West Virginia State Parks Foundation launches online merchandise store
HURRICANE, W.Va. — The West Virginia State Parks Foundation has launched an official online merchandise store, offering supporters a new way to celebrate West Virginia’s parks while directly supporting projects across the state park system. The online shop features T-shirts and sweatshirts…
Most Popular Stories
West Virginia hosts outdoor economy summit as communities rethink economics
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For many West Virginia communities, outdoor recreation is no longer a quality-of-life extra. It’s the new economic…
W.Va. DNR to sponsor West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show in Charleston
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources will sponsor the annual West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show, set for Jan. 23–25 at…
West Virginia Pepperoni Roll Museum to open this spring in Fayetteville
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — One of the most iconic foods in West Virginia is getting its own permanent home. Rachel Adkins, best known locally as a…
Hot This Week
Webinar examines housing stairway safety in growing West Virginia small towns
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As remote work reshapes where Americans choose to live, small-town housing in West Virginia has emerged as a central issue in…
The house that vanished overnight: West Virginia’s Neerly House haunting
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — At least two mysteries tangle in the tale of the Neerly house. What happened to the house? What happened to “old man Neerly?…
Morrisey awards $2.1 million for business-ready sites in 23 W.Va. counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ahead of the start of the 2026 legislative session, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has awarded $2.1 million in grants aimed at preparing…
Elk visitor center and viewing tower are coming to southern W.Va.
LOGAN, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is reviewing bids for constructing an elk viewing tower and visitor center to be built in the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in Logan County. According to Gov. Jim Justice, the state has awarded $2.5 million…
West Virginia to introduce more elk, create new elk visitor center
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources will introduce 40 new elk to the Mountain State’s growing herd in 2024 and create a visitors center and observation tower in Logan County to help wildlife enthusiasts observe the animals in a natural setting….
Historic Jenny Gap tunnel in West Virginia once stolen by a railroad
LESTER, W.Va. — Railroad companies in the early 1900s bored six tunnels through Guyandotte Mountain to extract coal from the last undeveloped coalfield in the state. By far the most famous, the tunnel at Jenny Gap roars like a banshee when trains rumble through,…
Lone country church in southern West Virginia has unexpected history
TAMS, W.Va. — Most folks who come across the New Salem Baptist Church in southern West Virginia believe it to be abandoned. In cosmetic disrepair and seemingly far from any habitation, it routinely evokes strong feelings among the visitors who happen across it and…
Boat rental concessionaire needed at Lake Sherwood in the Monongahela
NEOLA, W.Va. — Officials with the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia are soliciting applications from people interested in operating and maintaining the boat rental facilities at Lake Sherwood Recreation Area. The boat rental area at Lake Sherwood includes a…
Nine W.Va. state parks and natural areas host guided hikes Jan. 1
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Guided hikes in nine state parks and natural areas in West Virginia are being hosted on January 1, 2024, as part of a nationwide outdoor recreation initiative instituted by America’s State Parks. Hailing the opportunity to start the new year…
Old-fashioned sled park in West Virginia longest on East Coast
DAVIS, W.Va. — Nothing beats an old-fashioned ride on a sled, and one of the nation’s longest sled runs, at Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia, is confirmed to be the largest on the East Coast. As old-school as sledding may be, the park is attracting…
Rail excursion takes guests to the High Falls of the Cheat River
BEMIS, W.Va. — I’ve done many crazy things to get to a waterfall. Most involved hiking perilously up their rocky flanks. They often involved falling flat on my kiester or buckling down on my knees, wondering for the millionth time why I didn’t have a rope, donkey, or…
Lawmaker says Congress key to halting national park demolitions
OAK HILL, W.Va. — West Virginians may need to turn to Congress to rescue historic landmarks that the National Park Service has slated for demolition in America’s newest national park, an alarmed state lawmaker says. Republican state delegate Elliott Pritt says…
Think you’ve found an archaeological site in W.Va.? Here’s what to do next.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Some of the most common requests fielded by the Council for West Virginia Archaeology come from members of the public who have found what may or may not be an archaeological site. Invariably, there’s a lot of excitement as the mystery of the…
