Communities

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — For many visitors, the New River begins and ends at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in southern West Virginia. They come to see the soaring steel arch of the New River Gorge Bridge, raft some of the most renowned whitewater in the eastern United States, and hike trails overlooking … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is not the largest state east of the Mississippi River. It does not have the region’s tallest mountains, largest national park, or most extensive wilderness system. Even so, the Mountain State can make a strong case as one of the wildest places in the eastern United States. Nearly four-fifths of … Read more

WATOGA, W.Va. — As fireflies begin their annual summer display across West Virginia, scientists say one of the insects’ greatest allies may be something many residents take for granted—darkness. Across much of the eastern U.S., artificial lighting continues to expand as development spreads into rural areas. Streetlights, security lighting, and commercial development have transformed nightscapes … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Across West Virginia’s mountains, valleys, farm fields, and suburban neighborhoods, a new generation of baby deer is quietly entering the world. June is the peak month for fawning season in the Mountain State, and residents are increasingly encountering spotted fawns curled motionless in tall grass, woodland edges, hayfields, and even backyards. While … Read more