We've been lucky enough to visit a lot of national parks while touring the country and each one has…read moreits own personality. New River Gorge hits a little bit differently because we're such big fans of Fallout so seeing the bridge in person was especially cool. Driving over the bridge to get to the park almost made me feel like I was stepping into the game. That big beautiful arch stretching across the gorge was an incredible sight to behold but I was quickly overwhelmed by the incredible natural beauty all around me and soon forgot all about the game. I just wanted to explore this gorgeous place. The overlooks are easy to access and genuinely breathtaking. The gorge is dramatic and beautiful. The bridge is the star of course and the way it frames the landscape is stunning. It just felt so peaceful in scenic the whole time we were in this park. Of all the parks we visited, this one stands out because it blends natural beauty with something personal, so it wasn't just scenic, It was kind of an iconic moment. I'm so glad that I got a chance to come here and see it for myself.

I have heard so many people tell me that there is nothing to do in West Virginia. Let me tell you,…read moreyou have to visit the state at least once and if you have to do one thing, it's visit New River Gorge National Park. NRG is the newest national park on the list so when we went it was busy but not as crowded as the others. When we went t the park was free to enter. They have a nice welcome center where you can get souvenirs and maps. The park is breathtaking. There really is not a bad spot to see. The main highlight is the New River Gorge Bridge. It's a popular spot and that does get crowded. We had to wait 30 minutes to get a good view. When we went the roads can be confusing. Since it is a new park, they are working on signs to put on the roads. We got lost getting to certain trails due to lack of signage. Also keep in mind there are a lot of cliffs on the hiking trails that do not have safety rails or bars. It can be dangerous so be mindful. (Don't do what I did and try to get a photo by the edge).

We planned to see as many waterfalls as we could in the Fayetteville area and Wolf Creek Falls is…read moreone of them. We accessed the falls via the Kaymoor trailhead. You just have to hike a short distance on the Kaymoor Trail from the trailhead. You will cross over a creek on a small bridge. It had been raining for a couple of days prior, so the waterfall was flowing really nicely. The unique thing about this waterfall is that a lot of the rocks had moss on them. It also continues to fall underneath the trail path. Definitely a nice waterfall to see, and a short hike from trailhead. The path is not paved though, so not stroller friendly. Get outside and enjoy friends!

I really enjoyed the view. WV is beautiful I never knew about this place. I've been to the Grand…read moreCanyon it is awesome but wv has so much to offer as well. It's a must see along with the new river gorge bridge.

Today, Kayla Beth Fields , Deacon and I were on our way to a Labor Day Cookout at my cousin, Wanda…read moreBlackwell home. We stopped at Grandview State Park to use restrooms, enjoy the Beautiful Famous Horseshoe Bend Vista and play on the playground. We had a nice little 20 minute break from the road. Deacon enjoyed himself.

Today, we took a Sunday drive to Hawk's Nest State Park in Ansted, WV. This was Kayla & Deacon's…read morefirst time there, but a trip down memory lane for Tony & I. It was fun reminiscing and sharing with them the way things used to be and the ways it looked! It's hard to believe it now so sad how changes with time makes so much of a difference. Deacon enjoyed his adventure. We found out the tram ride over the mountain has been broken 3 yrs and the state has not fixed it. Also found out might not get fixed for another couple years also...which is extremely sad news! Also, there is NO nature exhibit or museum display at Hawk's Nest Park. There is a power boat ride on the river that starts late May but is rather expensive about $30 per person so if your a family of 4 (average size) it's over $120 for about an hour before taxes.. Now a days, that's a little much in my personal opinion! But, if you got it..spend it ! Right!! ? Me, not so much! There is a restaurant and a small gift shop fairly priced..we purchased a few necessaries!! Definitely recommend to all in the area°

Cute spot for some great hikes. The short trails are easy , but the moderate trails require…read morephysical fitness ability. My husband and I did about half of the cliffside trail. One of the other more difficult trails was significantly overgrown and a guide warned us of snakes and bees. Great views

We were in West Virginia for my husband's work and made it a little leaf peeping Excursion. Babcock…read moreis on the top of the list of places I like to go the mill and the lake plus the colors around the area are just gorgeous lots of Reds oranges and yellows. No fee to enter they have restrooms that are easy to access and flushy bathrooms. There is a Almost Heaven swing by the mill. But what the pictures don't show is the sound of the Rushing Water it's just all so beautiful. Recommend bringing snacks in a beverage have a little picnic. Fall is the prettiest time but I'm sure it's beautiful anytime of year I'm sure with some snow would be gorgeous but I'd be a little scared to tackle all the West Virginia curvy roads with some ice and snow. This year we had such a dry drought year that no one thought the fall was going to be worth seeing so we didn't make any Leaf peeping vacations. If he hadn't had this work trip we would have missed out on on this for the year. Considering the dryness the colors were doing pretty good around here we had went to other areas where the leaves were already down around black around Blackwater and Seneca Rock. But the bugs were quite annoying mainly lots of gnats that if you stopped moving they were really annoying. We've been here a few other times in other years and this is the only time that was an issue. At the lake they have porta potties and the moved them to block the lake view Which is unfortunate. Please move them. !!

