This was a truly incredible experience. We have 3 boys ages 12, 10 and 8. Our 8 year old is on the…read morespectrum although high functioning. They were all so excited but 1/4 way through when the win kicked up our youngest got very scared. Our guide, Maddie, was truly incredible...fun, kind and caring. She walked both our youngest and my husband back to the beginning and then quickly made her way back to the group and gave us a fun and amazing tour of the the bridge and history of the area and park. I am scared of heights but felt secure and safe and ended up thoroughly enjoying the walk. My older two boys said it was one of the most fun things they've ever done. 10/10 recommend!!!

What an adventure! And an amazing walk across the catwalk under the bridge! Sarah was an excellent…read moreguide and was full of information about the history of the Bridge. I would not hesitate to do this again! I felt safe and the experience was unforgettable!

An amazing set of Falls. See the Lower falls if you can…read more This is one of the best sights along the entire drive. There are 3 different sights to see at this stop. There are upper, middle and lower falls. Let's start at the beginning. There is a parking lot for about 30 cars directly off the road. There is a set of restrooms in the parking lot across from the trailhead. The trailhead has a solid pathway of switchbacks that leads to an observation point to the upper falls viewpoint. For people that want to shortcut the windy path, there is a straighter trail that goes directly down the hill to the first viewpoint. From there, there is a boardwalk with lots of steps that leads down the a bridge that crosses the river. Then more boardwalk and a steel set of stair to two platforms to view the middle falls. More boardwalk along the river and a large wooden stair platform leads to the lower falls. If you get a chance, you should see all three as each is unique and all are beautiful as much as the walk is enjoyable. Just remember, walking down is easy and you have to walk back up to return to the parking lot. Well worth the walk. Enjoy.

This was an unexpected find on my trip to WV. The trail was nice, if a little strenuous for this…read morefatman, and the water falls (plural) were lovely. It is a well developed trail with lots of stairs, including an actual stairwell to get you to the bottom of the falls. If you are mobile and in the area you should visit, just give yourself some time on the hike back if your a big person like myself.

The hidden gem of West Virginia!…read more If you are anywhere near or close to Spruce Knob you must come here. It's a short little hike off the road on the wet or dry side. 5 minutes. It's an amazing cave that Gandy Creek runs through. The cave itself is about 3000 feet long. It's in Osceola, but use the address I provided to find it. It's past Spruce Knob lake at the bottom of the hill. Make a left and drive until you get to a 90 degree turn. There is small parking lot on your right. There are two gates, one in front of the parking lot that is wood with a trail through a field that leads you right to the cave and one up the road about a 100 yards or so where the metal gate with the dirt road is, that will take you right to the wet entrance as well. The dry side is before you get to the 90 degree turn on your right. There are two gates. It will be the first one where you can see the tail. There are two dry exits and one wet on that side. This is a captivating cave system inside. It's pretty straight forward though, you just follow the flow of the water. The best time to go is when the water is low and during the summer months. There aren't many parts that are above your knees(I'm 6'1"), but you navigate through most of the cave walking on dirt. FYI: the waters depth can fluctuate depending on the season and rain. If it's flowing good then expect the water to be to your waist in certain areas depending on your height. Try to avoid going after heavy rains. It will take you approximately 30-40 mins to get through this cave. It's an excellent adventure! Make sure to bring a headlamp or two and extra batteries if yours is not the rechargeable kind. Have fun and be safe! Enjoy :D

I've been to so many parts of this forest that it's mind boggling. It's beautiful in ways that…read morewords could never describe. There is so much to see and so many cool places to explore. One of my favorite parts is Bickle Knob because the views from the fire tower are beyond spectacular. Bowden Cave is also a great place to explore as well. There is a ton of great places to camp, mountain bike, and hike. If you are ever able to stop in any part of the Monongahela National Forest please do yourself a favor and do it. Have fun and be safe!

Driving through WV, Monongahela National Forest is a must do. It's absolutely beautiful with tons…read moreof hiking trails. Many of the trails have adequate parking spots and restrooms. We went through the Cranberry Glades and also found a random trail that led to waterfalls. This forest is GIANT. We want to come back again and find a camping ground because this national forest is truly stunning.

