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Preserve Overview The Murphy family donated this 276 acre tract to The Nature Conservancy in 1967 so that there would always be a place where natural processes could continue without human intru-sion. The preserve consists of two tracts of older oak-hickory forest on rolling topography of hills and coves. The two ponds on the property have a large number of amphibians and have been the subject of several research projects. Murphy Pre-serve has a beautiful, mature forest that offer visitors a chance to explore the understory and all of the wonderful land donat-ed by the Murphy family. Emblematic Species cerulean warbler
Trails Access and Schedule
The preserve has no formal trails but hiking is easy since the mature forests have an open understory.
Difficulty: EASY
The preserve is open seven days a week, dawn to dusk. Travel Directions From Parkersburg:
Take U.S. Route 50 east for 30 miles.
Just before Pennsboro, turn right on Bunnell Run Road, 50/21.
Go approximately 3 miles and look for an old oil tower.
Park on the left next to the gas line right-of-way. Hike up the hill on the right-of-way.
Continue down Bunnell Run Road, and turn right at the stop sign.
After you pass a church and cemetery, turn right onto Cun-ningham Run Road.
The opposite side of the preserve begins at the gas pipe-line and continues up to the AT&T building on right side of road.
Continue up this road to orange flags on the left that mark the beginning of Tract 1.
Tract 1 continues to new dirt road on left, from which you can exit back out onto Route 50.
The stone preserve sign is about mid-way on the left side of the road.
The Nature Conservancy is an international, non-profit con-servation organization. Our mission is to preserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia has helped protect more than 120,000 acres of ecologically significant land and waters and currently owns and manages a network of preserves across the state, includ-ing many that are open to the public. For more information about our work, please contact us: 194 Airport Road Elkins, WV 26241 Telephone: (304) 637-0160 Email: [email protected] Get Involved Like Us on Facebook: facebook.com/westvirginianatureconservancy Share Your Photos: nature.org/showusyourwestvirginia Become a Member: nature.org/membership Explore the Outdoors: nature.org/westvirginiaopenpreserves
Murphy
Nature Preserve
trail map & guide
© Marja Bakermans
