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David Sibray

David Sibray is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of West Virginia Explorer, a news and travel magazine devoted to the state’s history, tourism, outdoor recreation and economic development. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390 or at editor@wvexplorer.com
A cyclist crosses at bridge at Mountwood Park near Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Biking

New Parkersburg-area trail designed for intermediate level bikers

by David Sibray

Already among the most popular destinations for mountain biking in West Virginia, Mountwood Park has taken its mission a step further, unveiling a 1.4 mile “flow trail” designed for intermediate-level bikers. Wandering down a hill, rather than mounting and descending hills, the new “Pumphouse Trail” demands less energy from bikers, according to park director Jeremy … Read more

in West Virginia
Hiking

Southern extent of tamarack highlight of Cranesville Swamp

by David Sibray

If you’re a Canadian, chances are that tamaracks are nothing new. But if you’re a West Virginian, you’ve probably never seen one. That’s because the tree’s southern natural extent is in the Mountain State’s most lofty northern reach — in an obscure corner of the state in the Cranesville Swamp. Here in a ‘frost pocket” … Read more

Bear Rocks Pink Morning, Dolly Sods Wilderness Area
Arts

Fallout 76 video game was nearly set in Pa., not West Virginia

by David Sibray

The new Fallout 76 video game — to be released by Bethesda Softworks on November 14, 2018 — might have been set in Pennsylvania rather than West Virginia. However, one of the game’s developers says he found West Virginia’s landscape more alluring. “We were considering either West Virginia or Pennsylvania, but I decided I liked … Read more

David Sibray hikes through a grove of Norway Spruce at Walter Nature Park in Putnam County.
Hiking

Hiking through spruce at Walter Nature Park

by David Sibray

I had the opportunity to walk the one-mile loop trail at Walter Nature Park near Winfield, West Virginia, in Putnam County, a delightful path and wanders through forest and young woodlands in the hills above the Kanawha River. If you’re looking for a good family trail in western West Virginia, this gets my vote. The … Read more

WVU fans take in a game at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Communities

West Virginia University football—an all-fall attraction

by David Sibray

While we at West Virginia Explorer tend to focus on the natural attractions and landmarks that define West Virginia, it’s hard to deny the excitement that surrounds the college football season here each fall. Over the years, West Virginia University’s Mountaineer Football has established a reputation as a consistently competitive program and one that tends … Read more

Artist on Dolly Sods, Monongahela National Forest, Tucker County, Allegheny Highlands Region
Communities

Autumn color to peak Oct. 1-10 in Tucker County, W.Va.

by David Sibray

Fall color in high-elevation Tucker County will peak during the first ten days of October, says Brian Sarfino, who’s worked to determine exact schedules for autumn leaf change at Dolly Sods and in the Canaan Valley in West Virginia’s Allegheny Highlands. “Peak fall foliage comes in the first ten days of October. This is the … Read more