David Sibray
Whether or not you believe in tales of “Mothman,” if you live in West Virginia, you’re likely to have heard them. The legend is almost inescapable in a state so renowned for its monsters and mountain mysteries. And while most folks associate the man-beast with the region around Point Pleasant on the Ohio River, there’s … Read more
COWEN, W.Va.—The Monongahela National Forest will re-open 15 miles of forest road 86 along the Williams River from Laurel Run to the entrance of Tea Creek Campground on Friday, according to a spokesperson for the forest service. Soon after, the scenic backcountry route that crosses through a remote section of the Allegheny Mountains will reopen … Read more
MATEWAN, W.Va.—The mountainous borderland between Kentucky and West Virginia where the Hatfields and McCoys once feuded is now increasingly the domain of adventure travelers. Seeking a retreat in one of the most remote sections of the Appalachian Mountains, here adventurers on all-terrain vehicles climb into the precipitous hills, and historians and history buffs explore ghost … Read more
Early settlers in Pocahontas County called it “The Devil’s Backbone” as most believed such an unnatural thing could only be the work of evil. While geologists now understand the forces that created this dramatic arch, the explanation may be even harder to believe than the superstition. When Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell arrived in the … Read more
The parking lot for the Kaymoor and Butcher Branch trailheads in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve near Fayetteville, West Virginia, will close during resurfacing on July 11-14. The trailheads, located at what’s known as Kaymoor Top, will remain open with parking available at the nearby Arrowhead trailhead parking lot, according to acting … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — While recent bigfoot sightings in southern West Virginia have gained national attention, one investigator says it’s no surprise, given the number of sightings he’s cataloged in the southern mountains. Investigator Les O’Dell says he’ll attest to the trustworthiness of a recent report of an encounter in October 2019 near the New River … Read more
Gov. Jim Justice has announced the newest scenic route of the Mountain Rides program—Capitol Circle, a scenic loop that will route motorists through the southern state. The circle is the second route of the West Virginia Mountain Rides program, a collaborative partnership between the W.Va. Department of Transportation and the W.Va. Department of Tourism to … Read more
A 17-year record for the largest channel catfish caught in West Virginia has been broken, according to the state Division of Natural Resources. On June 20, Allen Burkett, of Criders, Va., caught a channel catfish that weighed 36.96 pounds and measured 40.59 inches long. Burkett was fishing with chicken liver from the shore of South … Read more
Three new Civil War Trails signs have been installed in Wheeling, West Virginia, the first phase of a project focused on updating content and improving the visitor experience throughout the city. The new signs replace older versions and offer more engaging text and media to fuel the imagination of visitors, according to Drew A. Gruber, … Read more
The Monongahela National Forest has received $6 million in funding from the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act to support seven projects across the Forest in 2022. These projects are part of $503 million in Great American Outdoors Act investments across USDA-managed lands to address deferred maintenance, improve infrastructure, increase user access, and support rural economies … Read more
