Meadow Creek Campground is a terrific place stay outdoors while exploring around New River Gorge…read moreNational Park. When first planning out my itinerary for visiting the park, I had researched that there were plentiful campgrounds located within the area. So...I knew I would be camping out somewhere for my first night at New River Gorge. I just didn't know where exactly I would end my day. Well...after finishing hanging out at the Grand View section of the park in late afternoon, I was okay to start looking for a campground. I always refer to the trusty app on my phone called Campendium, to find my campsites. And as usual, Campendium did not disappoint! I quickly browsed all the reviews for Meadow Creek and was excited to come here. From the Grand View part of New River Gorge (which btw, is one of the primary highlights of the park), it was just 17 miles to drive to Meadow Creek. And best of all the location of the campground was in the proper direction for my next destination, being Sandstone Falls. Let me give some details about how simple it is come to Meadow Creek and get a campsite for the night... and yes, it has to be one of the easiest spots (in terms of finding a place to rest at while on a whim) I have ever come across along my journeys around the USA. - Cell phone reception works fine in the area, so simply plug "Meadow Creek Campground" into Google Maps and you'll easily be directed here. - It is free to camp out! How cool. Once I arrived, the instruction board mentioned to just pick a campsite and it's yours! How simple! - There must have been about 25 - 30 campsites available for choosing, and basically there was no one here. I had my pick of any site. - All the sites were situated on soft, fluffy grass, which always is beneficial when pitching a tent. This way you can have a gentle, comfortable sleep. - The sites all had barbecue pits. They were well spaced apart from each other to feel like you have privacy. You can start charcoal grills also. - A very interesting fact is this...trailers and RVs are not allowed!!! Prohibited! That's so peculiar? Usually, you have RV sites and parks that don't allow tents. But here it was the opposite. So nice for me, someone who carries a tent in the trunk of my car, to feel like I was prioritized, lol. Btw, I noticed the folks that were spending the night here actually slept in their cars rather than pitching tents. - They have vault toilets houses but they're extremely well maintained and clean. In fact, when I stepped inside one of them, it smelt beautifully, with a nice fragrance. - Located just 2.5 miles down the road is the Sandstone General Store and Eatery. This local little joint has groceries, gas and supplies...ideal for picking up anything to cook on your barbecue. You could even purchase prepared sandwiches if you don't feel like cooking. And prices here were extremely cheap, considering there's not much around to this part of the park. - You can do some hiking/walking right along the New River to get some fresh air and appreciate the woodsy/forestry setting. - When I visited back in the middle of May of 2022, the weather was perfect and not too chilly at night. Couldn't have asked for a better evening with a few stars up in the sky. - I believe you can stay up to 14 evenings here, all for free! You can camp for free, use the facilities for free, and occupy a campsite all for free. Thank you to the National Parks Services for Meadow Creek Campground! Although Meadow Creek was a wonderful experience for me...I do need to mention some parts that were a little bit of a letdown... 1. Cell phone coverage in this specific campground was minimal. Yet, when I walked down the creek area, my reception worked just fine. Hmmm? 2. Okay, yes, the train tracks. During the night I did hear trains running on the tracks that were very loud. Still, I don't mind these types of things as I'm an easy sleeper. 3. This is going a bit overboard, no there aren't any AMP power stations, lol. Overall, I can't say enough good things about Meadow Creek Campground. It was certainly one of the best highlights to my time visiting New River Gorge National Park.

Never a bad time! Repeat customer! I love that you can wake up and throw your pole in the water…read morewithout going anywhere. Best campground I've been to

Took a Saturday afternoon drive out to Plum Orchard Lake with the fam in our Jeep. It's about 1.5…read morehours from us -- a mix of interstate, toll roads, winding turns, and peaceful backroads that made the ride feel like part of the adventure. When we arrived, the lake did *not* disappoint -- calm water, gorgeous scenery, and just a relaxed, welcoming energy. We didn't even try to explore the whole place (it's huge). We stopped at the first dock we saw, hopped out with our gear, and got straight to fishing. Mealworms on the hook, lines in the water, and good vibes all around. We saw fish swimming past and had a few nibbles, but no actual catches this time. Still, the whole experience was a win. It wasn't crowded at all -- just a few groups scattered around, everyone spaced out enough that it still felt peaceful. No loud music, no chaos, just people enjoying nature. **Pro Tips:** * Bring your own bait, drinks, and plenty of snacks (trust me, you'll get hungry). * There's a port-o-potty nearby *or*, you know\... nature works in a pinch (ask the boys ). * Sunscreen is a must and a hat, perhaps. We're already planning a return trip -- maybe with kayaks or to check out another part of the lake. If you're looking for a quiet, scenic spot to fish, chill, or just unwind without a crowd, Plum Orchard is a solid pick.

