Ansted, West Virginia

There are several rafting companies all which offer pretty much the same half day rafting packages. Each include lunch, a raft, a guide and a trip back to your car when it’s all said and done. The water here is very warm and you can swim, cliff jump, and swim down a few rapids. Enjoy the scenery ...

From the main parking lot at Grandview's visitor center, follow the well marked paved trail about 0.1 miles to the Main Overlook. There is a large platform for viewing the New River here. A wide angle lens is best to photograph this large bend in the river.  There is another overlook in the park...

Starting at the trailhead, follow signs for the falls. After a short walk, hikers will reach the walkway bridge where they can snap a couple shots of the minor Sandstone Falls to the right. Many hikers stop here, thinking these falls are the final destination. Do not make this mistake—the best is...

Located just outside of Charleston the Kanawha State Forest is a great to experience West Virginia. This hike in particular gives you a taste of the mountains as well as a look into the deep history of coal in the area. This hike allows encounters with wildlife, as well as, blackberries for a goo...

The Cranberry Wilderness is one of the largest wilderness areas east of the Mississippi and offers a unique backcountry fly fishing opportunity within West Virginia. One of the best ways to access the Cranberry River to hike, explore, and fish the river is from the Cranberry River Campground. J...

From the parking lot, the paved handicap-accessible trail switchbacks to a view of the upper falls (20'). The falls are a bit hard to see from the viewpoint, so it's best to continue down the trail.  At the upper falls the trail changes to wooden stairs that descend gradually down. You will cross...

Right off interstate I-77, Camp Creek State Park has two waterfalls that you can easily access: Mash Fork Falls and Campbell Falls. These falls can both have very low flows in late summer, so try to plan your visit for times of higher flows (early spring or after a rain). Mash Fork Falls is in th...

From the parking lot, the boardwalk trail breaks off of the right side of the lot.  The boardwalk loop should be done in a clockwise direction and there are signs to direct you.  The 1/2 mile boardwalk offers great views of the surrounding bog and mountains.  The boardwalk itself is skirted by fe...

From Rt. 219 about 7 miles south of Hillsboro, West Virginia, there are well-marked signs for Beartown State Park. This narrow road winds about a mile until the small parking area for the state park.   The boardwalk trail starts to the left of the bathrooms, and it is encouraged to walk the trail...

Brush Creek Falls is a beautiful 25' waterfall that spans across Brush Creek. It is accessed via a short 0.5 mile hike with minimal elevation gain. From the parking area on Brush Creek Falls Road, take the trail to the right of the picnic shelter. This easy and relatively-flat trail through rhod...

This is a wonderfully easy hike to White Oak Falls. After visiting Bush Creek Falls, keep walking down the trail. You'll enter the Bush Creek Nature Preserve area. If you visit after heavy rains, please note that your feet will get wet. There are numerous cascades that come down and cross over t...

This scenic overlook is along the Highland Scenic Highway. The highway runs through the Monongahela National Forest. The overlook has an amazing view and is a great area to explore. There are two trails that lead off from the overlook and they have a gorgeous spruce forests.  

The Cranberry Wilderness is lesser known, but if you're looking for a rugged escape, this is it. Be mindful of your water intake, as there are a few stretches upwards of 6-8 miles where there is no access to fresh water. Those areas are well-known in most of the hiking blogs/guides (I'd recommend...

To reach High Rocks trailhead, drive about 3.3 miles along West Virginia’s Highland Scenic Highway (HW150) from Cranberry Mountain Nature Center. The parking lot and trailhead will be on the right side of the road. The High Rocks trail is 3.1 miles out and back and is fairly flat as it follows a ...

Located in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest about half way between Snowshoe and the Cranberry Glades makes this campground an ideal place to set up a base camp while you explore the surrounding area. It is located about five miles from Highland Scenic Highway (HW150), which makes it ju...