CHARLESTON, W.VA. – Step inside West Virginia and find all the outside you could ever want.
It’s no surprise that many visitors to West Virginia come from large metropolitan cities. With so many outdoor recreation options, West Virginia is the ideal urban-escape choice for many in the East. More than 80 percent of the state is covered by forest, which means every county offers quality locales to get out and enjoy nature whether it be low-impact and leisurely, high-adrenaline and intense, or somewhere in between.
The options are plentiful to enjoy West Virginia. One can do so by land, water or underground and by foot, mountain bike, horseback, canoe, whitewater raft or motorcycle tour.
Hiking and sight seeing are two of the state’s top draws. With more than 1 million acres of public land, enthusiasts can spend an afternoon or an entire week enjoying West Virginia’s beauty without ever crossing the same point twice.
If one prefers to move a little faster, then the 1,000-plus miles of trails open to mountain bikes fills that void. Most of the 300 miles of the state’s converted rails-to-trails are set in wooded areas. The state’s two longest rail trails – North Bend State Park and Greenbrier River Trail – are maintained by State Parks.
If one wants to really move fast, then head for the southern coal counties to the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Trail System where 500 miles of professionally designed mapped and marked trails await ATV and dirt bike enthusiasts. Land that was once mined and timbered is now home to the country's best and most scenic off-road trails. The Hatfield-McCoy system plans to expand to 2,000 miles in the coming years, easily making this system the largest of its kind for states located east of the Mississippi.
For the on-road riders, the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau publishes motorcycle itineraries that wind through the scenic Potomac Highlands.
Speaking of having the most of something, West Virginia is the rock-climbing destination for any east-of-the-Mississippi state. More than 1,100 climbing routes are marked in the New River Gorge National Recreation Area and another 300-plus climbs wait on the 1,000-foot sandstone face of picturesque Seneca Rocks.
Not all of West Virginia’s fun is found on land. The state has nearly 2,000 miles of mountain streams coursing through its land. The state’s rivers and lakes are unbeatable for beauty, history, excitement and accessibility. Spend a day whitewater rafting and it’s easy to see why people from all over the world come to West Virginia to experience nature’s roller coasters.
Golfers will never find the cookie-cutter golf courses found of flat states in West Virginia where numerous mountain courses both challenge and charm one’s ability. Many of the game’s legendary names like Nicklaus, Palmer, Snead, Dye and Jones have designed courses found in West Virginia. And then there’s Oakhurst Links in Greenbrier County, the first organized golf club in America where one still plays the course with hickory stick clubs and gutta purcha golf balls and the sheep maintain the greens.
Thanks to the state’s four downhill ski resorts – Canaan Valley Resort State Park, Snowshoe Mountain, Timberline Resort and Winterplace – West Virginia will always be a four-season destination. Each resort has its own unique set of features and combined with several cross-country businesses, one can ski down the slopes skis, snowboards, and/or tubes all winter long or go across by cross-country skis or snowshoes.
Not all of West Virginia’s beauty is on the surface. Plenty of subterranean adventures await discovery throughout the state in public and privates caves.
West Virginia’s many outdoor pursuits also have unique endeavors. Here are a sampling of events and attractions with each.
The New River remains the most popular locale for whitewater rafting as the Cheat and Tygart rivers offer big-water excitement with winter melt and spring rains but Gauley Season always generates the most excitement. Every fall, the Summersville Dam is opened and for 22 days, the Gauley River becomes the whitewater mecca of North America with its abundance of big rapids to lure enthusiasts from around the country and world.
The West Virginia Mountain Bike Association operates one of the country’s oldest, continuous-running race series from March to September annually and the immensely popular 24-hour mountain bike race format began – and continues – in West Virginia. Charity bike rides takes place annually on the 75-mile Greenbrier River Trail and the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail. A national mountain bike race comes to Snowshoe Mountain every summer.
The Seneca Rocks Discovery Center is an outstanding learning facility at the base of the famed rocks while the Eastern Climbers Rendezvous in Fayetteville in May grows each year for fun, fellowship among climbers and a chance to take on “Endless Wall.”
Because hiking is so popular, so, too, is camping in West Virginia. The Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, particularly Bear Rocks, is equally known for its great camping, hiking and photo opportunities.
Commercial caves such as Lost World Caverns, Organ Cave, Smoke Hole Caverns and Seneca Caverns are underground attractions that amaze thousands of visitors every year. Outfitters in West Virginia are ready to custom plan your caving adventure through these and the hundreds of non-commercial caves that provide for challenging adventures.
To date, riders from 46 states and seven countries have ridden the Hatfield-McCoy Recreation Trail System. Dirt Week in June and TrailFest in October are two annual events that combine two great items – awesome trail riding and Appalachia hospitality.
Once the snow covers the slopes, there are always special happenings at the resorts. Try something different with Full Moon XC Skiing in February and March at White Grass Touring and Café in Davis.
More information is available by calling Division of Tourism’s toll-free hotline, 1-800-CALL WVA. Callers also can request a free travel guide, calendar of events and other information through the number or the Division’s web site, www.callwva.com.
