West Virginia Travel Safety: What it means for residents and visitors in 2026
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Travel safety in West Virginia is shaped less by headline-grabbing crime and more by geography, weather, and the realities of rural travel. For West Virginians and the growing number of tourists drawn by the state’s mountains, rivers, and small towns, that distinction matters….
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Milder-than-average winter favored for West Virginia through February
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the calendar passes Midwinter Day on Jan. 15, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say late…
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?…
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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…
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…
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…
Surprising facts about W.Va.’s quintessential biscuit restaurant
HURRICANE, W.Va. — Known for its made-from-scratch biscuit sandwiches, Tudor’s Biscuit World has been a staple of Appalachian cuisine since it first opened and is one of the only fast-food chains of its size to originate in West Virginia. Elizabeth Epling, the…
Extraordinary rock “castle” being rediscovered in West Virginia town
PINEVILLE, W.Va. — Looming above the county seat of Wyoming County amid the mountains of southern West Virginia, a “forgotten” pinnacle of sandstone more than 125 feet tall is attracting attention again as tourism grows in the region. Castle Rock, or The…
Seventeen new W.Va. historic sites added to national register in 2023
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Seventeen new historic sites have been added to the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia in 2023, spanning every corner of the state and including schools, churches, farms, historic districts, and some 379 individual resources….
W.Va. to provide second Christmas tree to Washington, D.C.
ELKINS, W.Va. — West Virginia has been asked to furnish a second Christmas tree to Washington, D.C., this year — to appear on the Ellipse near the Washington Monument. While a first tree is being delivered to the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, a second tree has been…
Fire in New River Gorge in W.Va. now at 70 percent containment
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — According to National Park Service officials, a forest fire that has swept over more than 2,000 acres in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in southern West Virginia is now at 70 percent containment. Known as the Steep Valley Fire, it…
Facts about the West Virginia-grown U.S. Capitol Christmas tree
HARMAN, W.Va. — A West Virginia-grown Christmas tree harvested in the Monongahela National Forest will adorn the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 2023 — the third time a West Virginia tree has appeared on the grounds that look across the National…
Monongahela National Forest sets winter 2023-’24 schedule
ELKINS, W.Va. — Most of the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia is open year-round, closing only when access roads are snow-covered, though some developed campgrounds, picnic areas, and visitor centers routinely close from late fall through mid-spring….
Monongahela National Forest plans prescribed burns in fall, winter
ELKINS, W.Va. — Staff at the Monongahela National Forest in eastern West Virginia plan to conduct prescribed burns and pile burns in Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Grant, and Pendleton counties this fall and winter, weather permitting. According to Kelly Bridges, a…
Park program adds fishing line receptacles on New, Gauley rivers
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — Nine popular fishing spots along the New and Gauley rivers in southern West Virginia now have receptacles for anglers to dispose of fishing lines, courtesy of the Friends of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The receptacles are mounted on…
Elk management tours return to Chief Logan State Park in West Virginia
LOGAN, W.Va. — Tickets for guided tours of southern West Virginia’s elk management area are available and expected to sell out quickly, according to state officials. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and West Virginia State Parks announce the…
State park restaurants to feature enhanced West Virginia cuisine
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Restaurants at state parks across West Virginia will begin sourcing local ingredients and refreshing their menus with native flair, thanks to the enlistment of a groundbreaking chef known for his exploration of native cuisine. Known widely as…
New River Gorge national park generated $96.1 million in 2022
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The National Park Service’s 2022 report on visitor spending has found that the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in southern West Virginia generated $96.1 million in economic output and supported 1,044 jobs. More than 1.5 million park…
More scenic stops for summer as W.Va. adds to “Almost Heaven” Swing Trail
SPENCER, W.Va. — Travelers exploring West Virginia this summer will have even more opportunities to capture picture-perfect moments, as the number of “Almost Heaven” photo-ops across the state has grown to 43. The W.Va. Department of Tourism announced the expansion of…
Poison ivy in West Virginia: How to identify and safely eliminate it
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Poison ivy is more than just a notorious plant and a source of good stories in West Virginia. It’s a leading cause of itchy, blistering rashes for hikers, gardeners, and outdoor workers. As the warm months usher in prime growing conditions for this…
WVU discovers widespread microplastics in Appalachian streams
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — While West Virginia is known for its scenic streams, dropping fresh in falls and chutes from the Appalachian Mountains, all is not necessarily well. When West Virginia University biology undergraduate student Isabella Tuzzio tested fish from…
W.Va. Natural Resources partners with youth in stream restoration
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is working with West Virginia youth to help restore stream habitat in the state and has completed two projects in Mercer and Pocahontas counties. The division recently hosted cadets from the Mountaineer…
Invasive Box Tree Moth has reached West Virginia’s eastern panhandle
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The W.Va. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of the Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in Berkeley County, marking the first detection of the invasive pest in West Virginia. Native to East Asia, the Box Tree Moth feeds…
What to do if you come across an abandoned fawn in West Virginia
CREDE, W.Va. — Spring and early summer are peak seasons for deer births, and it’s not uncommon for people to stumble upon a solitary fawn nestled in tall grass, under a tree, or even in their backyard. With no mother in sight, the instinct for many of us is to…
Pink or white — which rhododendron bears the official W.Va. state flower?
