West Virginia Explorer - Travel, News & History

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The biggest ride ever to visit West Virginia towers above the capitol

A family watches an Independence Day fireworks display from a designated sensory-friendly viewing area while wearing hearing protection. More communities are adding quiet spaces, ear protection, and other accommodations to help people with autism, PTSD, and sensory sensitivities enjoy public celebrations. (WVExplorer Illustration)

Health and Medicine

West Virginia’s America250 celebration reflects trend to sensory-friendly Fourth of July events

Bianca Bosworth July 4, 2026

A clear mountain stream in West Virginia provides the cold, clean water required by native brook trout, whose presence signals some of Appalachia's healthiest waterways. More than 170 miles of streams have recently gained new state protections. (Photo: David Sibray)

Wildlife / Conservancy

More than 170 miles of West Virginia trout streams gain new protection

The 230-foot America250 Wheel rises above the West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston during the state's official America250 Capital City Celebration. The observation wheel offers panoramic views of the capital city and is among the event's signature attractions. (Courtesy W.Va. Tourism)

Festivals / Events

Charleston’s America250 Celebration draws thousands for historic Fourth of July weekend

Just a few hours from Washington, D.C., West Virginia's high country offers cool summer evenings that have drawn Mid-Atlantic travelers for generations. (WVExplorer Image)

Travel / Transportation

As the eastern U.S. bakes, West Virginia’s mountains offer a cooler escape

Communities

Viewed from above, Stretcher Neck forms one of the most dramatic landforms in the New River Gorge. Much of the surrounding landscape has been acquired by the Arc of Appalachia, protecting nearly 2,000 acres adjoining New River Gorge National Park and Preserve while helping pave the way for a future trail connection between Beckley and the park. (Photo: Lori Herrald Lebl)

Why a national conservation group is betting millions on West Virginia

David Sibray July 1, 2026

BECKLEY, W.Va. — West Virginia contains the finest remaining temperate hardwood forests in the eastern United States, according to the executive director of a national conservation organization that recently invested nearly $2.8 million to help protect them. That

A West Virginia Division of Natural Resources wildlife biologist examines a harvested white-tailed deer during field surveillance. Wildlife officials are proposing updates to disease management regulations intended to help slow the spread of chronic wasting disease and other wildlife illnesses. (WVExplorer Image)

West Virginia seeks public comment on new wildlife disease rules affecting deer feeding

Will Reedy July 1, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia wildlife officials are proposing new regulations to slow the spread of diseases such as chronic wasting disease, with changes that could affect how hunters, landowners, and even backyard wildlife enthusiasts feed wildlife and

A West Virginia Division of Natural Resources police officer talks with a recreational boater during a routine safety check. Officers across the state increase boating safety patrols during the busy Fourth of July holiday, reminding visitors that alcohol and drugs can impair judgment, balance and reaction time on the water.

Drinking is dangerous even if you’re not driving the boat this Fourth of July

July 1, 2026

Seeking shade and drinking plenty of water are among the simplest ways to stay safe during West Virginia's hot, humid summer weather. Outdoor experts recommend limiting strenuous activity during the hottest hours of the day and paying attention to the heat index rather than the temperature alone.

Why West Virginia’s humidity can be more dangerous than the temperature

June 30, 2026

Medical students, including several wearing white lab coats, walk across the campus of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. The medical school is West Virginia's largest and leads the state in producing physicians who remain in West Virginia, practice primary care, and serve rural communities.

Robert C. Byrd Clinic Becomes WVSOM Health at W.Va. School of Osteopathic Medicine

June 30, 2026

Construction crews build new homes in West Virginia, where communities are working to expand affordable housing and meet growing demand for workforce housing and rural economic development.

