It’s only a 3.3-mile hike. But it’s a tough, steep 3.3 miles! What is it? It’s the Ziler Loop Trail in Cacapon Resort State Park, West Virginia. But difficult though it may be, it’s worth seeking out for the unique, beautiful, wild, lightly-trafficked experience of West Virginia’s woods and wildlife that this trail offers to hikers year-round.
What if there were a place you could go to get a good workout in the wild, wonderful West Virginia woods?
Well, that would be quite a place, wouldn't it? Good news! There is such a place. It's the Ziler Trail, otherwise known as the Ziler Loop Trail, at Cacapon Resort State Park in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
This 3.3-mile loop trail requires some steep climbing over rocky terrain as it takes you up to Cacapon Mountain - the highest mountain in West Virginia's eastern panhandle - and back down again.
To reach the mountain peak, you'll hike a 987-foot elevation gain along this trail. That's a lot of uphill!
But in addition to a real workout, it also offers a beautiful, serene, peaceful, chance to commune with nature while you burn some calories and build some muscle.
To learn more about the Ziler Trail as well as other hikes offered at Cacapon Resort State Park (don’t worry – they aren’t all this steep!), visit the Cacapon Resort State Park website. You can also find more information about the hike, including a map, on Alltrails. For a few other hard hikes in West Virginia, try these 5 spots that offer way better views than a gym, but just as good of a workout!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.