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West Virginia Explorer

WVExplorer delivers the latest West Virginia news and original reporting on communities, travel, culture, history, recreation, and life across the Mountain State. View our West Virginia Travel Guide!

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Women accused the head of West Virginia’s famous asylum. Then came a mysterious train trip, controversial verdict

Students train at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry in Morgantown. WVU operates the state's only dental school and says more than 85% of dentists practicing in West Virginia are graduates of the school. (WVU Photo)

Health and Medicine

West Virginia’s only dental school expands as state faces shortage of dentists

David Sibray August 19, 2026

Autumn color brightens a morning near Cabins in Grant County, West Virginia, as fall foliage spreads across the Potomac Highlands.

Travel / Transportation

West Virginia releases 2026 fall foliage map as autumn countdown begins

The New River winds through a landscape where railroads, communities, industrial history and outdoor recreation remain intertwined inside New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

National Parks

National Park Week starts Saturday: Why West Virginia’s New River Gorge is different

A sequence shows the moon passing through Earth's shadow during a lunar eclipse. West Virginians will see an unusually deep partial lunar eclipse overnight Aug. 27–28, 2026. Photo courtesy Steve Bush

Travel / Transportation

Nearly all the moon will go dark over West Virginia next week

Latest West Virginia News

Participants learn outdoor skills during a Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop in West Virginia. The nationally recognized program introduces women to hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities in a supportive setting.

Hunting

More women are taking up hunting and fishing; these West Virginia workshops may be helping

August 18, 2026

A surviving version of West Virginia Explorer from Aug. 18, 2000, shows the website helping readers explore the Mountain State months before Wikipedia launched in January 2001.

Travel / Transportation

Before Wikipedia, this website was helping people explore West Virginia

August 17, 2026

Visitors descend into Organ Cave in Greenbrier County, one of the many West Virginia caverns around which generations of history, tradition and folklore have accumulated. Photographer to be determined.

Caving

West Virginia cave lore—strange stories from beneath the Mountain State

August 17, 2026

A debris slide blocks a road in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve following torrential rainfall Sunday. Flooding, washouts and fallen trees closed several roads and recreation access points across the park. (NPS photo)

National Parks

Flash flooding closes roads across New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia

August 16, 2026

Professional staff members of the West Virginia Hospital for the Insane in Weston pose outside the institution circa 1894–1900. Dr. Lorilla F. Bullard, who testified during the 1899 investigation of Superintendent W.E. Stathers, is standing at front left. The historic photograph has been digitally enhanced for clarity to improve accessibility for readers with limited vision. (West Virginia and Regional History Center, WVU Libraries)

Health and Medicine

Women accused the head of West Virginia’s famous asylum. Then came a mysterious train trip, controversial verdict

August 16, 2026

The Greenbrier rises above the grounds at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., in this historic photograph. The resort traces its origins to 1778 and has played roles in American history ranging from the Civil War to World War II and the Cold War. (Courtesy West Virginia & Regional History Center, WVU Libraries)

History / Prehistory

The Greenbrier is back in the national news. Here are five remarkable facts from its 248-year history

August 14, 2026

Communities

Fall color spreads across the high country at Dolly Sods in West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, where autumn typically arrives weeks before it reaches the state's lower valleys. (Photo: ForestWander/CC BY-SA 3.0)

West Virginia Fall Foliage 2026—when and where colors will peak

Bianca Bosworth August 13, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s 2026 fall foliage season should begin in the highest Allegheny Mountains in late September, spread through much of the state during October, and linger into late October or early November in some of

A massive plume of black smoke rises from the Peoples Cartage warehouse fire in Parkersburg on July 5, 2026. The fire prompted extensive environmental testing of water, soil and agricultural products in the surrounding area. (Photo by Dan Fauxsmith/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Contaminants found after massive Parkersburg warehouse fire, but below federal action levels

Clyde Craig August 12, 2026

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Environmental testing following the massive July warehouse fire in Parkersburg has detected low concentrations of contaminants in some soil, produce, vegetation and honey samples, although state officials say results received so far have not reached

Online gambling allows people to place sports and casino wagers from their phones, giving West Virginia researchers an opportunity to study what happens immediately after a person loses a bet.