America’s newest national park could suffer historical demolitions
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. – Unable to secure funds to sustain them, the National Park Service has announced plans to demolish more than 30 structures and ruins, including more than 20 listed on the National Register of Historic Places in southern West Virginia. Per federal…
Prehistoric relic on display in West Virginia was discovered by accident
CEREDO, W.Va. — On the south side of Main Street in the Town of Ceredo, West Virginia, a small community along the Ohio River in Wayne County, the Ceredo Historical Society Museum is home to a remarkable artifact. The modest, one-room structure at the end of a row of…
Splash into Fun: The Six Best Waterparks in West Virginia (2025 Guide)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s natural beauty is world-famous, but when summer heat hits, the state’s waterparks become top destinations for families and thrill-seekers looking to cool off with some splashing fun. Whether you want a giant inflatable obstacle…
The best East Coast stargazing? Discover West Virginia dark-sky wonders
MOUNT ZION, W.Va. — If you’re searching for the best places to stargaze on the East Coast, West Virginia should be at the top of your list. With some of the darkest skies in the eastern United States, the Mountain State is fast becoming a haven for amateur astronomers…
The histories of the Grimes Golden and Golden Delicious apples in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va.— Around 1790, in a small clearing on a ridge above Wellsburg, West Virginia, a pioneer settler named Edward Cranford planted a nursery of apple trees from seed, hoping one day to turn them into a productive orchard. Apple trees grown from seed rarely…
Federal downsizing creates real estate opportunity near new national park
MOUNT HOPE, W.Va. — Federal downsizing has created a remarkable commercial real estate opportunity in southern West Virginia near the nation’s newest national park—an opportunity that’s attracting plenty of attention after a price drop. Once home to the…
The Guyandotte River rediscovered as a destination for angling, paddling
GUYANDOTTE, W.Va. — Rivers in West Virginia have gained enormous popularity as travel destinations, thanks to cleaner water and better highway access. Yet the Guyandotte River, winding through the state’s southwestern mountains, has remained largely unknown, and…
West Virginia leads the nation in deer-vehicle collisions
DEERWALK, W.Va. — Vehicle collisions with deer in West Virginia are more than just a nuisance. They’re a statistical certainty. For more than a decade, the mountainous Appalachian state has ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for deer-vehicle collisions. Drivers on West…
Breeze Airways expands service in West Virginia with new Charleston route
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Breeze Airways is soaring to new heights in central West Virginia, unveiling plans to open five new non-stop flights through Charleston, West Virginia, over the next two years. The fast-growing, low-cost carrier will expand operations at West…
Black‑eyed Susan in West Virginia—a golden gift of summer
EGERIA, W.Va. — As summer unfolds, brilliant yellow blooms emerge along fields, forests, and roadsides in West Virginia. In many cases, the show is put on by Rudbeckia hirta, widely known as the Black‑eyed Susan. These iconic flowers, with their dark “eyes” and sunny…
West Virginia poised to thrive in lucrative heritage tourism market
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia is poised to outpace other U.S. states in lucrative heritage tourism, which is now the largest sector of the U.S. travel market, says David Sibray, historian and publisher of West Virginia Explorer. Focused on travel to museums,…
West Virginia Explorer celebrates 25th anniversary with redesigned website, travel guide
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s premier online magazine for travel, history, and outdoor adventure, West Virginia Explorer is celebrating its 25th anniversary by unveiling a series of new logos and a fully redesigned website, including an expanded webzine and…
West Virginia seeks public input on wildlife plan at July open houses
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will hold a series of public meetings in July to collect input on its State Wildlife Action Plan, which is currently under review. The plan, also known as SWAP, serves as a roadmap for conserving West…
W.Va. police launch crackdown on boating under the influence for July 4-6
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As West Virginians gear up to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, family gatherings, and time on the water, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is taking a strong stance to ensure those festivities don’t end in tragedy. From July…
Civil War letters from W.Va. reveal marriage that defied secession
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — John James Davis was shocked to learn that the Virginia Convention had endorsed secession on April 17, 1861. A Clarksburg lawyer, he was devoted to the Union and believed the decision was wrong. A few days later, he sent off a letter to his…
Tiny “Two Mules and a Pony” rail line ran in eastern panhandle of W.Va.
