The final information to West Virginia state parks: 10 stunning locations to discover

With the best common elevation of any state east of the Mississippi River, West Virginia is a pure playground outlined by its mist-shrouded mountains, speeding rivers, verdant peaks, and tunneling valleys. Visitors can plan a street journey to discover it alongside 1000’s of miles of winding, scenic highways, too.

Home to the National Park Service’s latest National Park—New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, one of many East Coast’s most spectacular backdrops for whitewater rafting and mountaineering—the state delivers year-round leisure adventures past its nationwide jewel. 

West Virginia’s 36 state parks and nine additional state forests scattered throughout the state provide free day-use admission and huge, various terrain for all the pieces from lake and river enjoyable to lodge stays, tenting, mountain biking, and extra. 

The state’s ease of entry makes it extra engaging for a go to, too. Nearly the scale of Ireland however with solely a fraction of its inhabitants, West Virginia’s central location locations it inside a day’s drive of half of the U.S. inhabitants. The state lies inside 500 miles of main cities like Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City, and a 3rd of Canada’s inhabitants may also attain West Virginia by street in a day. 

But for all its logistical ease, it’s the untrammeled and crowd-free adventures in West Virginia’s pristine nature that almost all set the state and its state parks aside.

“West Virginia is a bit undiscovered; many people don’t think of it as a tourist destination. We’ve traveled to the major national parks, and they’re all amazing, but you’re always waiting in line or in traffic. We never encounter that in our West Virginia state parks,” says Rhianna Schoeller, a West Virginia-based content material creator who vlogs about her household’s adventures within the Mountain State and past.

West Virginia’s heritage is alive in its state parks, from Cass Scenic Railroad State Park within the jap a part of the state, the place you’ll be able to experience a historic steam practice, to Hawks Nest State Park close to the nationwide park and New River Gorge, recognized for an overlook that takes its title from a folklore story. 

“The humble state is home to some serious outdoor fun,” confirms Emily Pennington, writer of “Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America’s National Parks.” She provides, “West Virginia really earns its state slogan: Wild and wonderful.” And there’s a West Virginia state park right here for each wild-hearted traveler to go to. 

(The important information to visiting West Virginia.)

Best for: Sledding

Less than a three-hour drive from Washington, D.C., this beloved West Virginia state park within the Allegheny Mountains attracts guests to walk alongside a boardwalk and ogle a 57-foot-high waterfall that sends amber-hued water pounding into the slim gorge beneath. During the autumn, birch, beech, and maple timber surrounding the falls create a exceptional canvas of shimmering reds and golds. And whereas it’s not potential to swim within the Blackwater River close to the falls, fairly Pendleton Lake, near the Nature Center at Blackwater Falls State Park, is an effective place for a dip through the heat summer season months. 

However, winter may be essentially the most magical time to plan your journey, when the falls could partially freeze over. From roughly mid-December to mid-March, the longest sled run of its type (a quarter-mile downhill screamer) opens on the park, too, with a handy “magic carpet” conveyor constructed to tow riders again up the mountain. Warm up across the hearth with a scorching chocolate on the Warming Hut on the base of the hill to hit pause, then do all of it once more. 

Best for: Family enjoyable

Federal grants awarded throughout President John F. Kennedy’s administration constructed this park, which opened on Memorial Day in 1970, about an hour’s drive south of Fayetteville and the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. 

Pipestem Resort State Park takes its title from Native Americans, who used hollowed-out twigs from the meadowsweet plant discovered within the surrounding forest for ceremonial and medicinal functions. 

Sprawling throughout greater than 4,000 acres, the park is a darling amongst households who frequent its Adventure Zone for actions equivalent to 3D archery, mini golf, skeet capturing, and hovering throughout 9 ziplines by the forest cover. 

