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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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New 100-site campground opens at popular West Virginia mountain destination

The Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park is one of West Virginia's most recognizable tourism landmarks, photographed and shared around the world for decades. The state's new tourism secretary says West Virginia's next challenge is turning growing national attention into repeat visits and economic opportunity.

Travel / Transportation

West Virginia has been discovered; new tourism chief says what comes next

David Sibray September 21, 2026

The September equinox marks the astronomical beginning of autumn, though seasonal change is already underway across West Virginia. (Photo courtesy Michael and Diane Weidner)

Travel / Transportation

Fall has already begun in West Virginia. On Tuesday, it begins again

An artist’s interpretation of the “Panther Killer” legend associated with Ephraim “Big Eaf” Hatfield, father of William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield. A 1952 Logan County history related a tradition that Hatfield killed a panther with a hunting knife near present-day Red Jacket, West Virginia. Contemporary evidence establishing the episode as fact has not been found.

History / Prehistory

Before Devil Anse Hatfield, there was a giant

The New River Gorge Bridge spans New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in southern West Virginia, which recorded nearly 2 million recreation visits in 2025. (NPS photo/Gary Hartley)

National Parks

New River Gorge ranks among 20 most-visited national parks in North America

Latest West Virginia News

Rafters descend the Gauley River in West Virginia, one of the world’s celebrated whitewater runs. A form of the river’s unusual name appears in records dating to at least 1774, though its origin remains uncertain. (Photo courtesy ACE Adventure Resort)

Lore and Legend

How did West Virginia’s Gauley River get its unusual name?

September 19, 2026

Mourners gather for the 1929 funeral of Levicy Chafin Hatfield in Logan County, West Virginia. Funerals were once deeply communal events in the Mountain State, with relatives and neighbors assuming many of the duties later performed by funeral homes. (West Virginia & Regional History Center, WVU Libraries)

History / Prehistory

Before funeral homes, burying the dead in West Virginia was a community undertaking

September 19, 2026

Snow and ice coat the high-elevation spruce forest at Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia. Winter conditions can arrive in the Allegheny Mountains while lower elevations remain snow-free. (Photo courtesy Rick Burgess)

National Forests

Winter comes early to West Virginia’s highest mountains as forest sites begin closing

September 18, 2026

The Mingo Oak towers above the surrounding forest in Mingo County shortly before it was felled in September 1938. More than 2,000 people gathered to watch lumbermen bring down the centuries-old white oak after it had died.

Botany and Forestry

More than 2,000 gathered to watch one of West Virginia’s greatest trees fall

September 17, 2026

Civil War soldiers are depicted as apparitions near the observation tower at Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park, where stories of soldiers, cannon fire and other unexplained encounters have circulated for generations. The Pocahontas County battlefield has been added to the West Virginia Paranormal Trail for 2026. (WVExplorer illustration)

Lore and Legend

West Virginia Civil War battlefield known for ghost stories joins paranormal trail

September 17, 2026

A child climbs a tree while exploring the woods. Outdoor educator Levi Moore says adults can help children develop a lasting connection with nature by giving them opportunities to explore, play and discover outdoors.

Hiking

Want your children to spend more time outdoors? Start with yourself, educator says

September 16, 2026

Communities

Students gather outside Hogan Hall on the WVU Tech campus in Beckley, West Virginia. A new scholarship program will cover remaining tuition, housing and meal costs for qualifying students from 13 southern West Virginia counties. (Courtesy WVU Tech)

New WVU Tech scholarship targets talented students across southern West Virginia

Clyde Craig September 15, 2026

BECKLEY, W.Va. — A new scholarship program at West Virginia University Institute of Technology will cover remaining tuition, housing, and meal costs for high-achieving students from 13 southern West Virginia counties, potentially making a four-year education possible for students who might

Snow covers a street in Davis, West Virginia, the state’s highest incorporated community. At an elevation of about 3,100 feet in the Allegheny Mountains, Davis experiences cooler summers, earlier autumns, colder winters, and later springs than many lower-elevation communities.

These are West Virginia’s 10 highest communities, from cool summers to snowy winters

David Sibray September 15, 2026

DAVIS, W.Va. — In West Virginia, traveling uphill can sometimes feel like traveling north. The state’s 10 highest incorporated communities all stand more than 2,400 feet above sea level, high enough that elevation can help shape not only

Panoramic view of New River Gorge from Grandview Overlook in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia.