I was in the area and on a lark decided to check out the lake. It is truly a hidden gem in these…read morelovely hills! The southern part of the lake had a large layer of lily pads and the water caught the fall colors of the hills perfectly. I wish I had a boat there so I could go out on the water, it was a perfectly tranquil day.

The J.W. and Hazel Ruby West Virginia Welcome Center opened prior to the 2017 National Scout…read moreJamboree, which was held at the nearby Summit Bechtel Reserve. It serves as the gateway to the Jamboree site, and includes exhibits on Scouting, a small but well-stocked gift shop, and a friendly staff. The Welcome Center is accessible from both the southbound and northbound lanes of US-19. There is plenty of parking and the building itself is worth seeing. This summer (2019) it will welcome many thousands of staff and visitors to the World Scout Jamboree!

This is a free visitors center located off I-64. There is a lovely park or garden outside of the…read morevisitors center full of wildflowers and native grass and weeds. Tons of signage and information about the area. The restrooms are located outside of the visitors center so you can stop after hours if you need to use the bathroom facilities. Inside there is a small gift shop and some items on display to enjoy. There is also a few employees to answer questions about history of the area, what's to do around the area and answer questions about the wildlife, flowers and nature of the area. Very friendly staff!! very nice facility!

Went tubing here yesterday with my family (who were all bundled up for winter weather, too much…read moreFlorida sand in our toes). You can book your reservation and sign your waivers online prior to arrival and then all you have to do is walk to the lodge area and get your lift tickets. You can book an all day pass or a selected 3 hour window. We opted for a window from 1200pm until 245pm. Note, the road to the resort has some pot holes and the parking lot is a gravel lot that is about a ten minute walk to the lodge. There is a shuttle that will drive you from the lot to the lodge but it fills up real quick. Once you get your pass you just walk out the door to the hill for tubing. The hill has eight to ten runs (a few were down bc the snow was melting). You will have to find a tube at the bottom or ask the staff for more. There is a lift to the top of the hill but the top was a little chaotic bc there was no staff up there keeping order and people will cut in or hold a lane. The run is pretty fast and it is a fun run down the hill. We were able to go 20-30 times in a three hour window with a break for a snack. The slope is equipped with snow makers but if they are on, they will blow snow and ice all over you (so goggles or glasses is a must). Good family adventure. They also offer skiing and snow boarding.

Great place with 28ish trails. The rental process was fairly easy and returning them was easy as…read morewell. There are lockers and various sizes that you could rent by the day and the ski lodge is fairly large. There is a cafe with burgers, pizza, chicken tenders or you can bring your own food. I was there Friday and Saturday night, the bar had a band playing both nights, and the prices of the beer were relatively reasonable.

Hands down best place to stay when ATV'ing the Hatfield and McCoy Trails. Always clean, hosts are…read morealways accommodating, it just doesn't get any better. They sell HMT permits as well. We have stayed here so many times I can't count them all. We have stayed at other places in the region also, there's no comparison. Livingood Lodging is top notch.

This is one lovely building sitting along a very narrow road along the banks of the New River. Tony…read moreand I was driving along Stanaford Rd and crossed over the New River right at the entrance of Glade Creek. Once across the water, you are entering the small almost forgotten town of Prince. About 1 mile (if that much) down the road on the right is this lovely ommaj to the past. This train station is still in use, just not manned until a train is arriving. Prince is an Amtrak station in Prince, West Virginia, served by the Cardinal. It serves as the main depot for the Beckley area because it is on the CSX (originally Chesapeake & Ohio Railway) mainline while Beckley itself is not. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built the first facility in 1880 that was enlarged in 1891 to serve both freight and passengers. In 1942, the C&O president, Robert R. Young, saw a need for "a stylish, streamlined, and efficient passenger rail system" that lead to the development of the current station The current station is art deco. The design of the Prince train station is Art Deco. Built in 1946, the architectural firm was Garfield, Harris, Robinson, & Schafer that was headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The main terminal building is 125 by 22 feet (38.1 m × 6.7 m) and the waiting area features tall ceilings and large windows, as well as a large wall mural depicting mining and the importance of coal. The depot has a minimum of ornamentation. Each end of the 500-foot (152 m) canopy is rounded and topped with Streamline Moderne stainless steel lettering spelling out "Prince". The canopy is oriented so that the sun would warm waiting passengers in the winter time, while shading them in the summer. 5034 Stanaford Road West Virginia Route 41 Prince, WV 25907