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Where Can I See Coke Ovens in West Virginia?

Monday, February 6th, 2012

A normal WV winter (cold, snowy) has been conspicuously absent  so far this season.  That means you have even more time to explore in the New River Gorge.

Row of Coke Ovens at Nuttallburg

Unlike summer hiking, when lush vegetation obscures a lot of the history and character of the area, winter hiking exposes a world that is secretly hidden most of the year. Old stone retaining walls, building foundations, chimneys, and coke ovens, relics from southern West Virginia’s industrial past, all still exist in the Gorge.  Winter is the best time to see them.

We are going to let you in on a few of the better spots to check out the coke ovens that are still standing in the gorge area. Maybe the next mild winter day you have you can go see a piece of this areas coal mining history.

Coke Ovens
Coal used in the steel making process is in the form of coke. Coke is coal with all of its impurities removed; this process requires baking the coal in an airless furnace or oven. The resulting product is mostly pure carbon and burns very hot and is virtually smokeless.

 

Much of the coal mined in the Gorge was of the quality to produce coke.  Since the impurities comprise much of the weight of the product, it was cheaper to bake them out before shipping the coal to steel foundries. This means there were hundreds of coke ovens in the Gorge at one point.

Still Standing

There are a of couple areas in the Gorge where you can see coke ovens:

* Nuttallburg- This is one of the easiest sets to get to (although road is narrow and windy – the hike to see the ovens is easy to moderate).  From Winona, drive down County Route 85/2 until it ends.   A short hike from the end of the road downstream into the town of Nuttallburg will lead you to the coke ovens and many other structures that are part of the National Park Service restoration of the old town.

* Kaymoor- These ovens are located at the bottom of the old shuttle car tracks that have been converted into stairs. This hike is steep and fairly difficult; there are 821 steps to get to the bottom. The parking area is off County Route 9 on county route 9/2. The trail leads from the parking area down to the old mine portals, which is where the stairs begin. The ovens are just upstream from the bottom of the stairs.

* Red Ash and Rush Run- The ovens that were located in these two towns are situated along the Southside Trail going from Thurmond to Cunard.  You can access this trail at either Thurmond or Cunard; it’s great for both hiking and biking. The trail is 7 miles one way, so plan accordingly.  The coke ovens are located very close to the trail but you have to watch for them or you may stroll right by. Thurmond is on County Route 25 out of Glen Jean and Cunard can be accessed by taking County Route 9 out of Fayetteville and following the signs to Cunard.

These are just a few of the ovens that are still standing in the Gorge. Along with the ovens, these areas also have many other visible structures from coal mining of the past. If you plan on taking one of these trips before the leaves start budding, take your time and see what other pieces of history you can locate while you explore. Just remember to take your camera as taking anything more than a picture in these areas is against the law.

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The Spirits of WV

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

You’ll find plenty of West Virginia ghost stories in these parts, but the latest bunch of spirits around here are of a different kind. These spirits are of the bottled nature and are beginning to tell a tale all their own.

Appalachia is rich with tales of mountain men making their own alcohol. Pictures of mountain men often show a jug somewhere close by. Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew and hooch are all monikers for homemade alcohol.

Today, WV has quite a few businesses devoted to producing (legal) alcoholic beverages.  Here’s a look at some of the southern West Virginia wineries, breweries, and distilleries you can visit on your next trip to our neck of the woods.

Wine

Kirkwood Winery planted its first grapes in 1984, and not too long after became southern WV’s first winery. Located in Nicholas County, Kirkwood produces a variety of different wines that include flavors like blackberry, apple, plum,

The Vines at Watts Roost Vineyard

rhubarb, and even ginseng. Kirkwood Winery is also the home to the  “Grape Stomping Festival” held annually the third weekend of September.

 

Daniel Vineyards in Raleigh County is a must-see stop on your southern WV Spirits Tour.  This winery was opened in 1990 and has become a great place for not only wine, but for events, parties, and weddings. Stop in at Daniel’s beautiful tasting room, which overlooks the vineyard.  Their wines can be found in many places around southern WV, including nearby Tamarack.

Watts Roost Vineyard, southern WV’s youngest winery established in 1998, grows their grapes and bottles their wine in Greenbrier County.  The vines flourish at the foot of Muddy Creek Mountain near Lewisburg where you will find 9000 plants on 9 acres.  The tasting room at Watts Roost is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 1-6pm or by appointment.  Wines are also available at retail outlets in West Virginia.

