Cheat Lake Park and Trail near Morgantown, WV is a great choice for a fun day with family and friends, a date, or a solo adventure. The park features a walking/biking trail, a beach and swimming areas, picnic areas, a playground, fishing opportunities, and a boat launch.

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Directions and Parking

Cheat Lake Park is located just outside of Fayette County, PA, and Morgantown, WV near the PA/WV state line. Turn onto Morgan Run Road from 857.

Morgan Run Road narrows to a single lane a few times and can feel a little unusual.. But, just keep following it to the end about 1.7 miles to a parking area.

The parking area sits at the top of a steep hill. At the bottom of the hill is a loading/unloading zone. So you can loop around and drop off some of the people with you and/or your gear and belongings and then someone needs to go back up and park and walk back down.

There are restrooms located at the bottom of the hill and are available during the summer months.

The Park

Biking/Walking Trail

A 4.5-mile biking/walking trail runs along the park and lake offering beautiful views.

The trail is flat with a compact stone surface.

The last time we rode here, we rode toward one end, turned around, and rode toward the opposite end for a roughly 10-mile ride.

The ends of the trail.

Here is a breakdown of our ride for reference.

Swimming Beach

We love to spend a summer day at Millstone Point Beach. The beach is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day and there are no lifeguards so swim at your own risk. To get to the beach, keep left when you come down the hill to the park and walk the trail crossing over the water.

I would guess it’s about a 0.5-mile walk from the parking area. I find it helpful to haul all of our stuff in our wagon.

Hanging at the beach is one of our favorite summer activities. Be sure to check out another post for a list of other nearby beaches.

On either side of the playground area, two bridges separate the lake from what I like to think of as two lagoon areas. From my observations, the water is calmer in these areas and they are great spots to swim, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard.

If you don’t have a kayak or SUP, you can look into renting one with Sunset Beach Marina.

Review the signage to familiarize yourself with the rules and again, swim at your own risk. Also, you can check the water quality before you visit if you plan to swim.

Playground and Picnic Areas

There is a nice playground and several picnic tables and benches. It’s a really nice place to sit and relax, slow down, and take in nature.

Fishing

Although I have not fished here, we did see others fishing and also spotted a wash station near the beach.

Click here for more info about fishing at Cheat Lake.

Gear and Preparation

If you are wondering how I took my kids along to explore this park, here’s how I went about it. The last time we visited, my kids were about 1 year and 3 years old. My dad went with me. We each had our own bike and each bike had a Topeak bike seat for my kids. Although I do own a hand-me-down bike trailer, I prefer to use the Topeak bike seat when I can. My kids seem to enjoy the view better higher up, and it feels lighter to tow than the trailer.

I also carried my REI Co-op Ruckpack 28 for diapers and baby items, water, lunch/snacks, etc. Check out some of my go-to adventure snacks such as pepperoni rolls (a must when in West Virginia), DIY trail mix, and peanut butter energy balls.

You can check out another post to learn more about some of my favorite gear for my family’s adventure.

That concludes a breif overview of Cheat Lake Park. If you found this helpful or have anything to add, please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram (@adventureswkelly). I would love to see or hear about your adventures at Cheat Lake Park.

Nearby Attractions

Some outdoor adventuers we enjoy in the area:

Some local businesses I’d suggest:

Family Fun at Cheat Lake Park – Morgantown, WV