---
template: byway.jade
id: "15739"
name: Old Route 7 Byway
distance: "43"
duration: Allow 1.5 hours
description: "Traveling east from the Monongahela River in Morgantown to the Maryland state line, WV 7 winds along Decker's Greek, crosses the Cheat River in Kingwood, and climbs Briery Mountain to Terra Alta."
contact: "**[West Virginia Division of Tourism](http://www.wvtourism.com)**  \r\n 800-225-5982  \r\n\r\n"
path: "gxwpFbyxfN~BAvASlJ_GbB_BhBuBx@sANe@Ny@HmBTwAbAsAn@Uh@EhCNvCS~@_@^e@nD{IViADoCm@}H[sAgDsGsFcR}EuVYgBE_ADgHNaH~@mL\\iBrFsNJuAK_CUy@{HaL_@s@mCaKc@i@kAc@m@u@UgAo@iKjN}\\hAgE~BoM`AmBxDmEbFqJb@g@hAu@xBq@b@]xA{BrDeDh@s@nOqXt@eB^iBlAmLj@qC`@cA`AkB`C_CdASfC@dAO`N_E`AEzAP`FrBrBnAjBxAjElE|BjDhArA~BlAlCj@bBl@~AlA|DlG~@J\\Ej@g@N_@n@aEf@qAbCyDzDoDz@}AjA_D|D{FvDsE`H}Dp@i@`@g@^yAn@uHZsCdDcOVq@t@gA~BiBp@iAfCaQz@oHB]OaAqEgM[aBI}@C{ABs@^wCn@yCd@oAhHaJz@}AtNcYvEqGhBkGjJcv@~AgGbCaMrBaCb@aADo@?m@g@oFBsAJeAdFaX^aAlCuEdAeCTqAFmFJmBNs@lCaJh@s@n@m@tBkArAgAfC_Ex@_AlImEd@[|@oAd@yAHu@DkDJ[?m@Pk@f@q@`FuE|@wAbAoDHq@bBErGDh@Ln@v@x@f@fDj@bElChCl@jMpBdALjDFpObDVLhAe@hBsAzFoF`Ak@tOgDhNFbDYlDErCYrUgEtADv@TnBx@xBxAbCh@tGwC|KwG|@WrYmB~BL|Af@xRlObAd@xAT|BGtCa@`Ex@^XvEmBhAeAt@_BRaBH_D]{EOmXUaISuEOyAcAkFEgBNyWLgC~AaQ@q@_@mA_ByB}DuLKgA?kAzAiMQeBcCiN}@iMDcAl@oB|CqGhA{Cx@_D?uAOw@cBgEWwAf@oHY_FBwKRsBj@sClCaIhBwAbEaCrBs@hBKxRRbFM`Eq@lBMvKFn@GhFgBfAq@dE{JbBgDhToSt@e@f@MfC@nB_@`FDn@Gn@S|@q@p@gAlCeGlDgJvCiFXmAj@{Ge@}FHiAtAyBx@yBrDmMlA{Ct@wAhDaK|C{Gf@yAz@_ErAaIr@oFDyBC{DHeAn@wBb@}Cd@eM?gAa@gEgCmEKy@F_ApAeEhB}Jt@qAbEiGv@wATgAC_Ae@sAcAsBuB_HUoA?kB\\yFLy@La@j@eAfJ_Ix@_AxCcFrBqEl@cCh@qHMsD[oC?i@FaAv@kCbBaCvCgD|GmF^mdACeN^iBd@kA~EsIzA}DtI{\\xBcFb@}ADs@C{AoCkLm@uC]mISeAiAiDm@kDDgBbAsG?gDUuJTy@r@y@rBsAxDkEvFuM\\a@fBeA`EsArAKlSoEhAChCJtAR`FJb@Kn@m@|E{Oh@wBNiEJy@XkAv@aB`@_Bb@uBXqCNmC@eCEcK_@mESeFYmNBuAXmBX}@rCwF`JyGn@_Ar@sA^kAHo@NqFdBcL\\mG^eC^qAhCoDpDmB`C_Cx@sAfAeDLs@MkBUu@eEyGoCsFcGoGqFiJeIqGyJqTwDkDmD}Dm@_AKe@BcB~@{CH{BJsAxA_GfAoITkCw@qXMs@m@wAiBaDwIuS{B_D{AwDkDwB{@s@e@wA?mATmAXs@hBuCjJeHXy@JyCNg@fCaDz@kBfHkU\\_B~Dkd@k@{E_@iBsCaGg@uAmDiYO_A_@aAyDyEoAgAoO_KUm@Cs@^_Ah@]nJaC~FsBlMqLxImEfBkAt@w@`DgFtAyDd@{@d@k@xIoGlEcC~AmArCuDxEqE`GgGzF{HpB{E|@yCRaA?kAOqAYu@UaCDw@~@{EhF{TvDuRlCcJpGaQzM}Vr@_DhCcP@_Cq@wIYq@sCyAW_@[kAq@{EMmCTyFb@cGR}AxFoOb@{AjByd@LiA|BiHGy@q@_F?u@xAoJ^cAvG{GnLgHhGm@bENnNJzL{@|AQxAs@|@_B`KeX`BaQp@eDrDwL"
websites: 
  - url: "http://www.wvbyways.com/default.aspx"
    name: "North Central Byways & Backways"
designations: 
  - West Virginia State Scenic Byway
states: 
  - WV
ll: 
  - -79.92225599999995
  - 39.61236999999994
bounds: 
  - - -79.92225599999995
    - 39.41889111217566
  - - -79.48345252584593
    - 39.61236999999994

---

Traveling east from the Monongahela River in Morgantown to the Maryland state line, WV 7 winds along Decker's Greek, crosses the Cheat River in Kingwood, and climbs Briery Mountain to Terra Alta. Along the route, Decker's Creek transforms from a gently flowing stream into a rapidly tumbling torrent that cuts a dramatic path through a narrow gorge strewn with limestone outcroppings, past overhanging rhododendron and laurel thickets. The creek calms again as the route passes near Arthurdale, the first New Deal Homestead founded in 1933, and a favored project of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt.

Along the Cheat River at Dunkard's Bottom, you will pass the site of the first white settlement (c. 1754) in Preston County. This region is also known among rafting enthusiasts of the Cheat as the premier whitewater rafting river of northern West Virginia. Crossing the Cheat, WV 7 begins climbing Briery Mountain to an elevation of 2,735 feet, providing extensive vistas and spectacular scenery. Terra Alta caps the mountain and offers a variety of historic sites, lodging and other visitor services.