West Virginia ranked America’s No. 2 most naturally beautiful state — here’s why

September 15, 2026

West Virginia students take part in a hands-on technology activity. A new $2.6 million initiative is expected to bring similar problem-solving and entrepreneurship programs to 15,000 middle- and high-school students statewide over three years. (WVU Photo/Canyon Lohnas)

West Virginia initiative aims to teach 15,000 students how to turn ideas into businesses

September 14, 2026

Students walk past historic Woodburn Hall on the West Virginia University campus in Morgantown. WVU has launched a program that allows qualifying high school seniors in Kanawha and Monongalia counties to be admitted without completing a traditional application.

WVU will automatically admit some high school seniors in two West Virginia counties

September 13, 2026

Historic buildings line the railroad at Thurmond in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. A proposed New River Gorge Artisan Corridor would seek to connect preservation and adaptive reuse here with arts, workforce development, recreation and economic opportunities in communities from Hinton to Montgomery. (Photo David Sibray)

New plan imagines a different future for communities of the New River Gorge

September 12, 2026

Attractions

Steps descend inside the stone enclosure of the historic Janutolo Well in Fayetteville, West Virginia. The water source dates to the Civil War era, while the surrounding stonework was added in the early 20th century. (WVExplorer.com photo)

Civil War-era stone well hides in plain sight in this West Virginia tourist town

Clyde Craig September 16, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Thousands of visitors pass through this New River Gorge town every year, but most don’t notice one of its most unusual features—a stone well dating to the Civil War. Known as the Janutolo Well, it

A steam-powered excursion train travels through the mountains at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. A new 100-site campground has opened at the popular railroad and outdoor recreation destination.

New 100-site campground opens at popular West Virginia mountain destination

David Sibray September 15, 2026

CASS, W.Va. — A new 100-site campground has opened at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, adding a major new place to stay near the Greenbrier River and one of West Virginia’s best-known recreational trails. Slabtown Campground offers tent and

A hiker follows the boardwalk beneath the Alum Cave rock overhang along the Middle Fork River at Audra State Park. The photograph won the outdoor recreation category. (Photo by Stasha Ray)

Family gives 47 acres to expand scenic West Virginia state park

September 11, 2026

Historic buildings line the railroad at Thurmond, a former Chesapeake & Ohio Railway boomtown now largely preserved within New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The town is challenging National Park Service plans to demolish several historic structures.

Historic town inside national park prepares legal fight to stop demolitions

September 5, 2026

The Big Moses gas well erupts along Indian Creek in Tyler County, West Virginia, during the region’s oil and gas boom of the 1890s. Drilled in search of oil in 1894, the well instead struck an enormous flow of natural gas that repeatedly resisted efforts to bring it under control.

In 1895, lightning struck a massive West Virginia gas well, which then blew out its own fire

September 4, 2026

A young forager gathers wild berries. Foraging for edible plants is the focus of Nature Wonder Weekend, a West Virginia tradition held at North Bend State Park since 1968. (Getty image)

For nearly 60 years, West Virginians have gathered in this park to eat from the wild

September 2, 2026

Recreation

Chefs from 10 West Virginia state parks are preparing dishes including rabbit pot pie, venison chili, shredded duck tacos, burgoo and other foods for National Hunting and Fishing Day at Stonewall Resort State Park.

Rabbit pot pie, venison chili, duck tacos on menu at West Virginia outdoor celebration

David Sibray September 16, 2026

ROANOKE, W.Va. — Rabbit pot pie, venison chili, shredded duck tacos, and burgoo are among the dishes West Virginia state park cooks will bring to Stonewall Resort State Park near Weston Saturday for a celebration of the state’s hunting, fishing,

Mountain bikers ride a wooded trail in Beckley, West Virginia, where an expanding trail network is part of an effort to develop the city as an outdoor recreation destination.

West Virginia city eyes 40-mile trail network near New River Gorge

David Sibray September 10, 2026

BECKLEY, W.Va. — A West Virginia city near the nation’s newest national park is developing a recreational trail system that could grow to more than 40 miles as part of an effort to transform it from a transportation

A young shooter receives guidance while handling a firearm. West Virginia has eliminated the minimum age for its special youth hunting seasons, although hunters younger than 15 must still be accompanied by a licensed adult. Photo credit: Remy Gieling

West Virginia eliminates minimum age for youth hunting seasons

Will Reedy September 10, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia no longer requires children to be at least eight years old to participate in the state’s special youth hunting seasons, a change taking on new relevance as the first youth black bear season

Wesley Scarbrough helps his brother-in-law, Justin, fire a gun while squirrel hunting near Rock Creek, West Virginia, in 1995. The photograph by Lyntha Scott Eiler is part of the Library of Congress Coal River Folklife Project.

