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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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This may look like a 1980s Pizza Hut, but it’s a vacation rental in West Virginia

Freshly gathered pawpaws are displayed by local foragers near Paw Paw, West Virginia. The state's annual Pawpaw Festival celebrates the unique native fruit and the Appalachian traditions surrounding its harvest.

Festivals / Events

Tiny West Virginia town celebrates America’s forgotten fruit with state Pawpaw Festival

David Sibray July 23, 2026

Rev. Dyke Garrett, the mountain preacher who rode horseback through the rugged hills of southwestern West Virginia for more than 50 years, ministers to a gathering of Appalachian families. Garrett became one of the few trusted figures among both the Hatfield and McCoy families during the infamous feud.

History / Prehistory

Devil Anse Hatfield’s mountain preacher ended America’s most famous family feud

Tourists arrive at the historic Elkins passenger station, a gateway to the Monongahela National Forest and one of the communities participating in the Mon Forest Towns partnership. A new West Virginia University study is helping rural destinations balance tourism growth with the needs of local residents.

Economic Development

WVU researchers help tourism communities grow without losing what makes them special

Excitement builds as Scouts check in for Scouting America's National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in southern West Virginia. The 10-day event introduces thousands of young people and their families to the Mountain State through outdoor adventure, leadership, and service.

Festivals / Events

Thousands gather in W.Va. for the Jamboree, America’s largest outdoor youth adventure

Latest West Virginia News

Our Lady of the Pines, a tiny chapel near Silver Lake in Preston County, is among the unexpected West Virginia landmarks featured in Peggy Stanton's new book The United "Saints" of America. Built in 1958 by Lithuanian immigrant Peter Milkint, the chapel has become one of the state's most distinctive places of worship.

Landmarks / Museums

United Saints of America author discovers West Virginia’s unexpected Catholic landmarks

July 21, 2026

A smiling child with colorful face paint enjoys a day at the State Fair of West Virginia. Fair officials and community partners are providing complimentary all-day midway ride passes to eligible foster children during this year's event, helping more young people experience one of the state's most cherished summer traditions. (Photo courtesy Jeremiah Lawrence)

Festivals / Events

State Fair of West Virginia, state’s biggest festival, opens its midway to foster children

July 21, 2026

A child sits alone while coping with the loss of a loved one. About one in seven West Virginia children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before age 18, highlighting the need for grief support programs such as Camp Erin West Virginia. (Photo: Getty Images)

Health and Medicine

One in seven West Virginia children lose a parent or sibling. A free camp wants to help

July 21, 2026

A spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) adult winged.

Agriculture

Spotted lanternfly reaches Kanawha County as invasive pest spread across West Virginia

July 21, 2026

A driver approaches a busy interstate interchange, where merging traffic, unfamiliar routes and a loss of control can trigger anxiety for some motorists. Researchers at West Virginia University say driving anxiety is more common than many people realize. (Photo: Samuele Errico Piccarini)

Health and Medicine

You’re not alone: Why driving anxiety happens—and how to keep it from taking over

July 21, 2026

A color woodblock print by West Virginia modernist Blanche Lazzell, "Campus, W.Va. University," is among the artist's celebrated works. Many of Lazzell's prints and paintings will be featured this fall in the largest exhibition ever presented by the Art Museum of WVU. (WVU Illustration)

Arts

Largest Blanche Lazzell exhibition returns to West Virginia after national tour

July 20, 2026

Communities

Appalachian Escapes: Straight out of the ’80s: David Sibray, Nate Adams, and Rachel Adkins swap stories in a replica Pizza Hut. (Photo: Holly K. Clark)

This may look like a 1980s Pizza Hut, but it’s a vacation rental in West Virginia

David Sibray July 18, 2026

Fayetteville, W.Va. — What began as a search for an affordable retirement option has become one of southern West Virginia’s most imaginative tourism ventures. Nate Adams and his wife, Rachel Adkins, founded AppalachianEscapes, a growing collection of themed

George Washington and the Seneca leader Guyasuta overlooking the Ohio River near the mouth of Big Sandy Creek during Washington's 1770 expedition through the Ohio Valley. The two longtime acquaintances camped together before discussing the frontier lands that would later become part of West Virginia.

George Washington’s lost West Virginia: Five places you can still visit today

Clyde Craig July 17, 2026

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Long before he became the first president of the United States, George Washington was an explorer, surveyor, soldier, and ambitious young land speculator drawn to the vast wilderness beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Much of what

West Virginia Wesleyan student photographer

West Virginia Wesleyan College chosen to nurture state’s top young artists through 2030

July 17, 2026

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma deliculata) is an invasive species native to Asia. It showed up in Pennsylvania in 2014. Above, a spotted lanternfly visits a log in Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County, Pa., on Oct. 5, 2018. (Photo by Caitlyn Johnstone/Chesapeake Bay Program)

Spotted lanternfly spreads across West Virginia, threatening vineyards, forests and farms

July 16, 2026

An AI concept based on a press release from WVU envisions Appalachia as a future hub for advanced energy innovation, where research, resilient electric grid technologies, and modern manufacturing coexist with the region's forests, rivers, and mountain communities.

