West Virginia cranks up the thrills in winter. Downhill snowboarding. Cross-country snowboarding. Ice skating. Snow tubing. Sleigh rides. You’ll be able to even bounce by means of the forest on an ATV with snow flurries and mountain views as your backdrop. If it’s a wintertime journey, it’s on faucet within the Mountain State.
However what makes West Virginia nearly heaven? The hospitality. From Wheeling to Snowshoe to Winterplace, of us are blissful to share the state’s many out of doors riches.
Basecamps for winter journey
Snowshoe Mountain: Excessive-octane thrills for daredevils
From Ballhooter to Widowmaker, the names of Snowshoe’s ski runs recall Cheat Mountain’s wild days as a logging and railroad hub, when harmful jobs and hard machines earned evocative nicknames. At this time, the mountain and its thick forests are an epicenter for out of doors enjoyable. With 60 trails and 5 terrain parks, plus a whopping 180 inches of annual snowfall, Snowshoe – the most important ski resort within the state – earns its regional kudos.
What units Snowshoe aside? Its full menu of adventures. 4-wheeler excursions bounce throughout the backcountry whereas a dozen slopes keep open for evening snowboarding. Sleigh rides, snowmobile excursions, a heated out of doors waterslide, and different family-friendly adventures abound. The eight-lane tubing park goes ‘galactic’ at evening, with multi-color LED lights bringing the cosmic bling.
Cabins, condos, and lodge rooms are on provide for in a single day stays. Anchoring the mountaintop Village – and simply steps from its many eating places and bars – Allegheny Springs is a handy launchpad for post-adventure conviviality. And ski offers? The famed Ikon Go, bought from spring by means of early December, provides limitless snowboarding at 15 US locations. And one final tip – the multi-colored sunsets from the western ridgeline could also be your favourite reminiscence.
Canaan Valley Resort State Park: The place snow tubers stay their finest lives
Snow tubers, maintain tight for an prolonged experience at Canaan Valley Resort, the place the powdery run drops on…and on…and on. Stretching practically a quarter-mile, the multi-lane snow tube course at Canaan Valley is the longest within the Mid-Atlantic. Better part? No trudging again up the hill for one more experience. Simply hop aboard the “magic carpet” for a simple glide to the highest. The Allegheny Mountains and the high-elevation Canaan Valley present the scenic backdrop for ice skaters right here, whereas high-elevation forests forged a fascinating spell alongside 22 miles of cross-country snowboarding and snowshoeing trails. For skiers and snowboarders, forty-seven trails await.
Cabins and cottages characteristic wood-burning fireplaces, whereas lodge rooms flash a bit of recent model with shiny décor, putting prints, and work of outside scenes. The resort is the right retreat for metropolis dwellers, because it’s solely 180 miles from Washington, DC, and 145 miles from Pittsburgh.
Winterplace Ski Resort: Calling households, newbies, and evening skiers
Acquired a passel of youngsters? Or a gaggle of novice skiers? Then pull off I-77 for a no-stress day on the slopes at Winterplace in southern West Virginia. The Skiwee and Snow Explorers lessons can have youthful youngsters schussing down the 1.25-mile Panorama Path very quickly. New skiers can recognize the mountain’s 603-foot drop, which isn’t as dizzying because the 1000 foot plunges at resorts additional north. And the ten handy lifts whisk teams to the park’s 90+ skiable acres in a flash. Greater than 3/4s of the paths are rated newbie or intermediate, and when you’ve acquired your skis below you, take pleasure in snowboarding below the celebrities on the 26 runs open for evening snowboarding. Nonetheless undecided about skis? With 14 lanes, the snow tubing park is the most important within the state.
Bunk beds can be found for teams at on-site cabins, however your finest guess for in a single day lodging is twenty minutes north on the Resort at Glade Springs. It has quite a lot of rooms throughout its inn, manor homes, and multi-room lodges.
Timberline Mountain: Revamped hotspot for skiers and snowboarders
Nonetheless aglow following a $10 million makeover in 2020, Timberline impresses company with a modernized lodge and two new lifts, together with a high-speed six-person carry, the primary within the state. The resort retains its deal with skiers and snowboarders, with a 1000-foot vertical drop and 36 trails throughout 91 acres. Intermediate and professional skiers will discover tons to like right here, whereas freshmen can take a look at their abilities on the Salamander. At two miles, it’s the longest run within the Southeast. Snow Squall Terrain Park welcomes freshmen whereas Thunder Snow kicks it up a notch with sculpted jumps and technical rails.
The Lodge has twenty rooms, however there are many in a single day choices ten miles north within the adjoining cities of Thomas and Davis. These embody the Cooper Home Mattress & Cocktail and its sister property, the lovably retro Billy Motel. For apres-ski, make your solution to Mountain State Brewing, then see who’s taking part in on the Purple Fiddle.