Why people keep gambling after they lose: West Virginia researchers are watching it happen

August 12, 2026

The north end of Thurmond, West Virginia, is shown during the railroad town’s heyday, when homes climbed the steep hillside above the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and New River. Many of the surviving structures are now part of the Thurmond Historic District. (National Park Service photo, colorized)

Thurmond moves toward federal lawsuit to halt demolition of historic buildings

August 12, 2026

Nemacolin in southwestern Pennsylvania is hosting a record 21 West Virginia University interns this summer, giving students experience across the luxury resort’s hospitality, recreation, entertainment and wildlife operations.

Record number of WVU students get behind-the-scenes look at Nemacolin luxury resort

August 9, 2026

Paddlers make their way down the Greenbrier River in southeastern West Virginia, where cool mountain water, forested shorelines and higher elevations have long provided an escape from the summer heat. (Photo courtesy Kirstin Cole)

‘Coolcations’ are surging as travelers escape the heat. West Virginia’s Greenbrier Valley is ready

August 8, 2026

Attractions

Bear Lake is one of several small fishing lakes at Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Ohio County, West Virginia. Fishing access is temporarily closing while the state modifies two dams at the property. (Photo by Brian M. Powell/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Fishing closes at Bear Rock Lakes WMA as $1.5 million dam project begins

Will Reedy August 13, 2026

VALLEY GROVE, W.Va. — Fishing access at Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area near Wheeling will temporarily close as the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources begins modifications to two dams at the popular Ohio County fishing area. The work aims

Visitors stroll through the recreated 19th-century village at Heritage Farm Museum and Village near Huntington, West Virginia, the state's only Smithsonian Institution Affiliate. The 150-acre destination combines Appalachian history, artisan demonstrations, wildlife and outdoor adventure.

Heritage Farm, West Virginia’s only Smithsonian affiliate, belongs on every Ohio Valley road trip

Amanda Larch Hinchman August 2, 2026

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Few travelers expect to find West Virginia’s only Smithsonian Institution affiliate tucked into the hills outside of one of its largest cities. Yet Heritage Farm Museum and Village has become one of Appalachia’s most distinctive

Cyclists ride the Rend Trail, one of the easiest and most scenic routes through New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The historic former railroad corridor is scheduled to reopen in 2027 following an $11.8 million rehabilitation project.

One of New River Gorge’s easiest trails is closing for two years—but it will return better than ever

July 31, 2026

Conceptual rendering: The historic Prince Brothers General Store restored as a welcoming destination for visitors, offering local foods, outdoor gear, and Appalachian products while serving as a gateway to the New River Gorge.

Instead of demolishing New River Gorge history, a new plan would put it back to work

July 31, 2026

Mountain Creek Lodge glows in the evening at the bottom of West Virginia's Bluestone Gorge, where the new Mountain Creek Appalachian Cuisine restaurant welcomes diners arriving by Pipestem Resort State Park's iconic aerial tram.

This W.Va. restaurant can only be reached by descending by tram into a mountain gorge

July 30, 2026

A drone view captures Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park in the Ohio River near Parkersburg, where the reconstructed Blennerhassett Mansion stands amid mature trees. Once the estate of Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett, the island became the setting for Aaron Burr's mysterious western expedition and today is one of West Virginia's most distinctive historic destinations.

After killing Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr ventured to this legendary island in W.Va.

July 23, 2026

Recreation

Filmmaker Emma Crow-Willard pauses beside a mountain stream while hiking West Virginia's 320-mile Allegheny Trail. Her month-long journey combines backpacking with interviews exploring the changing economies of communities along the route.

Most hikers have never heard of the Allegheny Trail. One filmmaker set out to discover why

David Sibray August 3, 2026

DURBIN, W.Va. — Millions of Americans know the Appalachian Trail as one of the nation’s premier hiking destinations. Far fewer realize that another long-distance footpath crosses West Virginia’s mountains, winding through forests, rivers, and remote communities before joining

West Virginia anglers Ken Neer (left) and Sierra Adamson each caught state-record pumpkinseed sunfish in summer 2026. Adamson's catch surpassed Neer's record just 19 days after it established the species' first official place in the state's record books.

West Virginia’s new state fishing record lasted 19 days before another angler broke it

Will Reedy July 30, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It took West Virginia anglers more than a year to establish the state’s first official pumpkinseed sunfish record, and it took less than three weeks to break it. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has

Two cyclists bike the West Fork Rail Trail near Durbin in the Monongahela National Forest.

