Posts Tagged ‘West Virginia Lakes’

What’s The Big Deal With Nicholas County?

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

In the northernmost reaches of Southern West Virginia (?!) are the beautiful rolling hills of Nicholas County.  It’s the gateway to

Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake

West Virginia’s mountain lakes region, and there’s a lot going on up that-a-way.

First up on the Nicholas County list of cool things is, of course, the world famous Gauley River.  Nicholas shares the big time whitewater part of the Gauley with Fayette County, it’s fine neighbor to the south, and they are brought together once every year for the phenomenon known as Gauley Season.

Gauley Season starts the weekend after Labor Day Weekend and rolls into mid-October.  During that time, the whitewater world descends on the Nicholas county area for food, recreation, and some of the wildest excitement this side of, well, northern West Virginia.

Nicholas County famously won the war to host Gauley Fest, the largest whitewater festival in the world.  Gauley fest is a little hard to describe- part trade show, part family reunion, and part outdoor nightclub is probably as close as anyone is going to get.  One thing’s for sure:  if you go, you’ll never forget it.

Nicholas county also gets to claim what’s on the other side of the dam there on the Gauley River – Summersville Lake.  The lake is often referred to by divers as the “Little Bahamas Of The East”.  That’s a bit confusing, as the original Bahamas are also little and located, well, east.  But who cares?  It only means that the diving is fantastic, clear, and scenic.

Nicholas County is also home to it’s very own winery and distillery which hosts an annual ‘Grape Stomping Festival‘ in September.  (Anyone thinking of Lucy and Ethel stomping grapes?)

The lake also boasts something lakes are not really famous for – great climbing.  A lot of the river outfitters (and all of the area’s climbing outfitters) take climbing trips  to the sheer sandstone walls that rise straight up out of the lake.  It’s the perfect place to go if you want to have a climbing experience that’s way, way out of the ordinary.

Beyond the lake is the town of Summersville, the county seat.  Summersville is not unlike some other towns in southern West Virginia in that its buildings are beautiful, its people are friendly, and its food is outstanding.  Anyone visiting southern West Virginia from the north owes it to themselves to stop over in Summersville and hang out for a while.

Summersville also attracts plenty of art, music, and culture from the rest of the county, and puts it all in one place.  The town often hosts touring productions of plays, big name music acts, and entertainment of every stripe.  The performing artists that come through are eclectic and interesting; they make it always  worth checking out the Nicholas County calendar of events.

Wasn’t music mentioned there a while back?  Nicholas County hosts what’s often the country’s biggest bluegrass festival, Music in the Mountains.  For almost 30 years, the lineup at Music in the Mountains has gotten bigger and better.  It’s a staple for the festival crowd, and a sight for any and all travelers to see.

Plus, there’s tons of other stuff to see and do in Nicholas County.  This is just a tiny fraction of it.

Interested?

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What’s The Big Deal With Summers County?

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

Pipestem State Park Tram

Pipestem State Park Tram

If you go less than 200 miles from home, is that considered a “stay-cation”?  If so, and you live in Southern West Virginia, go ahead and sign up for one in Summers County.

Hinton’s there.  If you have any interest in railroads, or rivers, or coal mining history, or hot dogs (you know what I’m talkin’ about!) that’s your town.  Hinton was a hub in during the coal boom, mainly because 3 major rivers, and as many major rail lines, come together there.

Trivia:  Guess which rivers.  If you said the Elk, Big Coal, and Kanawha, you’re wrong! And you’re thinking of Charleston.  The three rivers that meet in Hinton are the Bluestone, the Greenbrier, and the New.

And, it just so happens that Hinton is also the gateway to some of the coolest outdoor recreation in SWV.  That’s saying a lot.

Bluestone State Park
Just minutes down the road from Hinton is Bluestone State Park, at the mouth of the Bluestone River where it joins the New.  Actually, that’s all part of Bluestone Lake, being backed up by the Bluestone Dam.

But the park – the park is awesome!  Very laid back.  Clean.  Friendly folks.  Lots of space.  The cabins are the way to go if you want to be up on the mountain, but there’s a lot of great camping down at the river.

A bonus is the YPP- Young People for Parks program.  A naturalist meets up with kids every afternoon and evening to explore part of the park.  Check out the bats, find wild mushrooms, go fishing, and on and on.  It’s a very cool program for keeping the kids entertained.

Pipestem
Pipestem is a jewel in the crown of the West Virginia State Parks system.   The park opens up to a big rolling hill of green grass and tall trees, pushed right up to the edge of the Bluestone River Gorge.

Let’s just say that the picture window in the lodge is a good place to spend about 15 hours watching wildlife.  Deer, bear, all kinds of birds.  Walk outside and you’re in a painting.

Also, there’s a ton to do.  If you have kids, and you want the “park” experience, go there.  Archery, interpretive hikes, swimming.  Mini golf, not-so mini golf (par 3 course), big golf.  Camping, cabins,  and two lodges – one’s accessible only by tram.

That’s right.  I said tram.

The place is like a perfect mountain getaway, with plenty to do.  And plenty to not do.  It all depends on what you want.

Bet Summers County has it.

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5 Best Lakes In Southern West Virginia

Monday, July 6th, 2009

Lake Stephens Marina

Lake Stephens Marina

Ok, maybe not the best.  We should say 5 of  the best lakes in southern West Virginia.  Here are the ones we chose…

Bluestone Lake
Bluestone is probably one of the most well known lakes in the entire Mountain State.  Easy to get to from I-77 or I-64, Bluestone has boating, fishing, camping, and all the other stuff you’d look for in a lake vacation.  Start at Hinton, one of the most historic of America’s railroad towns (and don’t forget to get a hotdog at the Dairy Queen).

Summersville Lake
Right above the world famous Gauley River is the pristine  Summersville Lake.  Sometimes called the “Little Bahamas of the East” by divers, Summersville is probably the best place on the list to chill out a little.  There’s a nice beach there, too, if you’ve got the desire to hit the water, but don’t have a boat.

Lake Stephens
If you’re close to Beckley and looking to add a little play to your work, do not miss an opportunity to go to Lake Stephens.  It’s only nine miles away, and sits right in the middle of almost 2000 acres of hardwood forest.  Lake Stephens is the site of several fishing tournaments throughout the season- and there’s a good reason for that.

RD Bailey Lake
On the good side of the West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia tri-state, RD Bailey Lake is a beautiful mountain reservoir next to the town of Justice, WV.  Right on the Guyandotte river, RD Bailey is remote and folded within the steep mountains of Wyoming County.  If you’re wanting to really get away, game on.

Plum Orchard Lake
It’s actually Plum Orchard Wildlife Management Area, but what it can really be described as is secret.  Most people bypass Plum Orchard Lake on the West Virginia Turnpike, missing this small gem just outside of Scarbro.  There are three boat launches for easy access, and you’ll find plenty of room out on the water, too.

Well, those are our picks.  What are yours?

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