BURLINGTON, W.Va. — Railroads in West Virginia are most often associated with the export of coal and timber, but at least one small railway in the state’s eastern panhandle was built for fruit. The Twin Mountains and Potomac Railroad, otherwise known as the…
Tyler Childers performs old song by rebel West Virginia fiddler “Devil Sol”
CLAY, W.Va. — In 2020, Kentucky fiddler Tyler Childers released his fourth studio album, Long Violent History, a collection of traditional fiddle tunes. Among the selections is his interpretation of an old fiddle tune called “Camp Chase.” While the title refers to a…
Does a monster lurk in the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia?
CUNARD, W.Va. — Tales of a “monster” said to haunt the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia have surfaced in recent years, and a lodging entrepreneur who’s developed a cryptid-themed vacation rental is looking for corroborating…
Herds of wild hog once roamed the hills and mountains of West Virginia
GRANTSVILLE, W.Va. — Occasionally, you might hear old-timers speak of a time when herds of wild hogs were hunted in the West Virginia hills. Chances are, they never witnessed such a hunt, as the practice was a tradition so long ago that they likely heard of it from…
Inferno on the River: Confederate raid on Burning Springs, West Virginia
BURNING SPRINGS, W.Va. — On the night of May 9, 1863, a conflagration lit up the skies along the Little Kanawha River at Burning Springs at the site of the famous Rathbone Well, the first major oil well in West Virginia. As part of a Confederate initiative to injure…
Three facts about the Mothman legend few monster hunters know
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — America’s quintessential Atomic Age monster, Mothman continues to attract attention in the Ohio Valley, so much so that more than 30,000 visitors attended the annual Mothman Festival in West Virginia. As much as people might know or…
Statue of Abraham Lincoln at West Virginia Capitol took years to realize
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There is perhaps no more extraordinary place of honor for a statue in West Virginia than in the plaza in front of its state Capitol. And perhaps there is no better statue to raise there than that of Abraham Lincoln, who signed the proclamation that…
Tale of Kanawha County monster may have first been documented in 1950s
PINCH, W.Va. — The legend of a now well-publicized West Virginia monster known regionally as the “White Thing” may have first been documented by a folklore student from Kanawha County in the late 1950s. The tale of the mysterious “malevolent”…
Heritage on display at W.Va.’s Vandalia Gathering this weekend
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — This weekend, the grounds of the West Virginia Capitol will host the 48th Vandalia Gathering, the state’s annual celebration of West Virginia heritage. Thousands of visitors from around the state and nation attend the event, which is free to the…
Bigfoot sightings near Sutton, West Virginia, have historic precedent
SUTTON, W.Va. — Sightings of a bigfoot alleged in the wilderness surrounding Sutton Lake in central West Virginia may have a historical precedent. According to Andrew Smith, executive director of the Braxton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, old news clippings…
The secret origins of Twistabout Creek’s twisting W.Va. name
PROCIOUS, W.Va. — The strange name of Twistabout Creek in the mountains of central West Virginia may still be a mystery, says a historian questioning a popular local origin story. Cascading down from Twistabout Ridge to join the Elk River in a particularly scenic…
Applications available for limited-permit area antlerless deer hunts
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.VA. — Applications to hunt in 12 limited-permit areas in West Virginia during the 2023 antlerless deer season are now available, according to officials with the W.Va Division of Natural Resources. The limited-permit areas provide antlerless deer…
W.Va. reports 19% increase in number of stocked trout in 2023
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Thanks to its investment in hatcheries, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources stocked nearly 130,000 more trout in 2023 than in 2022, according to officials. Between January and May, division staff stocked 802,481 trout in lakes and…
Guyandotte River float, regatta scheduled for June 24
GILBERT, W.Va. — Officials with the Guyandotte Water Trail Alliance are inviting paddlers and residents of the Guyandotte Valley in West Virginia to float the scenic river during the third annual Guyandotte River Regatta & Float. Being celebrated June 24 at four…
