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West Virginia Travel

“Take me home, country roads” — so go the lyrics to a song about West Virginia popularized by John Denver. There is something about this state — the most mountainous east of the Mississippi River — that taps the American longing for home, summoning up the taste of hot buttered biscuits, the whine of a lonesome fiddle, and the creak of a rocking chair out on the front porch.

West Virginia is mountain country. The Blue Ridge cuts across the state’s eastern neck, while the Allegheny Plateau dominates the interior. Looking west from the tiny hamlets near the Virginia border, you can see ridge after ridge rising toward a line of distant summits silhouetted against the sky.

The first settlers who trickled into the area in the early 1700′s from Pennsylvania and the Atlantic coast put down roots in valleys carved out by rampaging rivers. There they cleared pastures for their cows and found hunting grounds in the virgin forests that swathed the surrounding hillsides. After they broke away from Virginia in 1861 at the start of the Civil War, their state became the first and only one to be formed through secession.

New River Gorge, West Virginia

For some of the most breathtaking views in the East, you can't beat the New River Gorge in the heart of southern West Virginia.

The New River--actually one of the oldest rivers in the world--flows north from North Carolina. Over the eons, it has carved its way through the Appalachian Mountains, creating a gorge so deep and majestic, it's often called the "Grand Canyon of the East".

Stonewall Jackson Heritage Arts and Crafts Jubilee, West Virginia

What started as a small gathering of crafters and musicians more than 25 years ago has grown into one of West Virginia's finest festivals--the Stonewall Jackson Heritage Arts and Crafts Jubilee.

This exciting 4-day event is held over Labor Day weekend near Weston at Jackson's Mill, the boyhood home of famous Confederate Civil War General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. You can park for free at the local airstrip, then ride on a tractor-pulled hay wagon to the main festival area.

Pocahontas County in West Virginia

My family's favorite fall getaway is Pocahontas County, tucked in the rugged mountains of east-central West Virginia. It's packed with beautiful scenery, historic attractions and virtually unlimited recreational opportunities. There's something for everyone!

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, West Virginia

For an enjoyable ride through the West Virginia mountains, hop a train at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.

Once used for logging, rare geared Shay locomotives now pull open passenger cars through switchbacks, steep grades and unspoiled wilderness to Whittaker Station, a restored 1940s logging camp.