Offering bountiful beauty in the heart of the West Virginia woodlands, several trout streams, scenic mountainous vistas and historic buildings offer a glimpse into a serene and often overlooked part of the state.
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Tucked amongst the hardwoods of the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, Canaan Valley offers a departure from rugged, tall terrain that characterizes the Mountain State. The valley, approximately 13 miles long, is known for its extensive wetlands and bogs, and is the headwaters of the Blackwater River that comes crashing down in a spectacular cascade at Blackwater Falls.
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Referred to as the Cranberry Wilderness as it is lies adjacent to the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, this 35,864-acre federally protected reserve is located in the Yew Mountains, which are a part of the larger Allegheny Mountain chain. The wilderness, where northern Canadian taiga merges with the southern hardwoods, is the largest in West Virginia an the ultimate in “getting away from it all.” Here, deep within the ravines, peaks and underneath the dense canopy of trees, cell phones are all but useless, and the only calling that anyone hears is the chirping of birds and the scuffle of animals in the distance.
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Just west of the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center is the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, home to the largest protected bogs in the state. Bogs are naturally acidic wetlands commonly found in Canada and the northern reaches of the United States.
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Dolly Sods is the highest elevation plateau east of the Mississippi River located along the Allegheny Front in West Virginia. Hosting some of the most spectacular scenery in the Mountain State, Dolly Sods is encompassed within the Monongahela National Forest and features a bountiful assortment of natural treasures. Northern hardwood forests and thick spruce plantings. Open glades, featuring bogs and miles of low-rise blueberry, mountain laurel and azalea. Steep canyons carved by a boulder-filled Red Creek. Rocky vistas that open up to the deep valleys below.
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Falls of Hills Creek has been called the “crown jewel” of the Monongahela National Forest, as it rightfully should be. These three magnificent waterfalls are situated in the remote wildlands of the rugged West Virginia mountain system, and is fed by Hills Creek, rated as one of the cleanest streams in the state, attributed in part to the lack of development and animal grazing pastures in the area. While not located within a wilderness and situated not far from a state highway, it is one of the more enjoyable hikes to a breathtaking sight.
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The Greenbrier River Trail is a 77-mile multiuse path along the old Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad through the heart of eastern West Virginia. Following closely with the wild and scenic Greenbrier River for most of its length, this former railroad includes 2 tunnels and 35 bridges along its length. A rustic backdrop of the Allegheny Mountains compliments the trail nicely.
Hawks Nest State Park, named after the numerous Osprey that once nested in the fissures of the cliffs over New River, features bountiful recreation and spectacular views of the gorge. Numerous red tail, red shouldered hawks, turkey and black vultures call the park home today, along with the usual variants of birds that flock around on the many bird feeders scattered throughout the park, and is well interpreted throughout the lodge and restaurant — with various bird photographs and diagrams, and accessories that play upon that image.
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New River Gorge National River offers something for everyone within its linear trek through the heart of West Virginia. From the coarse white water river that flows through the center to the lofty creeks that spill out of forested canyons, most can find a suitable area to canoe, kayak, or raft. The river, estimated to be over 250 millions year old, is the second oldest waterway in the world after the Nile. It’s meandering course through the Appalachian mountains rather than around indicates that it is older than the world’s oldest mountain chain, no small feat!
The North Fork Mountain is part of the Seneca Rocks Unit in the Monongahela National Forest, located southwest of Petersburg, West Virginia. The 34-mile linear and attenuated mountain range offers one of the most dramatic terrains in the state, with articulate cliffs to the west and large, abrupt sandstone outcroppings throughout that offer unrivaled views of Germany Valley, Seneca Rocks, Fore Knobs, Champe Rocks, Dolly Sods, Roaring Plains, and the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River.
Otter Creek Wilderness is one of the more distinctive recreational areas in West Virginia. Located east of Elkins in a basin formed by Shavers and McGowan Mountain, the focus and attraction is along the shallow and serene Otter Creek.
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Noted as the first National Recreation Area in a national Forest, the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area contains Spruce Knob, the highest peak in West Virginia, and the dramatic Seneca Rocks. Nestled between the two are numerous breathtaking mountaintop meadows and prairies, serene waterfalls and meandering streams, and trails that wonder through thickets of huckleberry.
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