Shady Spring, West Virginia (WV), is an unincorporated community in Raleigh County named for a spring that bubbled in the shade of a large tree there. It is also sometimes designated "Shady Springs." Its population in 2010 was 2,998.
The community is chiefly residential and is renowned for its relatively cool climate and access to outdoor recreation. The New River Gorge National Park is within three miles of Shady Spring to the northeast, and Winterplace Ski Resort is a drive of about 10 minutes to the south.
The gated Glade Springs resort community, which includes three championship golf courses, is located in and adjacent to Shady Spring. Little Beaver State Park, a 562-acre public preserve renowned for its hiking and biking, is located just outside the community.
Shady Spring also lends its name to the surrounding magisterial district, which includes the communities of Grandview, Cool Ridge, White Oak, Daniels, Beaver, and Ghent. Flat Top Lake, a gated residential community, is located in the southern district near Winterplace Ski Resort.
Demographics & Economic Snapshot
The population of Shady Spring is aging slightly, now at a median age of 42.3, and showing a modest decline (–3.5% from 2022 to 2023), according to Data USA. Despite that, median household income rose over 10%, reaching $70,792 in 2023. Homeownership stands strong at about 90%, and median property values have surged to $192,000—a nearly 21% increase over one year.
The racial makeup remains predominantly white (more than 92%), with Black or African American residents constituting roughly 6% of the population. Nearly all households reported English as the primary language, and almost all residents are U.S. citizens.
History
Located along a natural passage through the Appalachian Mountains, the spring and community played a significant role in regional history. Long before European settlement, a Native American trail led through the area and likely visited the spring. It's possible that Mary Draper Ingles saw the spring during her captivity and travel with the Shawnee in 1755.
After 1785, when the last native peoples relinquished their claim to western Virginia, the area began to be settled by Europeans. An inn and tavern were developed nearby by the Hull Brothers in 1832, and soon after, the Virginia Assembly provided for the organization of two primitive turnpikes, wagon roads that were to converge at the spring—the Giles, Fayette, and Kanawha Turnpike and the Raleigh, Wythe, and Grayson Turnpike.
Rutherford B. Hayes visited the area during the Civil War and described the spring as remarkably large. "The water gushes out copiously, runs on the surface a few rods, and runs again into the earth,” he said.
In "A History of Shady Spring District," compiled and published by the Shady Spring District Woman’s Club, 1979, the following description appears:
"The ‘Shady Spring’ was an enduring landmark, never known to ‘run dry,’ it served as a focal point for the community, especially for the women, many of whom would come bearing washtubs and other paraphernalia required to do the family laundry. So they saved the effort of carrying water to their homes and visited with neighbors at the same time. Residents recall that the spring’s water was pure and sweet until it fell into disuse with the advent of more convenient arrangements, and finally, with the construction of Route 3 in the '30s, it became clogged with debris.” The spring still bubbles forth in a glade near the junction of US-19 and WV-3.
In the early 1900s, the two roads were improved as highways US-19 and WV-3, and the area began to develop as a residential outlier of the City of Beckley. Praised for its rurality and climate, "Shady," as the area is colloquially known, became a focus for vacation home development. The Flat Top Lake vacation community was established nearby in 1950, and the resort community at Glade Springs opened in 1973.
Shady Spring Park
Over the years, civic leaders have proposed the establishment of a small public park at the site of the original Shady Spring at the junction of WV-3 and US-19. Various designs have called for a walking trail, a monument, the improvement of the spring itself, and the planting of a tree thereat. An alternative design for the widening of US-19 includes a park proposal. A historic marker has been placed about a quarter mile north of the spring site.
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Climate
The region's upland climate is notable for its cool summer nights and moderate winters that benefit from intermittent heavy snows. The growing season typically lasts six months, from late April to mid-October. The autumn leaf change is exceptionally brilliant and extends from September into December. The warm season lasts May through September, during which daily high temperatures average 71 degrees. The cold season lasts from December through February, during which temperatures reach an average low of 24 degrees and an average high of 39.
Lodging near Shady Spring, West Virginia
Shady Spring is notably the home of Glade Springs Resort, home of three championship golf courses. A growing number of cabins and bed-and-breakfasts are opening in the area.
Parks & Public Recreation
Shady Spring is within a 30-minute drive of many parks and recreation areas, including the New River Gorge National Park.
- Little Beaver State Park
- Camp Creek State Park
- Bluestone State Park
- Bluestone National Scenic River
- Bluestone Wildlife Management Area
- Grandview (National Park Area)
- Glade Creek Trails (National Park Area)
- Sandstone Falls (National Park Area)
Housing Trends & Lifestyle
Shady Spring’s housing landscape skews toward owner‑occupied single-family homes, particularly with three- and four-bedroom designs. Mobile homes comprise a significant minority (~29%), while vacancies hover at an elevated 12.8%, which may be tempering home valuation growth. The town reported one of the highest short-term appreciation rates in the nation in recent quarters (~22.8% annual).
Residents describe the area as a pleasant suburban‑rural blend—quiet, neighborly, and family oriented—but also acknowledge limited local amenities, meaning car travel to Beckley is almost always needed for shopping, entertainment, or services
Location
Shady Spring is located at the junction of highways US-19 and WV-3, approximately seven miles north of the I-77 expressway at Ghent, West Virginia, 15 miles west of Hinton, West Virginia, and seven miles south of the I-64 expressway at Beckley, West Virginia.
Map of Shady Spring, West Virginia
Regional Information
Shady Spring is located in the New River Gorge Region in southern West Virginia.