$321 million science initiative aims to make Appalachia America’s next energy innovation hub

July 15, 2026

A bobcat watches visitors from its woodland habitat at the West Virginia Wildlife Center near French Creek. The facility, home to native wildlife species from across the Mountain State, will host its 10th annual Rendezvous Celebration on July 31 and Aug. 1, combining living-history demonstrations with opportunities to experience West Virginia's natural heritage.

W.Va. Wildlife Center rendezvous celebration returns with history, native wildlife

July 13, 2026

Attractions

Historian and West Virginia Explorer correspondent Cody Straley stands before the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston, whose clean lines and imposing Brutalist design have made it one of the state's most recognizable public buildings since opening in 1976.

The W.Va. Culture Center at 50: The story behind one of the state’s great public treasures

Cody Straley July 18, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — July marks not only the 250th anniversary of American independence but also the 50th anniversary of a modern Mountain State masterpiece—the West Virginia Culture Center. This deceptively simple, large, gray, boxy, stone-clad building in Charleston

The Williams River winds through one of the most scenic and remote sections of West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. Temporary road closures beginning July 20 will affect access to parts of the river corridor while the U.S. Forest Service repairs flood damage and improves stream crossings for native wildlife. (Photo: David Sibray)

Road closures planned across Monongahela National Forest as repairs, stream projects begin

Clyde Craig July 17, 2026

ELKINS, W.Va. — Travelers planning to explore the high mountains of eastern West Virginia this summer should expect significant road closures in parts of the Monongahela National Forest as major construction projects begin to repair storm damage, improve

A tourist photographs a historic home in the Middleway National Historic District in West Virginia.

National Trust joins legal fight over proposed plant near one of West Virginia’s oldest villages

July 15, 2026

Diners gather inside Oddfellers in downtown Richwood, where locally sourced Appalachian ingredients and from-scratch cooking have helped make the restaurant a destination for visitors exploring the surrounding mountains, trout streams, and hiking trails.

Food historian says West Virginia’s culinary scene is finally finding its flavor

July 12, 2026

The hidden mountain behind West Virginia’s Pinnacle Rock State Park

July 10, 2026

David Sibray visits the historic Peter Tarr Furnace near Weirton, one of the oldest surviving iron furnaces west of the Allegheny Mountains and an important landmark in the early industrial history of the Ohio Valley.

Why the Peter Tarr Furnace is one of West Virginia’s most important historic landmarks

July 7, 2026

Recreation

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

David Sibray July 17, 2026

HINTON, W.Va. — Today, Big Rock is one of the best-known landmarks along the lower Greenbrier River, a towering sandstone outcrop where generations of paddlers and tubers have stopped to climb, picnic, and wade into the cool water.

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

Will Reedy July 16, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hunters seeking an opportunity to pursue white-tailed deer in some of West Virginia’s most scenic public lands can now apply for a series of controlled lottery hunts designed to manage deer populations while protecting forests

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

David Sibray July 15, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va — From windswept mountain summits to dramatic river overlooks, West Virginia is home to some of the most scenic hiking trails in the eastern United States. While beauty is subjective, certain trails consistently leave visitors speechless,

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

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

Culture

An illustration contrasts two American frontiers—the forested mountains of early West Virginia and the open prairie later immortalized by Laura Ingalls Wilder—revealing how pioneer life unfolded across very different landscapes and generations.

Loved Little House on the Prairie? Discover West Virginia’s earlier frontier

Clyde Craig July 19, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Netflix’s new adaptation of Little House on the Prairie is introducing a new generation to the hardships and hope of life on the American frontier. Viewers are following the Ingalls family as they struggle to build a home

Historical artist's interpretation of Sgt. Milton W. Humphreys directing Confederate artillery during the Battle of Fayetteville on May 19, 1863. Hidden behind a wooded ridge and unable to see Union-held Fort Scammon, Humphreys is credited with the first documented use of indirect artillery fire in modern warfare.

Before Fayetteville became an adventure town, it helped change modern warfare

David Sibray July 19, 2026

The first documented use of indirect artillery fire in modern warfare is credited to an 18-year-old Confederate gunner on a wooded hillside above today’s New River Gorge. FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors arrive

Bob and Jeff Tinnell speak about their filmmaking.

Netflix success gives West Virginia filmmakers new credibility in Hollywood

David Sibray July 17, 2026

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia filmmakers have reached a milestone few would have imagined a decade ago. Earlier this year, two films produced by the Morgantown-based Allegheny Image Factory—Gaslit and The Bad Guardian—simultaneously ranked among Netflix’s five most-watched

George Washington meets Seneca leader Guyasuta beside the Ohio River during his 1770 expedition into the western frontier. Washington later wrote that Native ceremonial customs delayed his departure as the two men discussed the country beyond the Ohio, a meeting that reflected the diplomacy shaping the future American frontier.

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

A couple tours a mountain property with a West Virginia Realtor while overlooking a historic barn and rolling Appalachian hills.

History and Prehistory

Alone in the vast Appalachian wilderness, Jenny Wiley follows a rocky mountain stream toward freedom in this imagined late nineteenth-century-style wood engraving inspired by her legendary escape.

State Parks

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.

Hunting

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

Fishing

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

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

Festivals / Events