 

Distilleries

The folks at the Kirkwood Winery decided a few years back that maybe wine wasn’t all they could produce on their little farm in Summersville. They formed the Isaiah Morgan Distillery in 2002 and started producing small batches of rye and corn whiskey for sale at state licensed retailers. Their products harken back to the whiskey that was produced in a different era.

A bit newer to the scene is Smooth Ambler Spirits, located in Greenbrier County. This small batch distillery got its start in 2009 and produces not only white whiskey and bourbon, but vodka and gin as well. Smooth Ambler’s location allows it to take advantage of excellent mountain water. This distillery is helping keep a WV tradition alive and well.

Beer

The newest offering for southern WV imbibers comes in the form of craft brewed beer from Bridge Brew Works, a small Microbrewery between Fayetteville and Oak Hill. In just a little over 2 years, Bridge Brew Works already has a great following and an expanding distribution area. Their signature beers, Long Point Lager and Bridge Brew Ale, are available throughout southern West Virginia.  Bridge Brew Works also creates special and seasonal beers.  In fact, Beer Advocate recently gave glowing reviews to their Dubbel and Tripel beers.

What’s your favorite southern West Virginia spirit?

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Spotlight on Bramwell

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

With the town folk of Bramwell opening up their exquisite historic homes for a Holiday Tour this Saturday (December 10, 2011), a closer look at this former coal community seems in order.

Main Street in Bramwell

Founded in 1888 and officially a historic town since 1983, Bramwell, WV still exhibits a lot of the flair that millionaire coal barons brought to it over a century ago. In the early 1900′s, Bramwell was home to 14 millionaires.  In fact, in the late 1800′s, Bramwell had the largest number of millionaires per capita of any town in the United States.  Their historic homes are open for tours at certain times of year, specifically spring and Christmas.

Coal is a dominant industry in WV, and how much it influenced the WV economy through the years is evident in Bramwell.

Location

Bramwell is  in Mercer County, right on the Bluestone River, approximately 8 miles north of Bluefield. It is on the edge of 40 miles of the Pocahontas Coal reserves, which was some of the best and most productive coal in the state. The Bluestone River actually makes a huge horseshoe shaped bend around town.  In fact, Horse Shoe Bend was the first name of this community.

History

The town’s namesake is J.H. Bramwell, a civil engineer from New York.  He was Bramwell’s first postmaster and first bank president. He saw opportunity in the coalfields and became a very successful real estate developer.

And so Bramwell developed from the growth of the coal industry. Today Bramwell has fewer than 500 residents; in the early 1900′s, the town and surrounding areas had over 100,000 residents.

Bramwell is well-known for the Victorian style homes that were built by its affluent residents.  These homes were state of the art for their time and historically revered today.

Today

Today, Bramwell still embraces its historical past, hosting events to showcase the town’s history and beauty. The Millionaire Garden Club is responsible for many of these events.

Historic Home in Bramwell, WV

In addition to the Christmas Home Tour, Bramwell hosts an Oktoberfest event.  It’s been a popular festival for over 15 years; brewers and beer enthusiasts from all over the East Coast descend upon Bramwell for the event. Bramwell homeowners also open their homes for tours in the spring every year.

Bramwell has also seen an increase in visitation as the Hatfield and McCoy ATV Trail System has a trailhead 2 miles outside of town.

Have you visited Bramwell?

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“WV Spirits” – Smooth Ambler

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Smooth Ambler

As much as rifles and hunting are a part of WV heritage, so are spirits, (and we don’t mean ghosts).

Look at any depiction of a mountain man, and you will probably see a jug somewhere in the picture

"Barrels of Fun"

that represented their preferred drink.  Shine, moonshine, white lightening, mountain dew and branch water are just some of the names used to describe that illegally distilled spirit, white whiskey.

Smooth Ambler Spirits, located in Greenbrier County, is committed to continuing the WV tradition of handcrafted, small batch production of white whiskey.
Whiskey 101

Smooth Ambler produces three distinctly different spirits: Vodka, Gin and White Whiskey. Even  though these spirits are all different, they are derived pretty much the same way; by distilling a fermented product. Smooth Ambler understands that in order to make a great spirit you need exceptional grains and exceptional water. The rest is the work of the craftsman.

The location of Smooth Ambler is essential to part of the process. The mountains of West Virginia are the source of some of the purest water anywhere in the US. Smooth Ambler has a distinct advantage of having great water within minutes of its operation.

