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Bear activity increasing in national parks in W.Va. as officials urge visitors be ‘Bear Aware’
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — As bear activity increases across national parks and public lands in West Virginia this spring and summer, state and federal wildlife officials are urging visitors to take extra precautions while hiking, camping, and exploring the Mountain State’s forests. The National Park Service recently issued a nationwide reminder encouraging visitors to practice bear … Read more
More Americans, notably Gen Z, are moving to West Virginia, new census analysis shows
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has long been associated with outmigration, but new data tell a different story. The Mountain State now ranks among the nation’s top states for net domestic migration, according to Emilia Man, senior research analyst at StorageCafe. Man said an analysis of 2024 U.S. Census data sharply contrasts with the state’s … Read more
Attractions
Visitor center opens as Elk River Trail extends toward West Virginia capital city, Charleston
CLAY, W.Va. — A visitor center and more than four miles of trail have been added to the 73-mile Elk River Trail in central West Virginia, a hiking and biking route that shares its path with the Elk River Water Trail, a popular kayak destination. The new center will open at a public open house … Read more
Rocket Boys event at Pipestem headlines kids’ day at seven W.Va. state parks
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The “Rocket Boys” of Coalwood—the small-town students whose homemade rocket experiments inspired a bestselling memoir and Hollywood film—will be honored at Pipestem Resort State Park during the inaugural West Virginia Hall of Fame induction ceremony during National Kids-to-Parks Day on May 16. The event is scheduled to take place from 4-6 p.m. … Read more
Recreation
South Branch ends mourning dove permits; controlled hunt begin at Stonewall Jackson
ROMNEY, W.Va. — Mourning dove hunters no longer need to apply for a limited permit to hunt at the South Branch Wildlife Management Area in Hardy and Hampshire counties. They will now be able to hunt doves in two fields in the Stonewall Jackson Wildlife Management Area in Lewis County. Both two-day hunting seasons are … Read more
John Terry catches record-breaking tiger trout in lake at Seneca State Forest
MARLINTON, W.Va. — John Terry, of Gallagher, in Kanawha County, set a new state record for tiger trout on March 19 by catching a 29.13-inch, 11.04-pound tiger trout from Seneca Lake in Pocahontas County. The trophy catch surpasses the previous state length record of 28.7 inches recorded by Mike Connelly in 2011 at Krodel Lake … Read more
Lore and Legend
The horrors of Skull Run recounted by late West Virginia historian
SKULL RUN, W.Va. — A traveler motoring through the pastures in this wooded section off the Ohio River might have little idea of the dark tales that have arisen there. With its grazing cattle, it seems a world away from warfare, but according to the late historian Nathan Goff Carder, its red clay isn’t all … Read more
Giant skeletons and buried copper plates—a strange Marion County folktale
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — In the hills and river bottoms of Marion County in north-central West Virginia, stories have long circulated that blur the line between frontier memory and myth. Few are as strange or as enduring as a tale recorded by the late historian Glenn D. Lough in his book “Now and Long Ago: A … Read more
Real Estate
This may look like a 1980s Pizza Hut, but it’s a vacation rental in West Virginia
Fayetteville, W.Va. — What began as a search for an affordable retirement option has turned into one of southern West Virginia’s most imaginative tourism ventures. Nate Adams and his wife, Rachel Adkins, are the founders of Appalachian Escapes, a growing collection of themed vacation rentals near the New River that combine art, storytelling, and Appalachian culture. … Read more
Nightfall’s Value: Light pollution can diminish real estate worth in W.Va.
WINFIELD, W.Va. — An increasing number of new West Virginia residents are being drawn to its rolling hills and quiet valleys to escape brightly lit cities and reclaim the enchantment of pitch‑dark night skies. But while the dark skies represent a precious amenity, the creeping glare of artificial lighting—known as light pollution—is quietly eroding the … Read more
Latest News
National Forests
Partnership to enhance more than 500 miles of Monongahela National Forest trails
History / Prehistory
Few may recall 1779 Pauley massacre fought in the shadow of East River Mountain
Economic Development
Applications open for West Virginia First small business growth program
Lore and Legend
The house that vanished overnight: West Virginia’s Neerly House haunting
Wildlife / Conservancy
Biologists in West Virginia warn the public to leave young wildlife alone
State Parks, Forests
Visitor center opens as Elk River Trail extends toward West Virginia capital city, Charleston
Wildlife / Conservancy
Bear activity increasing in national parks in W.Va. as officials urge visitors be ‘Bear Aware’
State Parks, Forests
Rocket Boys event at Pipestem headlines kids’ day at seven W.Va. state parks
Festivals / Events