Did a quick stopover on the way to Hawk's Nest SP, and wow, this place is beautiful! One of the…read moremost frequently visited state parks in WV and it's easy to see why! The grist mill is absolutely iconic, sitting atop a picturesque waterfall. The park has a mountain lake for water activities, plenty of trails, and even cabins for longer stays! There's an Almost Heaven swing right by the mill and visitor's center, and the CCC stonework is stunning. The New River Gorge bridge is about 20-30 minutes away depending on how well you drive on mountain roads, and there's plenty to do in the area for a fun weekend or even longer! I will definitely be back myself!

Close to a college town, this rail to trail is long, relatively unimpeded, and offers river views…read more There were multiple parking lots at what is currently the south end of the trail, as well as signage indicating that some of the railway had been sold to buyers who were not part of the trail, so it kind of starts midway along the rail line. Regardless, it is a longer trail than I had time for and the part I completed was easily worthwhile.

Southern end -…read more Good surface. RR wide. Some restrooms Only problem is trail maps are mis-leading. Caldwell is beginning but is MP 3, not 1 Easy access - well signed Few road crossings

Amazing hidden gem hike with an elevated boardwalk that wanders through what will definitely feel…read morelike a town for bears. There's rock crevices and holes all easily visible from the .6 mile trail. Warning.. there are a lot if stairs, and the boardwalk can be slippery, but I did it in Teva flip flops, so take that for what it's worth. I recommend better shoes, but it's doable. There's but much else here, save a picnic area, but there's also not much out there like this place, either, so it's worth the trip! Droop Mountain State Park is nearby, so you can check that one out for longer hikes.

I absolutely loved walking along the boardwalk and seeing all of the cool stone and rocky views a…read morelong the way. So cool! Would love to explore more of the park someday. Unfortunately, the rest room needs attention. I couldn't even use it with the amount of flies in there. It was unbelievable. However, go before you get there because the boardwalk is worth the trip. In the area, check it out!

What an amazing site in the National Park. This is an abandoned town from the early to mid 1900's…read morethat had quite the past. They do an excellent job of explaining the buildings and life when it was a booming steam engine railroad town. Take your time visiting the area. I could believe that it is an active Amtrak site today.

What an amazing place to stop and try to imagine this was once a place bustling with people…read moreworking, traveling, living .. it's so small and empty now that only the pictures can tell the tale! They did a good job putting up information and learned so much about what it was like to work here for the railroads way back when. It's incredible how times change, things become more efficient, jobs are reduced, and eventually eliminated. I spent a total of an hour and 15 minutes here for reference. There is a gift shop where I got my usual souvenir magnet, but there are other neat things here as well! I was tempted to buy the "dining on the railway" book (or a name something like that). A great piece of history here and I hope someday the interiors of the buildings can be brought up to code and replicated to look how they did in their heyday so we can get a real feel of walking into the businesses (also a rebuild of the Lafayette Hotel would be amazing, even if just a smaller scale). I'm glad what is there has been preserved by the NPS! I have to say, I left West Virginia with a treasure trove of history!

Very peaceful!!! It's always very clean and well maintained. Never a bunch of people. Plenty of…read morehiking trails

It's not far at all from town but once you're there you would never know that. It's so peaceful and…read moreusually shady with lots of trails and little streams nearby. Yes, your animals are required to be on leash. There was hardly anyone there that day and no one was near the spot we were at. And my dogs wouldn't run off.

Wow wow wow. We tend to be a little bougie with our accommodations so we were going out on a limb…read moreduring our trip to West Virginia. Partly because there were no four seasons in the area (mostly joking) but also because we were in WeSt vIrGiNiA and wanted to get in touch with NaTuRe we decided to go outside of our cocmfort zone and picked some closer to nature options. This was the second. We went with Kaymoor at Adventures on the Gorge. Thjey have the full scale between literal camping and hotel-like, I believe we chose the most hotel-like option. I wanted to do the glamping but there were none available about a month before our trip when I finally got my shit together to book shit. Check in was super easy. We were given a key and a treasure map of how to get to our "cabin" which was easy to drive to. It is a legit cabin in the woods but will all amenities one would expect staying in the a hotel. Great bathroom and shower with a ton of towels, bedroom and separate lounge room that included a mini fridge. TV, wifi, climate control. There was even a cute little porch with chairs in the literal woods. It is so cool. AC worked great. The shower was great. They provided more towels than I'm used to getting at hotels. The bed was SUPER COMFY. I literally don't have enough good things to say about this place. Such a good choice.

THIS TRIP WAS AMAZING!! This was our first ever visit to New River Gorge National Park and…read morePreserve, and lodging with Adventures on The Gorge was the BEST decision we could've made. We stayed in a beautiful cabin that was extremely clean and spacious with a picnic bench, firepit, and trees for hanging a hammock. We took a phenomenal 5 hour white water rafting trip down the New River with our very knowledgeable and personable guide, Greg! He guided us through huge rapids and even a thunderstorm! They even gave us snacks halfway through! We also zip lined with Adventures on the Gorge, and all of their employees are just so humorous and you can tell they love their jobs. 10/10 experience!!