West Virginia [Travel South 2023]

dark skies | outdoor adventure | waterfalls | mountain towns

West Virginia

Forget about national borders for a second. Anyone who has ever belted out John Denver’s “Take me home, country roads” is an honourary West Virginian longing for scenic mountains, winding country roads and a place where they belong. With countless outdoor adventures and some of the best stargazing on the East Coast, West Virginia really is an unforgettable destination. Add hundreds of waterfalls around the state and impossibly bucolic mountain towns to the mix, and you have the recipe for a peaceful paradise. Read on for our guide to experiencing the best of the outdoors here.

There are plenty of remote locations in West Virginia that also make stargazing a must-see activity. Lost River State Park covers nearly 4,000 acres of wooded mountains in the state’s Potomac Highlands region; go camping or rent a cabin to catch some Milky Way views. Head to the 20-metre Thorny Mountain Fire Tower in Seneca State Forest, West Virginia’s oldest and largest state forest, to get even closer to the heavens; the tower is available to book for overnight stays. Blackwater Falls State Park, in the Allegheny Mountains, offers inky black skies along with campgrounds and a lodge on Blackwater Canyon’s south rim. Spruce Knob, in eastern West Virginia, is the state’s highest peak (at 1,482 metres), giving incredible panoramic views of the night sky.

If you think your smartphone is extra quiet in West Virginia, you’re not wrong. In fact, much of eastern West Virginia is part of the National Radio Quiet Zone, an area of nearly 21,000 square kilometres, in which radio transmissions are restricted, in part, to aide scientific research. Here, at the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, home to the world’s premier single-dish radio telescope, radio astronomers listen to the sounds of the universe to learn more about outer space. Visitors are allowed, but as there is no cell service in the area, be sure to download a map to your phone first (or go back to paper maps).

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When it comes to whitewater rafting, the higher the category, or class, the more thrilling the water is. Six is the most daring number in this sport. West Virginia is home to some of the best Class Four (intense, powerful but predictable) and Class Five (extremely difficult, long and very violent) rapids in the country. Class Five is really for the experts, while Class Four is good for intermediate rafters with lots of physical endurance. The New River, Gauley River, Cheat River as well as the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers offer epic whitewater-rafting opportunities and all have outfitters available to take visitors on rafting excursions.

Whitewater rafting

Off-roading

With numerous winding mountain paths in the the southern part of the state, it’s no surprise that West Virginia is one of the world’s off-roading capitals. The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, named after the feuding families who once settled these parts, is home to more than 1,600 kilometres of off-road trails. If you want to try your hand at the sport, there are outfitters here that take care of everything for you, from vehicle rentals to permits to lodging. In towns like Gilbert, Man, Matewan, Delbarton and Williamson, off-road vehicles are welcome anywhere in the city limits. If you prefer to just watch, head to Gilbert for the National Trailfest (Oct. 5-7) when hundreds of ATV-, UTV- and dirt bike-enthusiasts descend for drags, scavenger hunts and more.

Hiking

With a nickname like “Mountain State,” West Virginia does not disappoint when it comes to views, and there are nearly 500 hiking trails here to help you see them. At the 72,000-acre New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, hikers can walk across the catwalk of the New River Gorge Bridge, which stretches 915 metres across the canyon at an altitude of267 metres. Measuring nearly one million acres, Monongahela National Forest not only has over 1,280 kilometres of trails, but it’s also home to the aforementioned Spruce Knob; there are more than 120 kilometres of hiking trails around this peak and you can reach the summit on a six-hour roundtrip journey via the Huckleberry Trail. The West Virginia State Parks system includes 35 state parks, nine state forests and three rail trails. Of these, the Greenbrier River Trail is the longest at 125 kilometres and it’s one of the 50 Millennium Legacy Trails in the U.S., a designation meant to reflect the spirit of the nation.

Sandstone Falls and Cathedral Falls are also must-see sights included in the Waterfall Trail. The largest waterfall on the New River, Sandstone Falls, spans over 455 metres across, and is divided by islands and drops from three to eight metres. Walk along the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk to get to the islands as well as observation decks with stunning views. Cathedral Falls is located just east of the town of Gauley Bridge and visible from Highway 60; there is a designated parking area. There is a roadside path if you want to get a closer view of the water plunging some 18 metres over sandstone and shale cliffs.

With more than 200 waterfalls around the state, West Virginia is a prime spot for chasing them. Here they range from powerful gushes cascading down cliffs to more peaceful ones flowing steadily along streams. The statewide Waterfall Trail highlights 38 waterfalls that you can find either on hikes or on roadside stops; download the mobile passport to help plan your trip and you can win prizes as you go.

Located along the banks of the Potomac River and lending itself to watersports like boating, tubing and fishing, Shepherdstown is only about an hour and a half from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The oldest town in West Virginia, first settled in 1730, this is also the place where the steamboat was invented. Today, Shepherdstown is bustling with art galleries, restaurants, boutique shops and even an annual Contemporary American Theater Festival each summer. Rich in Civil War and American history, it’s considered a haunted town, so test your courage on the Shepherdstown Mysteries Walk. After all your adventures in West Virginia, singing along to John Denver will never be the same.

Shepherdstown

Davis & Thomas

The mountain towns of Davis and Thomas are located on the edge of Monongahela National Forest, a massive area of nearly one million acres with over 1,280 kilometres of trails. Not only do these towns make a great base for outdoor adventure, they both also have personality with art galleries, restaurants and live music. Head to Milo’s Café and Restaurant in Davis for regional country fare or Hellbender’s Burrito for the namesake burrito stuffed with shrimp or chicken, a spicy buffalo wing sauce, rice and homemade blue cheese. In Thomas, make your way to the Purple Fiddle on Front Street; this family-friendly venue, inn and restaurant often hosts Appalachian acoustic acts and nationally touring musicians.

Lewisburg

About 16 kilometres away from The Greenbrier, a 5-star hotel that’s also a National Historic Landmark, is Lewisburg, a bohemian town of approximately 4,000 people. A long-time haven for artists, musicians and other creatives, Lewisburg is bursting with modern galleries, restaurants, performance spaces and boutiques housed in 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-century structures. It is also home to one of four continuously operating Carnegie Halls in the country. Descend 37 metres and explore Lost World Caverns, dine farm-to-table at the French Goat or set out on a hike at Greenbrier State Forest.

New River Gorge National Park

Dark skies

Outdoor adventure

Waterfalls

Mountain towns

Spruce Knob

Endless Wall trail

Plan your trip

Head to Blackwater Falls State Park in Davis to see two such falls. The most iconic West Virginia waterfall is the 17-metre Blackwater Falls; its amber waters are tinted by the tannic acid of fallen hemlock and red spruce needles. The trail to see it is relatively short and it’s also pet-friendly. Hike through hemlock, red spruce trees, mountain laurels and rhododendrons to reach the 10-metre Elakala Falls, a series of four waterfalls near Pendelton Lake.

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With no town having more than 55,000 residents, West Virginia keeps light pollution at bay, making it a fantastic place for seeing the stars at night. In fact, in 2021, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) gave the state its first dark-sky designation. The IDA awarded Watoga State Park, West Virginia's largest state park at just over 10,100 acres in Marlinton, with the official Dark Sky Park status; adjacent Calvin Price State Forest and nearby Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, which are both managed by Watoga, also received Dark Sky Park designations. Not only will this recognition help people stargaze, but it will also provide protection to the synchronous fireflies in the area, which use flashing light patterns as part of their mating display.

Elakala Trail, Blackwater Falls

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Why you'll feel at home in West Virginia

West Virginia

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