West Virginia Explorer - Travel, News & History

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The biggest ride ever to visit West Virginia towers above the capitol

Whitewater Rafting

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

David Sibray July 8, 2026

Food

What you eat may affect your mood more than you realize, WVU experts say

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.

Landmarks / Museums

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

A map highlights West Virginia's Northern and Eastern panhandles, two regions created by remarkably different chapters in the state's history. (WVExplorer Illustration)

History / Prehistory

Here’s why West Virginia has two panhandles and why they couldn’t be more different

Communities

A clear mountain stream in West Virginia provides the cold, clean water required by native brook trout, whose presence signals some of Appalachia's healthiest waterways. More than 170 miles of streams have recently gained new state protections. (Photo: David Sibray)

More than 170 miles of West Virginia trout streams gain new protection

Will Reedy July 4, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 170 miles of West Virginia mountain streams that support the state’s native brook trout have been newly recognized as protected “trout waters,” expanding safeguards for some of Appalachia’s coldest and cleanest waterways. The

Just a few hours from Washington, D.C., West Virginia's high country offers cool summer evenings that have drawn Mid-Atlantic travelers for generations. (WVExplorer Image)

As the eastern U.S. bakes, West Virginia’s mountains offer a cooler escape

Bianca Bosworth July 3, 2026

BECKLEY, W.Va. — By late afternoon in Washington, D.C., summer settles over the city like a heavy blanket. Heat radiates from sidewalks and office buildings. The marble monuments along the National Mall shimmer in the haze, while commuters

A new "Tech Toolshed" program by Woodlands Development & Lending is giving entrepreneurs free access to professional cameras, lighting and audio equipment to improve their digital marketing.

New program by Woodlands helping rural West Virginia businesses reach customers nationwide

July 2, 2026

Fayetteville businessman Sean Clarke works remotely above the New River Gorge, a region whose appeal is growing appeal not only as a recreation destination but also as a place to live, work, and build new businesses.

How the New River Gorge region is building a new economy beyond the national park

July 2, 2026

Viewed from above, Stretcher Neck forms one of the most dramatic landforms in the New River Gorge. Much of the surrounding landscape has been acquired by the Arc of Appalachia, protecting nearly 2,000 acres adjoining New River Gorge National Park and Preserve while helping pave the way for a future trail connection between Beckley and the park. (Photo: Lori Herrald Lebl)

Why a national conservation group is betting millions on West Virginia

July 1, 2026

A West Virginia Division of Natural Resources wildlife biologist examines a harvested white-tailed deer during field surveillance. Wildlife officials are proposing updates to disease management regulations intended to help slow the spread of chronic wasting disease and other wildlife illnesses. (WVExplorer Image)

West Virginia seeks public comment on new wildlife disease rules affecting deer feeding

July 1, 2026

Attractions

Visitors walk the Carriage Trail past the stone monument commemorating two unidentified women whose reported Civil War-era deaths remain one of Charleston's enduring historical mysteries.

Did two women really die as Civil War spies on Charleston’s Carriage Trail?

David Sibray July 3, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Few places in West Virginia’s capital city are as popular with walkers as the Carriage Trail, the shaded path climbing the hillside below Sunrise, the former estate of Gov. William A. MacCorkle. Along the trail,

Sandstone Falls, near the southern end of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, spans nearly the entire width of the New River and offers one of the park's most impressive landscapes. (Photo: Rick Burgess)

Most visitors never see this side of the New River Gorge National Park

David Sibray June 29, 2026

HINTON, W.Va. — Millions of visitors have now discovered New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, but many leave having experienced only a small portion of one of America’s newest national parks. For countless first-time visitors, the trip

The Madonna of the Trail stands beside the historic National Road in Wheeling, honoring the pioneer women whose strength and sacrifice helped open the American frontier. The 1928 monument is one of only 12 identical statues erected across the United States. (Photo: David Sibray / WVExplorer)

The forgotten story behind Wheeling’s historic Madonna of the Trail monument

June 26, 2026

The Williams River flows through the Monongahela National Forest in Pocahontas and Webster counties. Road repairs planned for nearby Forest Road 86 could affect access to campgrounds, trailheads, and recreation areas in the Williams River and Cranberry regions this summer.

Road closures to affect access to Cranberry and Williams River recreation areas

June 21, 2026

The ancient Teays River flowed across present-day West Virginia millions of years before glaciers reshaped eastern North America and created the modern Ohio River system.