West Virginia affordable housing group expands team as demand for rural development grows

June 29, 2026

Attractions

Sandstone Falls, near the southern end of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, spans nearly the entire width of the New River and offers one of the park's most impressive landscapes. (Photo: Rick Burgess)

Most visitors never see this side of the New River Gorge National Park

David Sibray June 29, 2026

HINTON, W.Va. — Millions of visitors have now discovered New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, but many leave having experienced only a small portion of one of America’s newest national parks. For countless first-time visitors, the trip

The Madonna of the Trail stands beside the historic National Road in Wheeling, honoring the pioneer women whose strength and sacrifice helped open the American frontier. The 1928 monument is one of only 12 identical statues erected across the United States. (Photo: David Sibray / WVExplorer)

The forgotten story behind Wheeling’s historic Madonna of the Trail monument

David Sibray June 26, 2026

WHEELING, W.Va. — Thousands of motorists pass it every day along the historic National Road. Many may glance up, see a stone woman carrying a child, and keep driving without realizing they’re looking at one of the nation’s

The Williams River flows through the Monongahela National Forest in Pocahontas and Webster counties. Road repairs planned for nearby Forest Road 86 could affect access to campgrounds, trailheads, and recreation areas in the Williams River and Cranberry regions this summer.

Road closures to affect access to Cranberry and Williams River recreation areas

June 21, 2026

The ancient Teays River flowed across present-day West Virginia millions of years before glaciers reshaped eastern North America and created the modern Ohio River system.

Ancient river once flowed across West Virginia before vanishing during the Ice Age

June 18, 2026

West Virginia Explorer publisher David Sibray explores a remote section of Tomlinson Run within Tomlinson Run State Park. The park protects one of the largest remaining forested watersheds in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle and supports plant communities uncommon elsewhere in the region.

Tomlinson Run preserves unusual Appalachian forest rarely found in Northern Panhandle

June 18, 2026

Cathedral Falls near Gauley Bridge, WV, Fayette County, New River Gorge Region

The West Virginia waterfall that stops travelers in their tracks

June 16, 2026

Recreation

A hunter walks through a forest during West Virginia's fall hunting season. The state has released updated hunting and trapping regulations for the 2026-27 seasons, including changes affecting deer, bear and turkey hunters. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)

New West Virginia hunting rules could affect thousands of hunters this fall

Will Reedy June 29, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hunters planning to head into West Virginia’s woods this fall should review the state’s newly released hunting regulations, as several changes could affect where, when, and how they hunt during the 2026-27 seasons. The W.Va.

Illustration of a commercial rafting trip running whitewater beneath the New River Gorge Bridge in southern West Virginia. The state's combination of nationally recognized rivers, dramatic mountain scenery, and outdoor adventure has made it one of the East's premier rafting destinations.

Here’s why West Virginia is the East’s premier whitewater rafting capital

David Sibray June 26, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Travelers planning a whitewater rafting vacation in the East have no shortage of options. Pennsylvania is known for the Youghiogheny. Tennessee has the Olympic-tested Ocoee. North Carolina offers the Nantahala and French Broad. So why

A mature wild turkey gobbler displays during the spring breeding season in West Virginia. Once scarce across much of the state, wild turkeys have made one of North America's greatest wildlife recoveries and are now found in every West Virginia county. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources)

West Virginia’s wild turkeys have made one of America’s greatest wildlife comebacks

Will Reedy June 25, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It wasn’t long ago that hearing the gobble of wild turkeys at daybreak was a rare experience across much of West Virginia. By the early 1900s, unregulated hunting and widespread logging had pushed the state’s

More New River Gorge hikers are leaving Endless Wall for the Grandview Rim Trail

June 15, 2026

Volunteers gather on Peters Mountain near Franklin to help build a new trail system in the Monongahela National Forest during a hands-on trail-building workshop.

New Peters Mountain Trail System takes shape in Monongahela National Forest near Franklin

June 12, 2026

Rock climbing in the New River Gorge near the New River Gorge Bridge

Interior Department opens review of rock climbing policies affecting New River Gorge

June 11, 2026

Youth gather for a fishing tournament at the Bowden Fish Hatchery near Elkins, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)

Bowden Fish Hatchery to host free Youth Fishing Derby during W.Va. Free Fishing Days

June 9, 2026

Fisheries experts say the upward trend in fishing records is the result of several factors, including better stocking and water quality improvement.

