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Recreation

See our Recreation Travel Guide

West Virginia offers a diverse array of outdoor recreation opportunities that make it a top destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike. From world-class whitewater rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers to scenic hiking and rock climbing in the iconic New River Gorge National Park, the Mountain State delivers thrilling experiences year-round. Visitors can also enjoy fishing, camping, mountain biking, and winter sports in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. With its lush forests, winding rivers, and rich heritage, West Virginia offers a perfect setting for families, solo travelers, and outdoor enthusiasts seeking to explore breathtaking natural landscapes. Be sure to visit our guide for information about indoor and outdoor recreation in West Virginia.

Rafters charge through whitewater on the Gauley River during Gauley Season in West Virginia. The six-week fall season draws thousands of whitewater enthusiasts to the river each year. (NPS photo)
Recreation

Six weeks of legendary whitewater are about to begin on the Gauley in West Virginia

by David Sibray

SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — For six weekends beginning in September, controlled releases from Summersville Dam will turn the Gauley River in West Virginia into one of the world’s premier whitewater destinations. Veteran river guides say this year’s unusually wet conditions could add another variable to the celebrated fall season. The 2026 Gauley Season begins Sept. 11 … Read more

A couple walks a wooded trail at Pipestem Resort State Park, where the West Virginia Trails Conference will be held Nov. 8–10, 2026.
Recreation

West Virginia trails conference looks to turn outdoor recreation into community growth

by David Sibray

PIPESTEM, W.Va. — West Virginia communities seeking ways to attract residents, expand outdoor recreation, and turn existing natural and industrial resources into economic assets will be the focus of a statewide trails conference planned for November. The West Virginia Trails Conference is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, through Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Pipestem Resort State … Read more

Visitors descend into Organ Cave in Greenbrier County, one of the many West Virginia caverns around which generations of history, tradition and folklore have accumulated. Photographer to be determined.
Recreation

West Virginia cave lore—strange stories from beneath the Mountain State

by David Sibray

GRAFTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is riddled with caves, rock shelters, sinking streams, and dark openings in the mountains, so it is perhaps no surprise that generations of stories have accumulated around them. Some involve pioneers. Others involve Native Americans, soldiers, abolitionists, hunters, and fugitives. There are tales of murder, gunpowder-making, and men hiding underground. … Read more

Filmmaker Emma Crow-Willard pauses beside a mountain stream while hiking West Virginia's 320-mile Allegheny Trail. Her month-long journey combines backpacking with interviews exploring the changing economies of communities along the route.
Recreation

Most hikers have never heard of the Allegheny Trail. One filmmaker set out to discover why

by David Sibray

DURBIN, W.Va. — Millions of Americans know the Appalachian Trail as one of the nation’s premier hiking destinations. Far fewer realize that another long-distance footpath crosses West Virginia’s mountains, winding through forests, rivers, and remote communities before joining the Appalachian Trail at the Virginia border. Known as the Allegheny Trail, the route stretches approximately 320 … Read more

West Virginia anglers Ken Neer (left) and Sierra Adamson each caught state-record pumpkinseed sunfish in summer 2026. Adamson's catch surpassed Neer's record just 19 days after it established the species' first official place in the state's record books.
Recreation

West Virginia’s new state fishing record lasted 19 days before another angler broke it

by Will Reedy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It took West Virginia anglers more than a year to establish the state’s first official pumpkinseed sunfish record, and it took less than three weeks to break it. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has confirmed that two anglers made fishing history after landing back-to-back state-record pumpkinseed sunfish, one of the state’s … Read more