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Explore...
other regions
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Whitewater
Country
Natural
Areas |
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| National parks preserves much of Whitewater Country's wilderness
for exploration. The sandstone cliffs overlooking the
immense New River Gorge at Grandview, Hawk's Nest, and
Canyon Rim are among the region's most popular natural
sites. The New River itself host thousands of whitewater
rafting thrill-seekers every summer. |
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| Babcock
State Park |
 restaurant,
cabins, hiking, horse-backing
Beautiful Babcock protects a gorge so deep
and rugged that a locomotive lies lost in
its depths.
In the wooded highlands beyond the canyon,
rustic cabins, a swimming pool, and a
working gristmill attract seasonal visitors.
Hiking, angling, and cross-country skiing
draw sports enthusiasts in winter.
Adventurous hikers may follow a remote park
service road to the ghost town of Sewell on
New River. Historians will enjoy its CCC-constructed
buildings.
304/438-3004 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: Babcock
State Park
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| Gauley
River National Recreation Area |
 hiking,
fishing, rafting, kayaking
Roaring through forested canyon, the
wilderness along the Gauley River comes
alive each October with the whoops and
caterwauls of thousands of whitewater
rafters.
While most commercial raft trips ply the New
River Gorge, focus shifts in autumn when
Summersville Lake is emptied, and the Gauley
becomes one of the world's most-challenging
whitewater rivers.
Infrequent hikers, kayakers, and rock
climbers explore the gorge through much of
the rest of the year.
304/465-0508 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: Gauley
River National Recreation Area
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| Hawks
Nest State Park |
 aerial
tram, lodge, overlooks, museum
near Ansted, West Virginia (WV)
The towering rock edifice, for which the
park is named, has been visited since
prehistoric Native Americans entered
Appalachia.
Today a resort lodge, with an aerial tram,
perches upon the cliffs. Hikers and anglers
visit the park year round. Historians use it
as a base from which to explore the national
river.
Tram open weekends May - Memorial Day, daily
until Labor Day, weekends through Sept.,
daily through the last weekend in Oct.
Weekdays 11 a.m.-6:45 p.m. Closed Mondays
except holidays.
304/658-5196 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: Hawks
Nest State Park
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| Little
Beaver State Park |
 fishing,
hiking, paddle-boating, swimming
near Beckley, West Virginia (WV)
The woodland trails surrounding Little
Beaver Lake explore an upland of
rhododendron thickets and ancient stands of
white pine.
Local anglers fish for bass and bluegill
along the lake. The park is also near
several golf courses and the National Park
Service's Grandview and Glade Creek
recreation areas.
Primarily a day-use park, Little Beaver also
offers lake swimming, paddleboat rentals,
picnic shelters, and a small museum of local
and natural history.
304/763-2494 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: Little
Beaver State Park
|
| New
River Gorge: Canyon Rim Visitor Center |
 museum,
hiking, rock climbing, historic sites
near Fayetteville, West Virginia (WV)
Overlooking the spectacular New River Gorge,
the National Park Service's Canyon Rim
Visitor Center provides an exciting overview
of the region history through film and
exhibits.
Overlooks and a parkway offer visitors
unforgettable views of the gorge and its
famous bridge -- the world's longest steel
arch span and the highest span east of the
Mississippi River. Rock climbers hang from
the cliffs beside the visitor center.
304/465-0508 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: New
River Gorge: Canyon Rim Visitor Center
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| New
River Gorge: Glade Creek |
 fishing,
hiking, hunting, camping
near Beckley, West Virginia (WV)
Mountain lions have been sited in the remote
canyon of the Glade Creek, home to some of
the park service's best hiking trails and
trout-fishing holes.
From beaches and a campground on New River,
a five-mile trail ascends Glade Creek to
access waterfalls, fishing holes, and a
network of primitive upland trails and
campsites. Swimming, fishing, and hiking are
popular pastimes along the creek and river.
304/465-0508 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: New
River Gorge: Glade Creek
|
| New
River Gorge: Grandview |
 hiking,
overlooks, outdoor dramas
near Beckley, West Virginia (WV)
Grandview's famous cliffs overlook the
deepest, widest, and most-remote region of
the New River Gorge.
Trails explore upland forests and the
enormous cliffs and rock crevices along the
rim.
Each summer its Cliffside Amphitheatre hosts
the outdoor dramas "Honey in the
Rock," the story of West Virginia's
birth, and "Hatfields and McCoys,"
the legend of its most infamous feud.
304/465-0508 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
For more information, visit: New
River Gorge: Grandview
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| Plum
Orchard Wildlife-Management Area |
 fishing,
hunting, camping
Field & Stream Magazine's "Best
Bluegill Hole in the East," Plum
Orchard Lake's 200-acres somehow manage to
remain quiet. Its campsites, hiking trails,
and wooded hunting areas protect the
solitude of the environment. The area also
provides a shooting range.
Plum Orchard's shady campsites are great for
campers who would prefer to stay outside the
busy tourist areas alongside the New River
Gorge.
304/469-9905 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
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| Summersville
Lake |
 boating,
fishing, rock climbing, scuba
Summersville, West Virginia (WV)
After a hot struggle to the top of its
mighty cliffs, rock climbers will drop 60
feet back into Summerville Lake's clear,
refreshing waters.
Whether you're a rock climber, a scuba
diver, or a seasoned angler, you'll love
exploring its forested coves and undeveloped
beaches.
West Virginia's largest lake offers
campsites, hiking trails, and a marina with
boat-rental agencies. Summersville's
campgrounds serve as great base from which
to explore the region.
304/872-3412 or 1-800-CALL-WVA
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