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10 Outdoor Adventures in West Virginia

Location Icon West Virginia
Category Icon Nature & Outdoors

Visit the Mountain State for surreal nature views, from Davis’ Blackwater Falls to Lansing’s New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. No matter the season, these 10 outdoor destinations are sure to take your breath away.

See why West Virginia is considered “almost Heaven” at these nature destinations fit for an awe-inspiring family getaway. Rock climb, scuba dive and swim at Summersville Lake; explore larger-than-life rock formations at Lewisburg’s Lost World Caverns and catch sweeping views at Riverton’s Spruce Knob.

Summersville Lake

Stand-up paddleboarders on Summersville Lake in Summersville, West Virginia (photo courtesy of Visit Southern West Virginia)

Chock full of recreation, from rock climbing to scuba diving to swimming, this Summersville, West Virginia, offers plenty of adventure. 

Lost World Caverns

Family at Lost World Caverns in Lewisburg, West Virginia (photo courtesy of Greenbrier County CVB)

Larger-than-life rock formations are plentiful in Lewisburg, West Virginia, at this destination for adventurers and families alike. 

Spruce Knob

View from Spruce Knob in Riverton, West Virginia (photo by Kelly Bridges)

The highest point in the Mountain State is found in Riverton, West Virginia, and showcases natural beauty as far as the eye can see.  

Blackwater Falls

Blackwater Falls in Davis, West Virginia (photo courtesy of Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center)

Blackwater Falls State Park in Davis, West Virginia, gets its name from the dark-hued water flowing over its 57-foot main waterfall, but that is just the beginning of its natural beauty. 

Mountain Rail Adventures

A Mountain Rail Adventures train excursion through West Virginia (courtesy of the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad)

Mountain Rail Adventures offers train excursions from depots in Cass, Durbin and Elkins, West Virginia. 

Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park

Autumn scene at Babaock State Park (photo by Regis Mahoy)

The rustic structure built within the park in Clifftop, West Virginia, is one of the most photographed locations in the state. 

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

A fall landscape at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia (photo Doug Lemons)

Head to Lansing, West Virginia, to explore one of nation’s newest national parks in all its fall glory. 

Seneca Rocks

Seneca Rocks in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia (photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service)

Located in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, outdoor experiences at these 900-foot formations include rock climbing, recreational hiking and other outdoor adventures. 

Oglebay Resort

Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia (photo courtesy of destination)

This 2,000-acre, year-round destination in Wheeling, West Virginia, comes alive as temperatures rise each year.

Coopers Rock State Forest

Coopers Rock State Forest in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia (photo courtesy of West Virginia Department of Natural Resources)

Take in the beauty of the Cheat River Gorge and its seemingly unending canopy of green in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia.
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Fisher animal at the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek, West Virginia (photo courtesy of West Virginia Wildlife Center)

West Virginia Wildlife Center

Lean about the native fauna of the mountain state at this 330-acre French Creek, West Virginia, destination that is home to over 30 species of animal. 
Night sky reflected in lake at Watoga State Park in Pocahontas County, West Virginia (photo by Jessie Thornton)

Watoga State Park

Go stargazing at this state park in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, that is home to the largest designated dark-sky zone east of the Mississippi River. 
Couple railbiking along elevated track at Rail Explorers in Versailles, Kentucky (photo courtesy of Rail Explorers)

Rail Explorers

Go railbiking through Versailles, Kentucky, along the tracks of the 1888 Louisville Southern Railroad to explore the Bluegrass State in a new way. 
Kirtland's Warbler in a tree in Grayling, Michigan (photo courtesy of Kirtland's Warbler Tours)

Kirtland’s Warbler Tours

Catch a glimpse of the rare Kirtland's warbler in Grayling, Michigan, during the species' annual migration north each spring.
Presque Isle Lighthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania (photo by Brian Berchtold)

Presque Isle Lighthouse

Standing along the Lake Erie shore since 1873, this lighthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania, is brimming with maritime history. 
Pond with fountain and willow trees at Friendship Botanic Gardens in Michigan City, Indiana (photo courtesy of Friendship Botanic Gardens)

Friendship Botanic Gardens

Created for the Century of Progress Exhibition in the 1930s, this 105-acre Michigan City, Indiana, park features more than two dozen themed gardens.

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