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.
LANSING, W.Va. — The Endless Wall Trail has again been ranked one of the best hiking trails in the U.S., though officials with the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve say hikers can expect crowds and may wish to consider alternate trails. Following an article in The Discoverer, park ranger Dave Bieri concurred that … Read more
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Hiking in West Virginia in winter can prove a transcendent experience. Nothing compares to a stroll through a wonderland of snow and frozen waterfalls. Even in low-lying valleys where snow seldom lingers, a walk through the sleeping landscape can be life-changing. Winter hiking in West Virginia also presents its own set of … Read more
GALLIPOLIS FERRY, W.Va. — For the fourth year in a row, the West Virginia state record for the largest blue catfish by weight has been broken. According to the W.Va. Division of National Resources, Michael John Drake of Saint Albans, West Virginia, caught and released a blue catfish that weighed 69.45 pounds and measured 50.51 … Read more
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — December hunting season for deer and bear in West Virginia is underway, according to officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. Hikers, bikers, hunters, and other explorers of the outdoors in West Virginia are reminded to wear blaze orange when wandering forests through the remainder of 2023. Hunters are required … Read more
SINKS GROVE, W.Va. — Unknown to many residents of the Greenbrier Valley in southern West Virginia, a six-mile crack in the surface of the earth has been hiding beneath their feet. Visible only from the air, the “Monitor Lineament” is one of the strangest landforms in this scenic landscape of bluegrass pastures, vanishing brooks, and … Read more
WEBSTER SPRINGS, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources will stock trout on the upper Elk River and its back fork in November and December as part of a pilot program to evaluate economic impact. Though in one of the more remote reaches of the state near Webster Springs, the upper Elk and its … Read more
BECKLEY, W.Va. — With its walkable towns and seemingly limitless hiking trails, West Virginia is ideally suited to “rucking,” an extremely accessible exercise growing in popularity both as a group pursuit and a solitary endeavor. Rucking, or simply walking with a weighted backpack, is relatively easy and inexpensive and can provide for dramatic weight loss, … Read more
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With the raccoon hunting season underway, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is reminding hunters and trappers that the state’s various furbearer trapping and small game hunting seasons will open on Nov. 4. Small game hunting and trapping seasons open on Nov. 4 include those for red and gray fox, … Read more
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources stocked 43 during the first week of fall trout stocking, and two anglers have already entered valid tag numbers into the Monster Trout Contest. According to officials, during the weeks of October 16 and 23, the state is stocking more than 40,000 pounds of trophy-size … Read more
SNOWSHOE, W.Va. — In advance of a strong El Niño, officials at Snowshoe Mountain have announced plans to open skiing and snowboarding on the day before Thanksgiving, weather permitting, featuring a new chairlift and an action-packed 2023-2024 events calendar. Snowshoe president Patti Duncan says crews are installing a new chair lift in advance of the … Read more