White Whiskey

Smooth Ambler’s dedication to the WV tradition of White Whiskey may be a bit “corn-fusing” to some, so let’s elaborate a bit.

All whiskey is white when it is first distilled. The mash is made from corn, and when the process is

The Smooth Ambler "Still"

finished you are left with a completely clear liquid. What gives whiskey its caramel color and a lot of its distinct flavor is the process of aging it in oak barrels that have had the insides charred.  The taste and smoothness associated with many whiskeys is due to the length of time it spends in the barrels.

Since Smooth Amblers whiskey doesn’t include the oak barrel process, it has to rely on great water, grain and knowledge to produce a smooth, drinkable spirit. Just like the spirits that have been made here in the mountains of WV for many, many, years.

Small Batch Excellence

A good rule of thumb is that anytime you have the choice of something handcrafted or mass produced, odds are better that the handcrafted product will be the better choice.

Each bottle produced at Smooth Ambler gets a handwritten batch and bottle number, and the company tells you who inspected that bottle before it was allowed to go out the door. It’s a great way to feel connected to the people who made your bottle of Smooth Ambler.

Today, you can visit Smooth Ambler for tours and tastings.  Have you been?

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The myth, the man, the legend – John Henry

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

Great Bend Tunnel

There’s plenty of history and folklore to discover here in southern West Virginia. One of those stories involves a man, a machine and a legacy left behind. It’s the story of John Henry.

The Story

It is told that John Henry, a former slave, worked for the C&O railroad driving steel, a job required when blasting rock. Between 1868 and 1870, the C&O railroad was building rail lines in southern WV when it had to tunnel through Big Bend Mountain near Talcott.

As the legend goes, John Henry was the best steel driver the railroad had and could drill through more rock than anyone. When they were part of the way through the mountain, C&O purchased a steam-powered drill for the job. The men were upset that they may be replaced by a machine, so they issued a challenge and pitted John Henry against this drill to see who could handle the job best.

John nearly doubled the amount of rock that the steam drill produced.  Legend is that John died right after it was announced he won.

The Site

Located 10 miles east of Hinton on Rt. 3, the statue commemorating John Henry sits on the hill just over top the Great Bend Tunnel opening. The Great Bend Tunnel is no longer in use, as C&O built the Big Bend Tunnel right beside it in 1932. There are future plans to move the statue to a proposed park closer to Talcott.

The Statue

In 1972, on the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Great Bend Tunnel, a statue of John

The Statue of John Henry

Henry was erected at the top of the tunnel near Talcott.

The statue has proven to be as tough as the man himself, surviving numerous gun shots, baseball bat blows and a trip or two down the road. The town now celebrates John Henry Days, a festival in his name, the second weekend in July. The statue itself is over 750 pounds of bronze and was sculpted in Michigan by Charles O. Cooper.

This is just one of many interesting stories in WV history.

What southern West Virginia legend is your favorite?

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Anything and Everything Halloween in Southern WV

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

This Halloween season, are you hoping to put a little bit of fright into your nights?  Do you get a kick out of haunted trails?  Or are you intrigued by paranormal historic haunts?

Authentic Haunted History @ Whipple Company Store

Well, no matter your preference, you’re in luck.  That’s because here in southern West Virginia, there are all kinds of ways to get your scare on.  From haunted trails to ghost walks, a haunted catwalk tour to hayrides, you won’t be disappointed in any of these spooky events.

So let’s get started, because the spirits are restless and the ghosts are calling your name…

Haunted Happenings in southern WV . . .

Lewisburg Ghost Tours– Friday and Saturdays through October 29th

Enjoy a candlelit walking tour of Lewisburg Historic District where ghostly tales are shared based on local legend. Tours stops include the historic General Lewis Inn and the Lewisburg Cemetery, dating back to the 1800’s.  Tours depart from the General Lewis Inn at 8pm.  Tickets are $20, Children under 7 are free.

Bramwell Ghost Tour October 22nd

In this historic boom town, spirits return from their wanderings to tell their own tale to onlookers. Ghosts include coal barons, coal miners and children whose apparitions are still seen today.  Spirits will start to gather at 5pm at the Bramwell Depot and along Main Street.  There will be live music and food at the Bramwell Café.  Ghost Walk begins at 7pm. Tickets are $15.