Expedia will help two West Virginia towns build new trails into the Monongahela National Forest

Clyde Craig July 30, 2026

ELKINS, W.Va. — Visitors to two small mountain towns in eastern West Virginia will soon find it easier to step from historic downtown streets into one of the largest public forests in the eastern United States. The Mon

Kayakers paddle around Big Rock on the lower Greenbrier River near Hinton, West Virginia.

Big Rock: A Greenbrier River landmark where the Civil War didn’t end

July 17, 2026

A white-tailed doe pauses in a West Virginia forest. The state's controlled antlerless lottery hunts are designed to manage deer populations while protecting forests and wildlife habitat.

Hunters can apply for rare deer hunts in West Virginia state parks

July 16, 2026

Hikers enjoy panoramic views from North Fork Mountain Trail, where miles of exposed ridgeline overlook the South Branch Valley in eastern West Virginia.

10 best hiking trails in West Virginia for scenic views and adventure

July 15, 2026

An American woodcock pauses on the forest floor during its annual migration through Appalachia. The secretive bird depends on young forests and moist woodlands that provide shelter and abundant earthworms as it travels between its northern breeding grounds and southern wintering habitat.

As autumn migration approaches, West Virginia sets seasons for dove, rail, woodcock

July 14, 2026

An instructor guides educators through the Lower New River Gorge, where whitewater rafting offers hands-on lessons in geology, hydrology and teamwork. (Courtesy of ACE Adventure Resort)

West Virginia teachers invited to discover the New River Gorge as an outdoor classroom

July 8, 2026

West Virginia has stocked more than 50 lakes and ponds with channel catfish for the summer, giving visitors and residents fresh opportunities to fish at state parks and public waters across the Mountain State. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)

West Virginia stocks more than 50 ponds and lakes with catfish for summer fishing season

July 6, 2026

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

June 29, 2026

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

June 26, 2026

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

June 25, 2026

Culture

The Céloron lead plate buried at present-day Point Pleasant in 1749 asserted France's claim to the Ohio Valley amid a territorial struggle that would help ignite the French and Indian War and the global Seven Years' War.

The strange lead plate buried in West Virginia that helped start a world war

David Sibray August 12, 2026

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — On Aug. 18, 1749, French soldiers stopped at the mouth of the Kanawha River in present-day Point Pleasant and buried a lead plate beneath an elm tree—a declaration of ownership in a territorial struggle

The ruins of William “Coin” Harvey’s Monte Ne resort stand along the shore of Beaver Lake in Arkansas, remnants of the ambitious community he developed in the Ozarks in the early 20th century.

The West Virginian who ran for president—and built a pyramid for the end of civilization

David Sibray August 11, 2026

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — One hundred seventy-five years ago this week, a boy was born along the Kanawha River in Putnam County who would become a bestselling author, a nationally known economic crusader, a presidential candidate, and, eventually, the

Former West Virginia Gov. William Wallace Barron became the central figure in one of the state’s most extraordinary political scandals after his 1968 acquittal on federal conspiracy charges was followed by revelations that the jury foreman had been bribed. The illustration combines archival images of Barron with imagery recalling the federal trial in Charleston.

The West Virginia governor who was acquitted—then admitted the jury had been bribed

David Sibray August 10, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Fifty-eight years ago this week, one of the most extraordinary political corruption cases in West Virginia history began in a federal courtroom in Charleston, where a former governor and five other men stood accused in

The midway comes alive after dark at the State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg, where carnival rides, games, food vendors and crowds have long been part of one of the state’s most enduring summer traditions. (Photo courtesy Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau)

Lore and Legend

A secluded road near present-day Countsville recalls the isolated Roane-Jackson border country, where a series of murders and acts of vigilante violence unfolded in 1877.

Real Estate

An aerial view of the historic Pence Springs Hotel in Summers County, W.Va., shows the former mineral springs resort surrounded by the forests and rolling hills that made it one of Appalachia's best-known mountain retreats. The 138-acre property is now being offered for sale through Foxfire Realty.

History and Prehistory

Illustration depicting West Virginia senators secretly leaving Charleston in 1911 to deny a quorum and prevent the Legislature from electing two U.S. senators, creating one of the state's most dramatic political crises.

State Parks

Hunting

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

Fishing

Hiking

Skiing

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

National Parks

A family enjoys a quiet moment overlooking the New River Gorge Bridge. Many first-time visitors underestimate the size of the national park region and end up wishing they had planned a longer stay, local tourism officials say. (Photo: David Sibray)

Kayaking

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.

Whitewater Rafting

Biking

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)

More West Virginia News

Health and Medicine