Open seasonally from May to October, an aerial tram makes a 1,200-foot ascent from the park’s Mountain Creek Lodge to the rim of Bluestone River Gorge, an historic gorge minimize by by the Bluestone National Scenic River, residence to walleye and largemouth bass. You can keep throughout the park year-round at 26 cozy cabins, full with hearth rings and outside grills, surrounded by the dense woodlands. 

Best for: Chasing waterfalls

West Virginia’s Waterfall Trail traces regional driving routes throughout the state that lead guests to greater than 40 of the state’s most hanging waterfalls (amongst a whole bunch). 

Two of the prettiest waterfalls for swimming could be discovered within the state’s southern stretches inside Camp Creek State Park and Forest, with 33 miles of mountaineering trails, 27 miles of mountain biking trails, and horseback trails within the adjoining State Forest to discover. 

It’s a simple two-mile hike from the park’s workplace to achieve gently cascading Campbell Falls, which drops right into a shallow oval pool you’ll be able to wade into at its base. 

You can stroll to the clear waters of Mash Fork Falls from the parking zone or through the longer 7.5- mile Turkey Loop Trail, with a number of creek crossings to ford. The cascade spills over a picturesque sandstone ledge, providing one other serene place to refresh within the cool waters through the summertime, surrounded by a forest blooming with rhododendrons, West Virginia’s state flower. 

Best for: Cabin stays

Zipping right into a tent is hardly your solely choice in terms of staying in a single day inside certainly one of West Virginia’s iconic state parks, the place a number of make it simple to settle in and keep some time in consolation, thanks to completely furnished cabins accessible for lease. A group of 28 cabins awaits at Babcock State Park, recognized for the Glade Creek Grist Mill, a duplicate of an authentic Twenties mill, and a well-liked autumn backdrop for foliage pictures. Some cabins sit alongside Glade Creek close to the grist mill, and all are outfitted with trendy home equipment, linens, and Wi-Fi. Some are pet-friendly, too. New River Gorge Bridge is thought for its annual autumn Bridge Day BASE leaping competition, however vacationers could make the brief drive south of the gorge to Babcock State Park for tamer outside pursuits, equivalent to canoeing, biking alongside paved and gravel roads, and fishing for bluegill and bass on Boley Lake.

Best for: Whitewater rides 

Hawks Nest State Park is positioned close to Fayetteville, and a stroll alongside Lover’s Leap Outlook Trail gives guests with probably the most unimaginable fowl’s-eye views of the rugged whitewater inside New River Gorge. The path was named for a folklore story about two Native American lovers from totally different tribes who leaped from the clifftop as a substitute of being separated. “Hawks Nest has the most beautiful views, and they’re also the most accessible. You park, and barely walk around a corner along a boardwalk, and then you’re at the most amazing gorge,” says Schoeller. 

At the center of West Virginia’s whitewater rafting nation, the park is a must-stop should you’ve come to hurry down the rapids of the Lower New River Gorge with an clothing store like Ace Adventure Resort, positioned close to the park, or sort out the Gauley River’s class III to class V+ rapids in  September or October, with Adventures on the Gorge. 

For one thing tamer, jet boat rides function seasonally from a marina throughout the park, accessible through an aerial tram experience from the park lodge, which gives 31 mid-century trendy rooms for an in a single day keep. 

(Nine of the very best resorts to remain when visiting West Virginia.)

Best for: Fall foliage 

A favourite day journey for college students at West Virginia University and guests to the quaint school city of Morgantown, Coopers Rock State Forest shines brightest round mid-October. That’s when the altering leaves of the oaks, hickories, and maples change into overdrive on this stretch of the Allegheny Mountains, however you must at all times test the state’s Live Leaf Map for extra exact timing. The park’s greater than 50 miles of mountaineering trails embody the out-and-back, mile-long Clay Furnace Trail that results in a historic coal-burning furnace, a remnant of an 1800s mining neighborhood. 