GRANDVIEW, W.Va. — Two prominent species of rhododendron bloom in West Virginia in spring and summer, but only one bears the official state flower. Pale pink or magenta— which blossom is the official state flower? Flourishing from late May through July, no other…
Even in West Virginia suburbs, unprotected food sources attract bears
WHEELING, W.Va. — Once rare in many parts of West Virginia, black bears are now found in all counties, and officials are reminding residents that interactions increase in spring, when care should be taken to secure food. Even in suburban areas, residents should bring…
Whispers in the Forest: The secret world of W.Va.’s wild ferns
RENICK, W.Va. — Ferns may be among the most overlooked plants in the West Virginia woodlands, though more than 50 species thrive in its mountains, according to native plant expert Barry Glick. “I can’t claim to be an expert in fern identification, and that’s not…
WVU helping farmers nationally boost profits through agritourism
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — To help farmers and ranchers incorporate agritourism into their business models, a West Virginia University researcher is gathering a team of national experts to develop guidelines for generating agritourism revenue. Agritourism is boosting the…
Want to increase your property value? Plant a shade tree, West Virginia
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Want to increase your property value? Plant a shade tree. Want to charge more for goods and services in your shop or restaurant? Plant a shade tree. Especially in West Virginia, where tourists come for shade in summer and color in autumn, shady…
Sarvis Tree blossoms signal the arrival of mountain spring in W.Va.
SANDYVILLE, W.Va. — Seasons can come and go in the temperate regions of the world with many false starts, but in the Appalachian Mountains, folks know spring has arrived when the tiny white flowers of the Sarvis Tree blossom. When the tree’s blossoms appeared in…
Was mysterious “lunatic” first to discover what would become W.Va.?
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — One enduring West Virginia legend posits that the first person of European descent to visit the land now within the boundaries of the Mountain State was a “lunatic.” The late Jim Comstock, publisher of the celebrated West Virginia…
Remote monument recalls origins of Farley family in New River valley
PIPESTEM, W.Va. — Many of the thousands of people named “Farley” in the New River valley region in southern West Virginia trace their lineage back to one early settler, Drewry Farley. He and his wife, Mary Adkins Farley, established their family in an…
West Virginia mountains provided refuge for wayward “Indian fighter”
CRANY, W.Va. — How did the grave of a soldier from the Shenandoah Valley wind up in one of the most remote and rugged mountain regions in southern West Virginia? According to the legend, as it’s come to be told, a band of marauding Shawnee burned Ralph…
Prohibition in wild, wooly West Virginia was a deadly undertaking
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nationwide prohibition against alcohol consumption was launched in 1919 in the U.S., but West Virginia enacted its ban much earlier, and the results were deadly. In 1913, West Virginia passed the Yost Law, which was implemented on July 1, 1914. It…
Legend of Van Bibber’s Leap echoes in West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley
GLEN FERRIS, W.Va. — The arrival of spring in what would become West Virginia in the late 1700s was not met with the enthusiasm with which we might greet it today, for fair weather also increased the potential for attack by native tribes. While the Iroquois and…
Could this clerk’s body remain trapped in vault beneath Ohio River?
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Could the body of an unfortunate ship’s clerk lie buried in a murky vault beneath the Ohio River? If the full tale of the horrific Wreck of the Kanawha in the early 1900s is true, there’s a chance it could. However, tracking down the…
West Virginia establishes statewide paranormal trail for dark tourism
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Driven by tourists’ fascination with the eerie and unexplained, West Virginia has developed a statewide paranormal trail, guiding thrill-seekers to its most haunted and spine-chilling destinations. Chelsea Ruby, director of the W.Va….