MSU’s Forensic Investigation Assoc Haunted House October 12 – 31st

MSU’s Crime Scene House will be taken over for Halloween.  Located on South Kanawha Street in Beckley the Haunted house will be open October 12 – 31st (closed Sundays).  Times:  Mon-Wed 7-11pm, Thurs – Sat and Halloween 7 to Midnight.  Cost is Mon-Wed $8 and Thurs – Sat and Halloween  $10.

Lake Shawnee Haunted Amusement Park October  14, 15, 21-31st.

Tours begin at dusk.  This location is on the Travel Channel’s Most Terrifying Places in America list.  Digital cameras and audio recorders welcome.  FLASHLIGHT NEEDED! Cost is $8 for adult and $5 for children.  Private tours available year round. Overnight camping for private groups available.  Form more information call 304-487-1819 or 304-921-1580.

Haunted ‘Catwalk’ of the New River Gorge Bridge October 16, 21, 22, 23, 28-31

Who knows what lurks in the Bridge’s shadows and below? The Haunted Walk is a guided tour on the catwalk of the New River Gorge Bridge with ‘scaraters,’ props and ‘rigatronics’ designed to intentionally scare the walkers.  Shrill shrieks, screams and groans await you – this is NOT for the faint-of-heart.  Dress warm but dress up! Cost is $49 but for those who come “dressed for the occasion’ will pay half price! $24.50.  Tours begin at 7pm. You will be fastened into a safety system. 2 hour tour, some restrictions apply. Reservations required.  www.bridgewalk.com  304-574-1300

Haunted History Tours @ the Historic Whipple Company Store Friday-Saturdays in October

The Historic Whipple Company Store is rich in history and hauntings. The elevator shaft, the ballroom, the walk in safe, the hidden floor, the embalming room, the Basement! This is not a haunted house of smoke and mirrors – nothing is fake.  This is authentic haunted history.  No one under 21.  Flashlights provided.  Fridays and Saturdays in October from 8:30 pm to 11 pm. Cost is $25 per person. Private haunted tours by appointment.
www.whipplecompanystore.com/hauntedhistorytours.html

Little Beaver State Park Haunted Trail

Fright Nights @ The Resort at Glade Springs October 21, 22, 28-31st

Once the sun sets, visitors will travel down the Terror on the Gorge Haunted Trail where the nightmare will begin.  Cost is $15 per person.  There will also be haunted hayrides and carriage rides, a (not so scarey) Halloween Homes Tour, bonfire and plenty of food. Some additional costs may apply.  http://www.facebook.com/FrightNightsWV

Princeton City Park Haunted Trail October 22, 28, 29th

Hours will be from 7pm – 11pm.  Park at the Princeton Rec Center then take a hayride to the park.  The Trail will be in Princeton City Park.  Admission is $6 – there will also be trick or treating on the trail from 5 – 6:30 on Saturday October 29th.  Info:  304-487-5040

Terror at Tams – Haunted Walking Trail – Burning Rock Adventure Park October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, 31

730pm-10:30pm; $10 per person ($5 under 12) The setup: Some college kids from ‘up north’ wanted to investigate the hills of West Virginia. They heard about ATV rentals at Burning Rock and decided it would be a lot of fun, however, when they got lost in the deep words they encountered Zombies. They wrecked their ATV and… well, you’ll just have to come out and see what happens next! www.burningrockwv.com

Little Beaver State Park Haunted Trail October 21-31st

Bring someone to hold onto as you walk this spooky trail around the park – you never know what is going to come out of the woods . . . Starts at Dark.  Weekdays til 10pm, weekends til 11pm.  $8 for 12 and up, $6 for 11 and under.

Gary Bowling’s House of Art “Haunted Jail Cells” October 14, 15, 21, 22, 27-29

Come Walk the Green Mile – Every jail cell will serve as a different shop of horrors. There will be animations, robotics and live actors. Housed in what was the Bluefield City Hall Jail Complex and is now the Bluefield Area Arts Center on Bland Street. 7pm to Midnight. $5 per person.
facebook.com/pages/Gary-Bowlings-House-of-Art/

Corn Mazes:

Looking for some family fun?  Visit a pumpkin patch and corn maze farm!

Byrnside Branch Farm – Pumpkins, mazes, horse-drawn hay rides, tractor-pulled hay rides, wagon rides. One mile outside of union on Willowbend Road, Union, WV 24983. Phone: 304-772-3131. Open: Friday 4pm-10pm, Saturday 9am to 10pm, Sunday 1pm-10pm Corn Maze is opened September 16th to November 6th. www.byrnsidebranchfarm.com

Cinderella Pumpkin Farm – Pumpkins, hay rides, and corn maze. Route 12 (HC 77 Box 432), Ballard, WV 24918. Phone: 304-753-9818. Great family entertainment. Open September 1st through October 31st from 9:00am to Sundown.