Ancient river once flowed across West Virginia before vanishing during the Ice Age

June 18, 2026

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.

Tomlinson Run preserves unusual Appalachian forest rarely found in Northern Panhandle

June 18, 2026

Recreation

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

Will Reedy June 29, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hunters planning to head into West Virginia’s woods this fall should review the state’s newly released hunting regulations, as several changes could affect where, when, and how they hunt during the 2026-27 seasons. The W.Va.

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

David Sibray June 26, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Travelers planning a whitewater rafting vacation in the East have no shortage of options. Pennsylvania is known for the Youghiogheny. Tennessee has the Olympic-tested Ocoee. North Carolina offers the Nantahala and French Broad. So why

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

Will Reedy June 25, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It wasn’t long ago that hearing the gobble of wild turkeys at daybreak was a rare experience across much of West Virginia. By the early 1900s, unregulated hunting and widespread logging had pushed the state’s

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

Youth gather for a fishing tournament at the Bowden Fish Hatchery near Elkins, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)

Bowden Fish Hatchery to host free Youth Fishing Derby during W.Va. Free Fishing Days

June 9, 2026

Fisheries experts say the upward trend in fishing records is the result of several factors, including better stocking and water quality improvement.

Here’s why fishing records are being broken more often now in West Virginia

May 25, 2026

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

South Branch ends mourning dove permits; controlled hunt begin at Stonewall Jackson

May 11, 2026

John Terry, of Gallagher, in Kanawha County, set a new state record for tiger trout on March 19 by catching a 29.13-inch, 11.04-pound tiger trout from Seneca Lake in Pocahontas County.

John Terry catches record-breaking tiger trout in lake at Seneca State Forest

May 10, 2026

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)

Gravel, bikepacking network connects towns across Monongahela National Forest region

May 7, 2026

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.

Horsepower restrictions removed on five small lakes in West Virginia

May 6, 2026

Culture

The 230-foot America250 Wheel rises above the West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston during the state's official America250 Capital City Celebration. The observation wheel offers panoramic views of the capital city and is among the event's signature attractions. (Courtesy W.Va. Tourism)

Charleston’s America250 Celebration draws thousands for historic Fourth of July weekend

Clyde Craig July 4, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One of West Virginia’s largest Independence Day weekends in years is set to unfold in Charleston, where the state’s official America250 Capital City Celebration will coincide with the annual Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, creating four days

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.

Before West Virginia, there was wilderness: Why Appalachia still remembers Jenny Wiley

David Sibray July 2, 2026

BIG SANDY VALLEY, W.Va. — Long before West Virginia became a state, before railroads climbed its mountains or highways threaded its valleys, the Appalachian wilderness began where civilization ended. To Americans living in Philadelphia or the young nation’s

The Charleston Light Opera Guild presents 1776 at the West Virginia Culture Center during West Virginia's America250 celebration. The Tony Award-winning musical concludes its Independence Day weekend run with performances July 3–5.

See 1776 during West Virginia’s America250 Celebration this Fourth of July weekend

David Sibray July 1, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Visitors traveling to Charleston this Independence Day weekend for West Virginia’s America250 Capital City Celebration can experience one of the nation’s most enduring patriotic stage productions when the Charleston Light Opera Guild presents the final

The 230-foot America250 Wheel, billed as the world's tallest portable Ferris wheel, towers above the West Virginia State Capitol during preparations for the state's America250 Capital City Celebration in Charleston. (Photo: W.Va. Tourism)

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

Construction crews build new homes in West Virginia, where communities are working to expand affordable housing and meet growing demand for workforce housing and rural economic development.

History and Prehistory

Anne Bailey, one of the most celebrated women of the Appalachian frontier, rides horseback through the rugged mountains of present-day West Virginia. Known for her courage, marksmanship, and legendary rides through the wilderness, Bailey became a symbol of frontier resilience during the late 18th century.

State Parks

An elaborate system of boardwalks weaves throught the boulders at Beartown State Park.

Hunting

Black bears: The 2025 black bear harvest fell just ten bears short of the 2024 total of 2,479.

Fishing

Hunter Rohr, 15, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has caught a golden rainbow trout that set state records for length and weight.

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

Kayaking

Kayakers On The Ohio River in West Virginia

Whitewater Rafting

Biking

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