West Virginia Explorer - Travel, News & History

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The story behind Wheeling’s Mingo statue is more complicated than most people realize

Seeking shade and drinking plenty of water are among the simplest ways to stay safe during West Virginia's hot, humid summer weather. Outdoor experts recommend limiting strenuous activity during the hottest hours of the day and paying attention to the heat index rather than the temperature alone.

Health and Medicine

Why West Virginia’s humidity can be more dangerous than the temperature

Clyde Craig June 30, 2026

Medical students, including several wearing white lab coats, walk across the campus of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. The medical school is West Virginia's largest and leads the state in producing physicians who remain in West Virginia, practice primary care, and serve rural communities.

Health and Medicine

Robert C. Byrd Clinic Becomes WVSOM Health at W.Va. School of Osteopathic Medicine

The 230-foot America250 Wheel rises above the West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston during the state's official America250 Capital City Celebration. The observation wheel offers panoramic views of the capital city and is among the event's signature attractions. (Courtesy W.Va. Tourism)

Festivals / Events

Heading to Charleston for the Fourth? Here’s your guide to West Virginia’s America250 celebration

Construction crews build new homes in West Virginia, where communities are working to expand affordable housing and meet growing demand for workforce housing and rural economic development.

Lodging and Real Estate

West Virginia affordable housing group expands team as demand for rural development grows

Communities

West Virginia remains one of the strongest refuges for the insects in the eastern United States.

Fireflies are peaking across West Virginia this week. Here’s where to see them

Clyde Craig June 28, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Warm evenings, lush forests, and some of the darkest skies in the eastern United States are combining to create one of West Virginia’s most enchanting summer spectacles. Across much of the Mountain State, late June

A young couple hikes to an overlook in the Dolly Sods Wilderness, where elevations above 4,000 feet and expansive mountain vistas make the high country a refreshing escape during the Fourth of July holiday. (Photo: WV Tourism)

Why West Virginia may be the East’s best escape from the Fourth Of July heat

Bianca Bosworth June 27, 2026

BECKLEY, W.Va. — As much of the eastern United States prepares for another sweltering Fourth of July weekend, West Virginia may offer one of the region’s best ways to escape the heat. For millions of Americans planning a Fourth

A judge's bench stands ready for the next case. New research from West Virginia University found that while judges are increasingly using artificial intelligence to help organize information and improve efficiency, they remain committed to keeping judicial decisions in human hands. (Photo: Saúl Bucio)

West Virginia University study finds judges welcome AI, but say justice must stay human

June 25, 2026

Streams like this one may appear insignificant, but researchers say small mountain headwaters collectively play a major role in supplying and protecting Charleston's drinking water. (WVExplorer Photo)

Charleston’s drinking water depends on thousands of small mountain streams

June 24, 2026

A researcher adjusts laser-based equipment used to study plasma behavior in a laboratory setting. Scientists at West Virginia University are developing new methods that could advance technologies ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to spacecraft propulsion and fusion energy.

WVU researchers developing plasma tech that could improve computer chips, spacecraft and fusion energy

June 23, 2026

adventure tourism have become increasingly important drivers of the state's visitor economy. (Photo: David Sibray)

New outdoor expo to highlight West Virginia’s growing adventure tourism industry

June 23, 2026

Attractions

The Madonna of the Trail stands beside the historic National Road in Wheeling, honoring the pioneer women whose strength and sacrifice helped open the American frontier. The 1928 monument is one of only 12 identical statues erected across the United States. (Photo: David Sibray / WVExplorer)

The forgotten story behind Wheeling’s historic Madonna of the Trail monument

David Sibray June 26, 2026

WHEELING, W.Va. — Thousands of motorists pass it every day along the historic National Road. Many may glance up, see a stone woman carrying a child, and keep driving without realizing they’re looking at one of the nation’s

The Williams River flows through the Monongahela National Forest in Pocahontas and Webster counties. Road repairs planned for nearby Forest Road 86 could affect access to campgrounds, trailheads, and recreation areas in the Williams River and Cranberry regions this summer.

Road closures to affect access to Cranberry and Williams River recreation areas

Will Reedy June 21, 2026

RICHWOOD, W.Va. — Visitors planning trips to the Cranberry and Williams River regions of the Monongahela National Forest this summer should prepare for detours and temporary road closures as the U.S. Forest Service begins repairs to flood-damaged forest

The ancient Teays River flowed across present-day West Virginia millions of years before glaciers reshaped eastern North America and created the modern Ohio River system.

Ancient river once flowed across West Virginia before vanishing during the Ice Age

June 18, 2026

West Virginia Explorer publisher David Sibray explores a remote section of Tomlinson Run within Tomlinson Run State Park. The park protects one of the largest remaining forested watersheds in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle and supports plant communities uncommon elsewhere in the region.

Tomlinson Run preserves unusual Appalachian forest rarely found in Northern Panhandle

June 18, 2026

Cathedral Falls near Gauley Bridge, WV, Fayette County, New River Gorge Region

The West Virginia waterfall that stops travelers in their tracks

June 16, 2026

An elaborate system of boardwalks weaves throught the boulders at Beartown State Park.

Why Beartown State Park is one of West Virginia’s strangest places

June 15, 2026

Recreation

Illustration of a commercial rafting trip running whitewater beneath the New River Gorge Bridge in southern West Virginia. The state's combination of nationally recognized rivers, dramatic mountain scenery, and outdoor adventure has made it one of the East's premier rafting destinations.

