On April 25, 2026, the Great Greenbrier River Race turned 40. What started four decades ago as a scrappy community triathlon in Pocahontas County has become one of the more distinctive outdoor events on the Appalachian calendar — a run-paddle-bike race through one of the most remote and scenic stretches of river trail in the state, still anchored in the small town of Marlinton.
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The race format hasn’t changed much over the years, which is part of the point. Participants — solo or as teams of up to four — run 3 miles through Marlinton and north along the Greenbrier River Trail, then paddle 4 miles downstream by kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard, before finishing with a 10-mile bike ride back along the trail. The whole course sits in Pocahontas County, which is not a place that gets a lot of sports tourism. The race, along with the Greenbrier River Trail itself, is a significant part of what makes the county a viable outdoor recreation destination.
The 40th anniversary celebration stretched across two days, with a Friday evening pre-party at Mountain Tavern in Marlinton featuring live music from Nathan Seldomridge, followed by race day on Saturday with a post-race meal, awards ceremony, and a full set from the Sodapop Gypsies. The Greenbrier River Trail Association uses the race as its primary fundraiser, directing proceeds toward bridge repair and trail maintenance on the 78-mile trail — all 37 bridges of which are currently in the process of being re-decked through a federal transportation grant program.
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