Here’s why fishing records are being broken more often now in West Virginia

May 25, 2026

The Mourning Dove is one of the most abundant and widespread North American birds and a popular gamebird.

South Branch ends mourning dove permits; controlled hunt begin at Stonewall Jackson

May 11, 2026

John Terry, of Gallagher, in Kanawha County, set a new state record for tiger trout on March 19 by catching a 29.13-inch, 11.04-pound tiger trout from Seneca Lake in Pocahontas County.

John Terry catches record-breaking tiger trout in lake at Seneca State Forest

May 10, 2026

One of the largest networks on the East Coast, the routes activate thousands of miles of gravel roads across the Mon Forest for visitors and communities. (Photo: Getty Images)

Gravel, bikepacking network connects towns across Monongahela National Forest region

May 7, 2026

Motorboats with engines larger than 10 horsepower are now permitted to operate at no-wake speed on Elk Fork, North Bend, O’Brien, Stonecoal, and Woodrum lakes.

Horsepower restrictions removed on five small lakes in West Virginia

May 6, 2026

Culture

Wounded Confederate Capt. DeLaguel receives water and shelter from the White family after reportedly crawling for three days through the Allegheny wilderness following the Battle of Rich Mountain in July 1861. The scene is based on a long-preserved Randolph County tradition. (WVExplorer illustration)

The wounded captain who crawled off Rich Mountain

David Sibray July 1, 2026

BEVERLY, W.Va. — Every battlefield has its stories. Some are preserved in military reports and official records, while others endure because generations of local families refused to let them be forgotten. Among the most enduring tales from the

Before air conditioning became widespread, families across West Virginia escaped oppressive summer heat by gathering at cool mountain streams, a tradition that reached its peak during the record-breaking heat waves of the early 1900s and Dust Bowl era.

How hot can West Virginia get? A look at the Mountain State’s worst heat waves

Bianca Bosworth June 29, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As another round of dangerous summer heat settles across much of the eastern United States, many West Virginians will find relief in the Mountain State’s mountains, forests, and cool streams. Yet history shows that the

Champe Rocks rise above the South Branch Valley in Pendleton County, West Virginia. The towering sandstone formation is named for Revolutionary War Sgt. Maj. John Champe, whom George Washington selected for a daring mission to capture Benedict Arnold. (Photo Rick Burgess)

George Washington’s secret agent is remembered at West Virginia’s Champe Rocks

David Sibray June 28, 2026

HOPEVILLE, W.Va. — Towering above the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac, Champe Rocks has drawn onlookers for generations. Along with nearby Seneca Rocks, five miles to the southwest, its sandstone fins are among the

Visitors gather around the historic bandstand in Berkeley Springs State Park, where many first-time travelers discover that the town's official name is actually Bath, a distinction that has endured since 1776. (WVExplorer photo)

Lore and Legend

Effie "Aunt Effie" Wells of Tyler County recalled a family story that linked her household to John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln.

Real Estate

Mineral Rights in West Virginia: A majority of lawnowners in West Virginia are unaffected by the ownership of minerals beneath the surface.

History and Prehistory

West Virginia Gov. William C. Marland addresses a Wyoming County audience during the 1950s. Historians remember Marland for championing school integration, economic modernization, and an early coal severance tax proposal.

State Parks

An elaborate system of boardwalks weaves throught the boulders at Beartown State Park.

Hunting

Black bears: The 2025 black bear harvest fell just ten bears short of the 2024 total of 2,479.

Fishing

Hunter Rohr, 15, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has caught a golden rainbow trout that set state records for length and weight.

Hiking

Held at 21 state parks and forests across West Virginia, the First Day hikes are part of a nationwide New Year’s Day tradition designed to promote outdoor recreation.

Skiing

White Grass has long been a magnet for visitors from Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mountain River Media)

National Parks

Kayaking

Kayakers On The Ohio River in West Virginia

Whitewater Rafting

Biking

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