West Virginia

Outdoor adventure abounds in the Mountain State. From whitewater rafting on the Cheat, New and Gauley rivers to hiking the state parks dotting the state, there are opportunities for all ages and activity levels. The state’s streams and rivers draw fisherman, while the state’s lush forests attract leaf peepers once the season begins to change each autumn. Those looking for history will find it along the state’s Civil War Trail or in the National Coal Heritage Area that tells the story of an industry that shaped the state.

Seneca Rocks in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia (photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service)

Located in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, outdoor experiences at these 900-foot formations include rock climbing, recreational hiking and other outdoor adventures. 

Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park in Hillsboro, West Virginia (photo by J. Jericho)

This Hillsboro, West Virginia, site where the largest Civil War battle in the state occurred, is now a park with great trails and views.

Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia (photo courtesy of destination)

This 2,000-acre, year-round destination in Wheeling, West Virginia, comes alive as temperatures rise each year.

Harpers Ferry History National Historical Park in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (photo courtesy of NPS/volunteer photographer Buddy Secor)

This historic site as well as the nearby Antietam Battlefield are two reasons Civil War buffs head to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

Coopers Rock State Forest in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia (photo courtesy of West Virginia Department of Natural Resources)

Take in the beauty of the Cheat River Gorge and its seemingly unending canopy of green in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia.

Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, West Virginia (photo courtesy of destination)

Explore the legend of the Mothman at this fun storefront museum in the heart of downtown Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

Archive of the Afterlife: The National Museum of the Paranormal in Cameron, West Virginia (photo courtesy of destination)

The collection of oddities at this home museum in Cameron, West Virginia, includes a number of haunted objects from paranormal investigations. 

New River Gorge Bridge Walk in Lansing, West Virginia (photo courtesy of destination)

Get an adrenaline rush by taking a walk on a 1,000-foot-long catwalk that runs 876 feet above the New River in Lansing, West Virginia

A stand-up paddleboarder on Summersville Lake in West Virginia (photo courtesy of Visit Southern West Virginia)

From the views at one of our nation’s newest national parks to a remote lake that offers a picturesque summer getaway, these Mountain State locations offer scenery you won’t soon forget.

From the place where Harland Sanders perfected his fried chicken to an examination of West Virginia’s famous cryptid, these unusual museums offer a perfect pit stop.