Oglebay: Low-key winter sports activities and a blinding mild present
Wheeling’s sprawling Oglebay Park is a four-season enjoyable heart. In winter, the Nutting Winter Sports activities Advanced retains energetic guests pleased with snowboarding and snowboarding on an adjoining slope. With one carry and a low-stress 168-foot vertical drop, the run works properly for youthful youngsters and people searching for a fast hour or two of train. Snow tubing can be supplied, and ice skaters can take a number of activates the rink in close by Wheeling Park. The large attract winter? The Winter Competition of Lights. This six-mile drive throughout the park passes 90 sights illuminated by a couple of million lights (Nov-Jan). Keep in a single day in Wilson Lodge or one of many cottages or property homes.
Hit the paths: Snowshoeing, cross-country snowboarding, sledding, and ATV adventuring
White Grass Ski Touring Heart
The backdrop brings the magic at White Grass, the place greater than 37 miles of cross-country snowboarding trails unfurl alongside the Canaan Valley and climb forested slopes, reaching a excessive level of 4463 toes at Weiss Knob. The view on an ideal winter day? Snow-covered timber, the light Allegheny Mountains, and shiny blue skies. Twelve warming shelters with snacks dot the course. Snowshoeing is permitted on the paths, so long as you keep to the aspect. One other excessive level is the on-site White Grass Cafe, a comfortable pure meals cafe that’s thought-about a vacation spot for eating for its sandwiches, soups, and housemade desserts. Classes, excursions, and leases are additionally out there.
Elk River Inn & Cabins
Touring adventures are a bit extra intimate – and wild – at 40-year-old Elk River, a lodge-and-cabin advanced eleven miles from Snowshoe. Tucked within the huge Monongahela National Forest, it’s a wonderful different for out of doors journey for those who’ve had your fill of downhill snowboarding and busy slopes. There are 3.2 miles of trails close to the lodge and one other 16 miles off Hwy 150. Be able to drop off the grid – there is no such thing as a cell service on the paths. Leases, classes, and an space map can be found on-site. Cease by for an replace on path circumstances, too.
Blackwater Falls State Park
The star attraction at this state park within the Highlands? Amber-colored cascades that drop 57 toes right into a tree-lined gorge. Icicles and snow-covered rocks flank the dashing falls in winter, making a dramatic winter scene. However it’s the sledding that brings the large wows – a minimum of from the children. The broad and powdery glide by means of the forest right here stretches greater than 1 / 4 of a mile, making it the longest sled run on the east coast. The return to the highest on their Magic Carpet, which rises by means of a slim tunnel of timber, retains the enjoyable operating full-time. Sleds are supplied with a ticket buy.
Ten miles of trails are additionally open for cross-country snowboarding and snowshoeing, with leases out there. Spend the evening within the park’s mid-century lodge or a totally furnished cabin within the woods. For an apres sled, head to Hellbender Burritos for inexperienced chili and a hefty burrito (at the moment take-out solely) and a Holy Citra! Double IPA at Stumptown Ales.
Hatfield-McCoy Path System
A thousand-mile community of all-terrain car (ATV) trails are open year-round for rugged backcountry adventuring in southern West Virginia – website of the legendary Hatfield & McCoy household feud. With snow and ice, winter driving may be difficult on probably the most troublesome trails, however there are many simple routes to sort out in colder months. There are ten path methods throughout the community. The Pinnacle Creek path system has fairly views of the Appalachians, whereas trails within the Buffalo Mountain and Satan Anse methods swing by historic websites associated to the feud and the Coal Wars. For details about permits and ATV rental places, go to www.trailsheaven.com. There’s a Hatfield & McCoy Trails Welcome Heart in Julian, twenty miles south of Charleston.
Winter adventures at scenic locales
When there’s snow on the bottom, the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs celebrates the season with horse-drawn sleigh rides – full with heat blankets, in fact. One other enjoyable winter exercise on the historic resort? Ice skating on the brand new out of doors rink. The rinkside fireplace pit will heat you up after that final triple-axel. Sleigh rides and the ice-skating rink are open to company and the general public.
Cross-country skiers trying to find grand views can discover the woodsy mountain climbing trails at Pipestem Resort State Park then unwind on-site at McKeever Lodge or one of many 26 cabins – geared up with wifi and fireplaces. The lodge overlooks the south rim of the Bluestone River Gorge and is situated 35 miles south of Beckley. Followers of winter mountain climbing can observe eight miles of trails in close by Bluestone State Park then get cozy inside one of many park’s fourteen year-round cabins. All are totally furnished and have fashionable kitchens and stone fireplaces.
The quiet winter great thing about the 78-mile Greenbrier River Trail is sweet for the soul. This multi-use rail path connects the outskirts of Lewisburg with Cass, a former logging city on the base of Cheat Mountain in Pocahontas County. After a snowfall, the path and its bridges and tunnels are a photogenic wonderland for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Mattress down on the white-columned Common Lewis Inn in Lewisburg or one of many restored Firm Cabins in Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.
