The AllTrails app directs hikers to park in the main campground parking lot and then walk through a bunch of campsites. I don’t recommend that as there is a dedicated parking area – it’s just a little hard to find.
Lost Trail Parking Area instructions: After entering the park on Beech Fork Road, go past the entrance kiosk and take the second left. You will cross over a small bridge and arrive in Moxley Branch Campground. Once here, look for camp site 103 – the entrance to the trailhead is located just to the right of the campground.
The trailhead parking area is right behind camp site #103
More Resources and Information
Interested in exploring other West Virginia hiking trails? Check out these books for inspiration:
- 50 Hikes in West Virginia: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Allegheny Mountains to the Ohio River – by Leonard M. Atkins
- Hiking West Virginia: A Guide to the State’s Greatest Hiking Adventures – by Mary Reed
Where are we now?
We are at Beech Fork State Park in West Virginia!
Location: Beech Fork State Park, West Virginia
Dates visited: October 2-5, 2019
To read more about my adventures in the great state of West Virginia, check out the links below:
- A Quick Visit to Huntington, West Virginia – October, 2020
- West Virginia Road Trip: Cass Scenic Railroad and the Green Bank Telescope – October, 2019
- Lunch at the Hutte in Helvetia WV – October, 2019
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Would love to see you guys! We live close to WVA so we can meet up with you on your schedule!
Hey Uncle Dave and Aunt Joanna!!! I would love to see you guys but I’m a bit behind in my blog posting and we’re already in Europe “in real time”. However we’ll definitely be back to West Virginia as that’s where my in-laws live. I’ll let you know when we’re heading back that way again. ☺ï¸
I was worried that may be the case. Next time around then! Love love love what you two are doing! Be happy and safe!