Historic ferry weathered many nightmares on the Ohio River
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — The Nina Paden and its skipper wheeled beyond the call of duty in ferrying the Ohio River at Parkersburg, West Virginia. Of all the tales of the Ohio, theirs may rank among the most fearless. The following narrative was provided by the late Jim…
Chef Boyardee’s surprising link to The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Surprising as it might seem, the iconic image of Chef Boyardee that adorns so many food packages worldwide is that of a genuine person. Moreover, Ettore Boiardi worked at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, a luxury resort a seeming world…
Sibray says spring ramp festivals in W.Va. are expected to enjoy boom
BEAVER, W.Va. — Spring ramp festivals are drawing more attention than ever, thanks to a renewed interest in West Virginia and Appalachia, says the publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine, one of the Mountain State’s chief guides to the feasts. Ramp…
Mass grave at Lewisburg unique in U.S. among Confederate monuments
LEWISBURG, W.Va. — Of the many historic landmarks in charming Lewisburg, West Virginia, perhaps none is more remarkable than a cross-shaped Confederate grave on a hill above the city’s downtown historic district. According to a prominent West Virginia historian,…
The name ‘Old Woman Run’ in West Virginia conceals a surprising origin
SUTTON, W.Va. — Sharp-eyed travelers visiting the historic district in downtown Sutton may observe two streams tumbling out of the hills to join the Elk River there. The uppermost stream is “Old Woman Run,” and the lower is “Granny Creek.”…
West Virginia Trout Stocking Schedules: March 6-10, 2023
West Virginia Explorer Magazine publishes an updated list of waters stocked by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources as the division publishes announcements. Trout Stocking in West Virginia, March 6-10, 2023. The following West Virginia waters were stocked with…
Sixty-five schools to compete in W.Va. archery tournament
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Students from 65 schools will participate in the 18th annual West Virginia Archery-in-the-Schools State Tournament on March 25, according to officials with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Chris Scraggs, the division’s…
Meetings to discuss W.Va. hunting, trapping, fishing regulations
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will host 12 in-person public meetings in mid-March 2023 to discuss proposed hunting, trapping, and fishing regulations, according to division director Brett McMillion. The meetings are…
West Virginia deer seasons harvest increases 12.7 percent
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Deer hunters in West Virginia have had a very good year, according to officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. According to preliminary numbers released by the division, hunters harvested 118,606 deer during the 2022–2023…
River-loving hippies established New River Gorge adventure resort
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va.—One of the world’s first and largest outdoor-adventure resorts, Adventures on the Gorge can trace its roots back 50 years to the earliest days of whitewater rafting in the New River Gorge. The story is one of imagination, youthful…
W.Va. reminds hunters, trappers about furbearer season end
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources are reminding hunters and trappers that West Virginia’s 2023 furbearer trapping and small-game hunting seasons will end in February and March. Hunting and trapping seasons for red and…
Hunters harvest fewer black bears in West Virginia in 2022
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hunters harvested 1,727 black bears during the combined archery, crossbow, and firearms seasons in West Virginia in 2022, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The preliminary harvest for the combined 2022 seasons is 37…
W.Va. Hunting and Fishing Show returns Jan. 20–22
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hunters and anglers who attend the West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show are sure to notice a change when the three-day event returns to the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on January 20–22, 2023, for its 35th year. In addition to…
Mountaineer Heritage hunting season in W.Va. returns Jan. 12
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s four-day Mountaineer Heritage season for hunting deer, bear, and turkey is set to open on Jan. 12, 2023, according to state wildlife officials. Hunters may only use primitive-style weapons, including longbows and recurve bows,…
W.Va. announces return of trout stockings, new fishing regulations
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va.—West Virginia has announced the publication of updated 2023-2024 fishing regulations and the return of trout stockings to lakes and streams around the state. Brett McMillion, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources,…
Trail development gains traction as economic powerhouse in West Virginia
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Trail development has emerged as a driving force in economic revitalization across the United States, but few regions are witnessing its transformative potential more clearly than West Virginia. “With the state’s outdoor recreation…
Deer season for youth, senior, class Q/QQ hunters opens Dec. 26
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The final segment of West Virginia’s special antlerless deer hunting season for youth and senior hunters and Class Q/QQ permit holders will open Monday, Dec. 26. During the two-day season, hunting is permitted on private and public lands in…
Recent Posts
How to research historic homes in West Virginia: Free state webinar offers tools
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Homeowners, local historians, and community members interested in historic homes in West Virginia will have an opportunity later this month to learn how to research the history of their properties through a free, beginner-friendly webinar hosted by…
West Virginia trout stocking resumes in lakes and streams statewide
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Trout stockings have resumed in select lakes and streams across West Virginia, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced, restoring a seasonal boost to recreational fishing around the state. Brett McMillion, director of the division, said…
Vape shops and gray-area drugs put West Virginia towns at a regulatory crossroads
BECKLEY, W.Va. — They’re hard to miss in downtowns and along highway strips in West Virginia with their neon-bright window graphics, flavor names splashed across posters, and glass cases filled with sleek devices and colorful packaging. Over the past decade,…
Mountaineer Heritage Season opens, reviving a West Virginia hunting tradition
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The winter woods in West Virginia are echoing with the traditions of an earlier era as the state’s four-day Mountaineer Heritage Season for deer, bear, and turkey opened Thursday. The special season runs Jan. 8–11 and is open across all 55…