Okes Family Farms – pumpkins, corn maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises. 614 Blue Jay 6 Rd, Cool Ridge, WV 25825. Phone: 304-673-3308. Open Saturdays from 10am to 5:30pm and Sundays from noon to 5:30pm.  okesfamilyfarms.com

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Bridge Day Highlights

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

A massive structure like the New River Gorge Bridge deserves a massive festival, and Bridge Day

New River Gorge Bridge - Ed Goody Photography

does not disappoint. From the 450 BASE jumpers to the 200+ vendors to the 300 or so rappellers, this southern West Virginia festival goes big in every category.  It was even planned to take advantage of the 100 different colors of peak fall foliage.  It’s no wonder more than 80,000 people show up to enjoy this fall favorite.

The New River Gorge is world-renowned for its beauty and plethora of outdoor adventures. Bridge Day is just the icing on this wonderful cake, adding some extra frosting via rappelling, high lining and BASE jumping. These are some of the activities going on for the adventure-seeking crowd; below is a list of activities for other Bridge Day visitors.

* Try the Local Cuisine – The Taste of Bridge Day is a local fundraiser and takes place at Adventures on the Gorge on Friday, October 14.  Come out and experience some of the area’s best food from local restaurants and caterers.

* Bridge Day Car Show – If you have a special ride or you’re just a motorhead, this display of automobiles is worth taking in. Located right off Rt. 19 at the Quality Inn, it goes on from 10 am to 4 pm.
* Whitewater Rafting – Want to enjoy a view of the bridge, see some jumpers and have a little adventure of your own?  Book a Lower New River rafting trip and enjoy both.
* Downtown Fayetteville – Don’t forget that Fayetteville offers a bunch of Bridge Day activities too. From the pancake breakfast at the American Legion at 6am to the Chili and Cornbread Cookoff, live music and Cornhole Tournament going on from 1pm until 6pm, Fayetteville is a great stop after your day on the Bridge winds down.

If you’re here for Bridge Day and curious as to what else may be going on, just find yourself a local and ask. You’ll get the lowdown on all the other great activities that may be happening.

No matter what you do, just enjoy the beauty of southern West Virginia in the fall.  It is one of the best times to be here.

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How the New River Gorge Bridge Was Jumped

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Anyone familiar with Bridge Day knows that one of the biggest draws of the event is watching 400 or so base jumpers heave themselves off a mountain of steel in hopes of gliding to a stop some 876

B.A.S.E. Jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge

feet below.

But what very few people know, even the seasoned Bridge Day veterans, is how this semi-crazed spectacle first came about.

Humble Beginnings

The very first “Bridge Day” was in 1977; really, it was Governor Jay Rockefeller’s open house to showcase this magnificent feat of engineering upon completion.  At the time, the Bridge was the longest single steel arch bridge in the world and the Grand Opening ceremony was designed to let the people of WV experience this marvel by walking across it and taking in the view.

Originally, Bridge Day was supposed to be a one-time event.  But the massive turnout lead to Bridge Day becoming an annual festival, starting in 1981.  The first Official Bridge day was held on November 8th and featured two skydivers jumping onto the Bridge and 5 jumpers plunging from the deck into the Gorge. These were the first “legal”  jumps from the Bridge.
The rest, they say, is history.

The First Jumper

Now, a little disclaimer: the actual first jump had occurred nearly two years earlier, and in true WV style, it was completed by a coal miner.  Burton Ervin, a mine foreman from Cowen, made the first official jump from the Bridge on August 17, 1979 at 10:20 pm.  It was witnessed by around 200 people and yes, he did land in the water.

The first five legal jumpers on the first official Bridge Day were:

* Mig Fernandez
* Dennis Wood
* Ken Hamilton
* Andy MacIntyre
* Jerry Waters

Other “known” jumpers (before it was a legal Bridge Day event) included:

* John Noak
* Brad Smith
* Brian Hinni
* Greg Lawson

Other Bridge Day Entertainment

B.A.S.E. jumperslaunching themselves off the bridge has become a huge part of the festival. But

Rappellers have a unique way of raising our flags

there have always been other activities that taking place on Bridge Day.

