David Sibray
More than 300 miles of trail extend into the mountains from Williamson, West Virginia, host of this weekend’s inaugural Dirt Day Festival, which proponents expect to become one of the nation’s chief off-road extravaganzas. Sponsored by the Tug Valley Area Convention and Visitor Bureau, the April 26-28 festival aims to showcase some of the best … Read more
The West Virginia Agriculture Advisory Board has released a five year-strategic plan for West Virginia agriculture, which Commissioner of Agricultural Ken Leonhardt says he hopes to initiate immediately. Titled “A Shared Agenda for Growing West Virginia’s Agricultural Economy,” the plan focuses on several areas—connecting producers to market opportunities, creating infrastructure needed to grow the agriculture … Read more
Visitors to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve who wish to travel the winding scenic route beneath the New River Gorge Bridge will be required to suffer a detour through mid-July. Part of Fayette Station Road near Fayetteville, West Virginia, will be closed while the route is repaired, repaved, and widened, according to Julena … Read more
Rangers and naturalists at seven parks in southern West Virginia will lead guided wildflower hikes on woodland trails April 26-28 during the 16th annual New River Gorge Wildflower Weekend. Ranger Jodi French-Burr stressed that the hikes and most additional events are free, and that the New River Gorge region and the New River basin is extremely rich … Read more
Thousands of miners and loggers once lived in the little valley through which West Virginia’s newest rail excursion runs. Trout swim and deer browse where a century ago striking miners bombed the line that rail-bikes and little engines now follow. Peace, quiet, and history are chief reasons more than 1,200 guests pedaled or boarded open … Read more
The Easter Bunny will work overtime Sunday morning in Weston hiding more than 12,000 eggs on the lawn of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, a museum and tourist attraction that’s gained national notoriety as a classroom for the history of U.S. healthcare. More than 400 children from six states are expected to attend the 12th annual … Read more
A new national heritage area established in March will attract financing and tourism to eastern West Virginia and western Maryland—a region that encompasses millions of acres of forest and some of the state’s best-known scenic landscapes. The Smoke Hole Countryside[/caption] Phyllis Baxter, executive director for the heritage area, says visitors and residents can expect to … Read more
The organizer of one of West Virginia’s longest-running outdoor-recreation festivals says the Mountain State is an ideal travel destination and is encouraging its communities to explore tourism as an economic option. Wayne Lesperance, a veteran marketer from Harrisburg, Pa., who’s organizing the 20th annual “Waynestock” in Fayetteville, says West Virginia has everything it needs to … Read more
For the third consecutive year, Canaan Valley Ski Resort in northern West Virginia has dominated the Liftopia “Best in Snow” awards program for the southern U.S., which includes ski resorts in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. The resort was named No. 1 in the Beginner-Friendly, Most Challenging, Least Crowded, and Snow Consistency and Quality categories and … Read more
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and representatives from the state Division of Natural Resources today launched the West Virginia Gold Rush — the Mountain State’s annual golden rainbow trout stocking initiative. “I hope as many West Virginians as possible take advantage of the Gold Rush this year,” Justice said while visiting Babcock State Park. “Fishing … Read more