For extra on-high views of the colourful forest cover, sandstone cliffs throughout the park make it probably the most in style locations on the complete East Coast for bouldering and top-rope climbing. Climbers ought to make sure to launch their adventures from a compulsory sign-in station discovered close to the park’s most important overlook parking zone. 

Best for: Skiing 

Canaan Valley Resort State Park makes an ideal base for exploring the area year-round. Cabins and cottages can be found for lease throughout the park, along with rooms on the most important lodge. It’s positioned roughly a mile from certainly one of West Virginia’s oldest and largest ski resorts, Canaan Valley Ski Resort, and simply three miles from the 22 ski trails on the extra trendy Timberline Mountain. In addition to downhill snowboarding in winter, park actions embody snow tubing and ice skating with views of the Allegheny Mountains. 

The park is an hour’s drive from wild mountaineering locations inside  Monongahela National Forest and the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, recognized for its high-altitude terrain of bogs and tundra-like vistas that may be explored on rugged trails. Within Canaan Valley Resort State Park, there are 16 miles of easy-to-challenging mountaineering trails. A brief drive away, the lovely mountain city of Davis bustles with eating places, cafes, and outlets which are nicely value a go to, too. Sirianni’s Pizza Cafe is a long-standing favourite for pizza after a day of snowboarding. 

Best for: Rock climbing 

The latest state park in West Virginia, Summersville Lake State Park, formally opened in 2023 because the thirty sixth. But the 177-acre park on the northern shore of West Virginia’s largest lake has lengthy been a favourite among the many rock-climbing set. 

Pirates Cove is a well-liked rock-climbing space throughout the park. And Pennington recommends bringing your binoculars to identify rock climbers deep-water soloing throughout sandstone routes excessive up on the cliffs lining the lake, too. 

While there’s no lake entry for swimming throughout the state park as a consequence of its steep cliff edges, Adventures on the Gorgeprovide pontoon boat excursions with stops to swim and paddleboard in quiet coves. You may also swim from the lakeshore at Battle Run Public Beach in Mount Nebo, exterior of the park. You’ll wish to dive in. Summersville Lake is typically known as the Little Bahamas of the East due to its water readability. “The water is so clear and beautiful. We always see scuba divers when we’re swimming there, and there’s also paddleboarding and pontoon rentals,” says Schoeller.

Best for: Lodge life 

Cacapon Resort State Park, positioned in Berkeley Springs inside West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle area, opened the most recent lodge within the state park system in 2021. The park’s 78-room North Lodge wing sits on the base of the Cacapon Mountains, full with an indoor pool, full spa, and a comfortable fire to assemble round with board video games after a day of adventuring. Groups may also keep within the park on the 12-room Old Inn at Cacapon Resort, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps within the Thirties from hand-hewn log beams and chestnut and knotty pine wooden. 

Activities on the roughly 6,000-acre park vary from geocaching alongside ridge hikes and hearth roads, to mountain biking alongside greater than 30 miles of singletrack trails, to mountaineering alongside shaded forest paths. You may even discover time to squeeze in a spherical of golf on the park’s 18-hole course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.

Best for: Fishing 

Calling all anglers. If you’ve come to the Mountain State to forged out a line, you’re in the proper place. Beech Fork State Park has all the pieces from trophy smallmouth bass and walleye to wild brook trout and rainbows in West Virginia’s many streams, rivers, and lakes. Be certain to buy your fishing license on-line earlier than casting a line. 

For one state park that targets any fisher’s coronary heart, head to Barboursville within the western a part of the state, and the fruitful waters of this park. The greater than 31 miles of shoreline alongside Beech Fork Lake embody a handicap accessible fishing pier. You may also pack your sort out field and rods and lease a kayak or jon boat on the park to strive your luck out on the water itself. Largemouth bass, channel catfish, and bluegill are among the many species generally landed within the 720-acre reservoir. When you dangle up the rods for the day, basic West Virginia mountaineering and biking trails are yours to take pleasure in, too.