Since 1992, rappellers have been dropping some 600 feet down to the tracks on the south side of the Bridge during the event.  A few hearty souls even ascend that same line back up to the Bridge. Rappelling is now open to the public, but it’s available on a first come basis, so early registration is key.

In 1984 Mark Chamberlain and Martin Lyster bungee jumped while riding an inflatable pink elephant off the deck. Talk about a spectacle.

In 1992, Chris Allum from New Zealand set a world record for the longest bungee from a solid object.  In 1993, he set another record with a 7-person bungee from the Bridge. This was the last time anyone has flung themselves off the Bridge strapped to a rubber band.

And now this year, tandem B.A.S.E. jumps will be allowed for the first time.  Who knows what will be next?

Would you like to jump off the Bridge?

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Fall in Southern WV

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Fall in Southern WV is one of our favorite times of the year. Lots of good things are happening, from a change of scenery to a change in  whitewater.  Here are some of the highlights:

Fall Weather

Fall has, by far, the best weather for visiting southern West Virginia. Don’t get us wrong; we love our hot summer days and awesome ski weather.  But temperatures in the 60′s and 70′s during the day

Babcock's Glade Creek Grist Mill

are just delightful.  Cooler weather  also means open cabin windows, cool breezes, and crackling campfires.

Fall Colors

Much of WV is covered by deciduous hardwood forest. Hundreds of species of trees that, as temperatures begin to cool, start preparing for a winter hibernation by pulling the chlorophyll out of their leaves and into their roots.

In layman’s terms, this is what happens when leaves change colors. Because of West Virginia’s vast number of tree species, the colors of the forests are remarkable. From bright yellows to deep dark crimsons, a fall West Virginia forest is a beautiful sight.

And southern West Virginia has plenty of areas to take in these colors. State parks like Pipestem, Hawks Nest, Babcock and Bluestone offer hiking trails and scenic views that are only more special thanks to the fall color display.

Fall Festivals

Southern West Virginia towns take advantage of the great weather and great views to stage some wonderful fall festivals. From Bramwell’s Oktoberfest to Railroad Days in Hinton, this area is celebrating the fall season somewhere almost every weekend in October. We’ve got a complete list of all the festival opportunities southern West Virginia has to offer.

Fall whitewater

Raft guides from all over the world get excited for fall in WV because it means that Gauley season is here. If you’ve ever rafted in this area  (or anywhere on the east coast, for that matter) no doubt you’ve heard of the Gauley River.

For 6 weekends in September and October, the Army Corps of Engineers draining of Summersville Lake creates one of the best whitewater runs in the world. It features 27 miles of whitewater.  The first 9 miles drop over 70 feet per mile and contain five class V rapids.  It’s no wonder that over 60,000 people come here over the 22-day Gauley Season to get their whitewater adrenaline rush.

What’s your favorite part of fall in West Virginia?

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Planning a trip? Here’s What WV Locals Recommend . . .

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

The old saying goes, “ When in Rome, do as the Romans do”.  That suggestion also definitely applies here in Southern West Virginia.

Curious about how to plan for your WV vacation?  Here’s a way to take some of the guess work out of the process.  Southern West Virginia locals recommend the following:

Sights

Hanging Rock Observatory

These are places that offer up some of the most incredible views in the area as well as other outdoor activities.  If you visit, you’ll definitely understand why these spots are recommended by locals.

* The New River Gorge Bridge viewed from Long Point - A 1.6 mile hike ending on a small rock outcropping that renders a unique panoramic side view of the bridge for those who make the trek.
* Sandstone Falls – Varying water levels on the New River make this trip different almost every visit.
* Grandview – This National Park Service property offers a variety of day-use activities.
* Greenbrier River Trail – A 78-mile trail that  follows the Greenbrier River and offers year round adventure.
*  Hanging Rock Observatory – A great destination for birdwatchers and scenery-lovers alike.

Activities

If these activities aren’t on your list of to-dos, then they probably should be.

BridgeWalk - Catwalk below the New River Gorge Bridge

* The Mystery Hole- Don’t ask.  Just go and see it for yourself.

* The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine- Go underground in an old coal mine and tour a restored coal company house, school, and church.
* Theatre WV- Theater under the stars (and on a cliff).
* Lost World Caverns – Like a coal mine, only different.  Go underground and explore one of West Virginia’s coolest caves.
* Bridge Walk- A very unique way to experience the New River Gorge and the Bridge.

Southern West Virginia has an enormous amount of activities and sights.   Those listed here are just a few of the local favorites.  What’s your favorite area adventure?

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