W.Va. records largest spring turkey harvest in five years
FARMINGTON, W.VA. — According to preliminary data released by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources on Wednesday, hunters in the Mountain State harvested 12,217 bearded turkeys during the spring gobbler season. According to Brett McMillion, director of the…
West Virginia stocks catfish in Mountain State lakes, ponds
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has stocked 28 waters around the Mountain State with catfish, the agency announced on Wednesday. Between May 31 and June 2, the following waters were stocked: Anawalt Lake Anderson Lake Babcock State Park Lake…
Resort re-introduces sunset rafting trips in the New River Gorge
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Old-time river rafters know that nothing compares to a sunset whitewater journey through the New River Gorge in West Virginia. The long shadows and warm evening breezes make for a transcendent romantic experience. Thanks to increased travel to…
West Virginia Free Fishing Weekend to take place June 10–11
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice announced today that Free Fishing Weekend in West Virginia will return June 10-11, 2023, and encouraged anglers and their families to plan a trip. The Free Fishing Weekend is part of a nationwide effort to make fishing more…
Section of Greenbrier River Trail reopens near Lewisburg
LEWISBURG, W.Va. — A two-mile section of the Greenbrier River Trail near Lewisburg, West Virginia, is scheduled to reopen nine months ahead of schedule, allowing locals and tourists to fully access the popular trail for the Memorial Day weekend. The trail had been…
Mourning dove hunt applications available for South Branch
OLD FIELDS, W.Va. — Applications for a controlled mourning dove hunt at the South Branch Wildlife Management Area in Hardy County in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia are now available, according to officials at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources….
Ghost towns in southern West Virginia attracting trout anglers
TAMS, W.Va. — Some of southern West Virginia’s historic ghost towns are attracting the attention of trout anglers nationwide as the region recovers from the coal mining boom of the early 20th century. Descending from mountains once known chiefly for their coal,…
Restoration paves way for trout fishing at Kanawha State Forest
LOUDONDALE, W.Va. — A stream restoration project designed to improve fishing and recreation at Kanawha State Forest near Charleston, West Virginia, has been completed, according to West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice. Started in 2020, the project was a significant…
Gov. announces 2022 W.Va. Big Buck Photo Contest winners
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice today announced the winners of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources second annual Big Buck Photo Contest. The 20 youth and five adult winners were announced at a press conference at the State Capitol on Wednesday….
Recent Posts
Morrisey awards $2.1 million for business-ready sites in 23 W.Va. counties
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ahead of the start of the 2026 legislative session, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has awarded $2.1 million in grants aimed at preparing “business-ready” development sites across 23 counties in West Virginia. In an announcement released Monday from…
West Virginia trout stocking Jan. 5: biologists stock 46 waters statewide
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources in Charleston announced that hatchery crews stocked trout in 46 lakes and streams across West Virginia during the week of Jan. 5, continuing the agency’s winter trout-stocking program. West…
Jan. 15 marks Midwinter Day, but the most wintry weather is ahead in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — By mid-January, many West Virginians will notice a subtle but welcome change: daylight is beginning to stretch a little longer each afternoon. That small gain of sunlight can create the impression that winter is already easing its grip….
Ticks on the rise in West Virginia: WVU experts warn of Lyme, alpha-gal risks
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two West Virginia University experts are warning residents and visitors that ticks are more prevalent than ever, and encounters with them are increasingly causing serious health risks. According to Timothy Driscoll, an associate professor of…