Long a West Virginia rite of passage, squirrel hunting returns Saturday

September 10, 2026

Tyler Harmon holds the 72.75-pound blue catfish he caught in the Ohio River in Jackson County as a West Virginia Division of Natural Resources official assists with the record certification. The fish set a new state weight record and was released alive. (WVDNR photo)

West Virginia brought back a giant native fish that now keeps breaking records

September 4, 2026

A bicycle rests beside the Meadow River along the Meadow River Rail Trail, an 18-mile route between Rainelle and Nallen in southern West Virginia. (Photo courtesy Meadow River Rail Trail)

New 18-mile trail is revealing a hidden West Virginia river valley

September 4, 2026

Rafters charge through whitewater on the Gauley River during Gauley Season in West Virginia. The six-week fall season draws thousands of whitewater enthusiasts to the river each year. (NPS photo)

Six weeks of legendary whitewater are about to begin on the Gauley in West Virginia

August 26, 2026

A couple walks a wooded trail at Pipestem Resort State Park, where the West Virginia Trails Conference will be held Nov. 8–10, 2026.

West Virginia trails conference looks to turn outdoor recreation into community growth

August 24, 2026

Morgantown angler Robert Glover holds the 9.76-inch pumpkinseed sunfish he caught at Cheat Lake, setting the West Virginia record for a category that has now been broken three times in little more than a month. (Photo courtesy W.Va. DNR)

West Virginia fishing record broken for third time in little more than a month

August 21, 2026

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.

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

August 18, 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.

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

August 17, 2026

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

August 3, 2026

Culture

Black bears are featured in the 2027 West Virginia Wildlife Calendar in a painting by West Virginia wildlife artist Misty Murray-Walkup. The annual calendar features original artwork depicting wildlife native to the Mountain State. (WVDNR image)

Bears, bats and a comeback species star in West Virginia’s 2027 wildlife calendar

Will Reedy September 16, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Black bears, brown bats, flying squirrels and a forest predator once eradicated from West Virginia are among the animals featured in the state’s 2027 wildlife calendar. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has released its

Gary Morefield cleans the grave marker of Clarkson Prince in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Morefield joined an effort to clean and document the historic cemetery and the graves of families who settled the area.

These Appalachian pioneers came from wealth and privilege

David Sibray September 13, 2026

BEAVER, W.Va. — Gary Morefield was cleaning an old gravestone in a small cemetery in an Appalachian valley when he reflected on what such places can reveal. “Cemeteries are like libraries,” he said. “You can learn the history

Pipestem Resort State Park’s aerial tramway descends into the Bluestone River Gorge amid autumn color. The park will host its first Oktoberfest Oct. 16–18, when fall foliage in the gorge typically approaches its seasonal peak. (Photo courtesy Perry Bennett Photography)

First Oktoberfest coming to West Virginia gorge as fall color peaks

David Sibray September 11, 2026

PIPESTEM, W.Va. — A West Virginia mountain resort overlooking a federally protected river gorge will host its first Oktoberfest in October, when fall color typically peaks along the Bluestone River. Pipestem Resort State Park has scheduled its inaugural Oktoberfest

The Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center in downtown Clarksburg will host the Mtn Craft Film Festival Oct. 2–4, featuring 39 short films from across Appalachia. Admission to this year’s festival is free.

Lore and Legend

An artist’s interpretation of the legend of Crock Face, an Indigenous warrior said to have disguised himself as a scarecrow while waiting near the home of an early settler in what is now Harrison County, West Virginia.

Real Estate

The 80-foot Red Oak Fire Lookout in the Monongahela National Forest is now available for overnight stays in Webster County, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy U.S. Forest Service)

History and Prehistory

Employees of the Kanawha & Michigan Railway pose with Engine No. 547 in southern West Virginia in 1909, 18 years after the railroad's deadly Fourth of July wreck near Dunbar. (Photo courtesy West Virginia & Regional History Center, WVU Libraries)

State Parks

The night sky stretches above the observation tower at Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park in Pocahontas County. The photograph won the summer beauty category in the West Virginia State Parks Foundation's spring and summer photo contest. (Photo by Leslie Carpenter)

Hunting

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.

Fishing

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.

Hiking

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

Skiing

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

National Parks

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.

Kayaking

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

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

Travel / Transportation