Here’s why West Virginia is the East’s premier whitewater rafting capital

David Sibray June 26, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Travelers planning a whitewater rafting vacation in the East have no shortage of options. Pennsylvania is known for the Youghiogheny. Tennessee has the Olympic-tested Ocoee. North Carolina offers the Nantahala and French Broad. So why

A mature wild turkey gobbler displays during the spring breeding season in West Virginia. Once scarce across much of the state, wild turkeys have made one of North America's greatest wildlife recoveries and are now found in every West Virginia county. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Division of Natural Resources)

West Virginia’s wild turkeys have made one of America’s greatest wildlife comebacks

Will Reedy June 25, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It wasn’t long ago that hearing the gobble of wild turkeys at daybreak was a rare experience across much of West Virginia. By the early 1900s, unregulated hunting and widespread logging had pushed the state’s

More New River Gorge hikers are leaving Endless Wall for the Grandview Rim Trail

Bianca Bosworth June 15, 2026

GRANDVIEW, W.Va. — For years, two trails near Fayetteville have dominated conversations about hiking in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The Endless Wall Trail, a nationally recognized route that follows the rim of the gorge above

Volunteers gather on Peters Mountain near Franklin to help build a new trail system in the Monongahela National Forest during a hands-on trail-building workshop.

New Peters Mountain Trail System takes shape in Monongahela National Forest near Franklin

June 12, 2026

Rock climbing in the New River Gorge near the New River Gorge Bridge

Interior Department opens review of rock climbing policies affecting New River Gorge

June 11, 2026

Youth gather for a fishing tournament at the Bowden Fish Hatchery near Elkins, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)

Bowden Fish Hatchery to host free Youth Fishing Derby during W.Va. Free Fishing Days

June 9, 2026

Fisheries experts say the upward trend in fishing records is the result of several factors, including better stocking and water quality improvement.

Here’s why fishing records are being broken more often now in West Virginia

May 25, 2026

The Mourning Dove is one of the most abundant and widespread North American birds and a popular gamebird.

South Branch ends mourning dove permits; controlled hunt begin at Stonewall Jackson

May 11, 2026

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.

John Terry catches record-breaking tiger trout in lake at Seneca State Forest

May 10, 2026

One of the largest networks on the East Coast, the routes activate thousands of miles of gravel roads across the Mon Forest for visitors and communities. (Photo: Getty Images)

Gravel, bikepacking network connects towns across Monongahela National Forest region

May 7, 2026

Motorboats with engines larger than 10 horsepower are now permitted to operate at no-wake speed on Elk Fork, North Bend, O’Brien, Stonecoal, and Woodrum lakes.

Horsepower restrictions removed on five small lakes in West Virginia

May 6, 2026

Hunter Rohr, 15, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has caught a golden rainbow trout that set state records for length and weight.

Buckhannon teen Rohr catches record-breaking golden rainbow trout

May 3, 2026

Culture

Fireworks burst over Snowshoe Mountain during the resort's annual Independence Day celebration. From mountaintop resorts to historic river towns, communities across West Virginia host some of Appalachia's most memorable Fourth of July celebrations. (Courtesy Kurtis Schachner / Snowshoe Mountain)

Where to watch Fourth of July fireworks in West Virginia in 2026

Clyde Craig June 26, 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — From mountaintop resorts and lakeside parks to historic river towns and courthouse squares, West Virginia offers some of Appalachia’s most memorable Independence Day celebrations. This year carries added significance as communities across the Mountain State

An illustration depicts musicians performing at Grandview's Cliffside Amphitheater overlooking the New River Gorge. The annual Sounds of Appalachia program celebrates the mountain music, storytelling and cultural traditions of southern West Virginia. (Illustration/WVExplorer)

Why Appalachian music still echoes through West Virginia’s New River Gorge

David Sibray June 25, 2026

GRANDVIEW, W.Va. — Most visitors come to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve to hike its rugged trails, paddle its legendary whitewater, or stand in awe at the sweeping views from Grandview. But on Tuesday evening, attention

Rather than leveling the land, this contemporary West Virginia home in the Canaan Valley embraces the natural mountainside, illustrating how architects increasingly design with the state's steep terrain instead of trying to overcome it. (Illustration courtesy Mills Group)

How modern engineering is changing the way people live in West Virginia’s mountains

Bianca Bosworth June 25, 2026

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For generations, West Virginia’s steep mountainsides posed one of the state’s greatest challenges for homebuilders. Deep hollows, narrow ridges, and rugged slopes left little level ground for construction, so communities developed along river bottoms and

The Mingo Statue has greeted travelers atop Wheeling Hill since 1928. Created by Wheeling artist Henry Beu, the monument honors Native peoples associated with the Ohio Valley and remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks. (Photo: David Sibray)

Lore and Legend

Wild Man of West Virginia? Orval Brown, the famed "Wild Man of Clay County, reportedly spent much of his youth sleeping in caves

Real Estate

Mineral Rights in West Virginia: A majority of lawnowners in West Virginia are unaffected by the ownership of minerals beneath the surface.

History and Prehistory

Illustration of the 1944 Shinnston tornado in Harrison County, West Virginia, one of the deadliest tornadoes in state history.

State Parks

National Trails Day encourages people of all ages to get outdoors, connect with their community, and become trail stewards.

Hunting

Black bears: The 2025 black bear harvest fell just ten bears short of the 2024 total of 2,479.

Fishing

Matt Born of Reedsville, West Virginia, has caught a new state record chain pickerel.

Hiking

Held at 21 state parks and forests across West Virginia, the First Day hikes are part of a nationwide New Year’s Day tradition designed to promote outdoor recreation.

Skiing

White Grass has long been a magnet for visitors from Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mountain River Media)

National Parks

Kayaking

Kayakers On The Ohio River in West Virginia

Whitewater Rafting

Biking

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