I stopped by recently for a little adventure :)…read more I've been here more times than I can count and at all times of the day and the night, but I never get tired of this place. The peace and tranquility here is off the charts. It was a beautiful day, the temperature was about 68, and the sky was perfect. Every time I leave here I go a different way out to try and get lost, but after about two hours of exploring and finding some cool new roads and places, I made it back onto US-33 off of Glady Fork Rd by The Lodge in Alpena. What a great place to relax and unwind and learn news roads in and out. I have always loved this whole area and I always will. I'll be seeing you again very soon Spruce Knob :D

Road was super curving and some was gravel . We stopped at a overlook and even though the light…read morewas going away it was a great view. I def wish we had more time and better light to appreciate it. We saw so many deer which i loved seeing. in the end light was going too fast we made it to the lake but didn't make it to the top because sun was going down. driving those roads in low light was a bit scary. I know my husband really had wanted to be heading home much earlier and not be driving those roads in the dark. But once he realized I was wanting more exploring he went with it. I really would like to return. I wish we had spent more time in WV and skipped skyline drive. I have fell in love with WV. He kept wanting to move on to SKyline drive and down to Gatlinburg. I was wanting all WV.

Tony and I went to Roaring Run Furnace In the Jefferson National Forest. This is a stone Built Pig…read moreIron Furnace built in 1830. This 192 yr old construction is still standing and looks like they could just start using it again today The park was easy to find with GPS. It is free to enjoy. Plenty of parking and restrooms. Well marked trails. The Furnace is located about 500 feet from the parking lot and bathrooms. There is plenty of picnic tables and a creek for fishing and cooling off in warmer weather. There is also a waterfall to hike to!! Nice park and highly recommend especially for the historic value! Great day trip or field trip for home schooling!!

The waterfall was gorgeous and listening to the water flow was so tranquil. I could've spent all…read moreday there just relaxing by the water. The hike was short and easy.

There's good spots for sightseeing at both the top and bottom of the dam. We stopped here on a road…read moretrip to stretch our legs and this was a good spot to get some fresh air. There are bathrooms and water fountains, but they were off for the winter. :( There's also a playground, picnic tables, and a pavilion that you can rent to reserve.

Sutton, WV was first settled in 1792 in what was then Bath County, Virginia. It served as a…read morecrucial spot in the Civil War for the Union. In the mid 1800's Confederates burned most of the town to the ground. We rebuilt. This review comes from my memoirs. Wait, I haven't written them, but, if I did, I would give at least one chapter to my teenage years spent partying and hanging out at Sutton Lake. I went to high school in Sutton, and, we often skipped school and headed for the lake for a day of fun filled drankin' and smokin' and, well, you know. The early 80's were for socializing and partying with my gang of peeps. It's amazing I graduated. That any of us did, for that matter. Everytime I go home, I always visit the lake. When I was going there in my teens, it was simply a beautiful lake enveloped by the beautiful Appalachian Mtns, with picnic areas. Sometimes it felt as if those mountains were hugging you. Today, there is much more recreation to be had, but, this review is about my memories. All through high school, this was the spot. I had a music (Jazz Chorus) teacher who knew what was going on, so he would sometimes show up and stay with us. I didn't realize what he was doing until I became a mature adult. He was our protector, not, enabler. In the 80's, where I was from, kids would be kids. No matter what ma' and pa' said. I lived 40 miles from the school. If I missed the bus, which I often did, I had to hoof it home on my thumb. Many a time I would arrive home at 2100 or later, drunk, high, sober, hungover and famished and tired, only to be met at the door with my very angry grandmother (God love her, she raised me) and a fist full of brier switches! Let me tell you, that is the best time to take a beating because you are so numb you feel nothing. It's like, "Hey! You missed a spot!" I miss those years. I like to refer to them as my "rebel without a clue years", and, I have not one regret! Thanks for letting me share my personal story!

Gorgeous State Park and one of my favorites since I was a kid. My parents used to take us camping…read moreand fishing here. My brothers and I used to love to swim in the streams and ride our bikes. I love to go here and hike with my own kids. The area is so quiet and so lovely, extremely peaceful. I always leave feeling refreshed and alive. I love to walk calmly through the forest and think. When I was a kid, I would pretend to be an indian or a pioneer, sometimes an escaping captive fleeing through the woods. I have always had an overwhelming creative imagination. The park is lovely to camp in and great locations for fishing. No huge waterfalls but still nice small ones. If you are like me, you just enjoy being outside!!!

This trail starts on the grounds of The Homestead. From the valet entrance take a left on a side…read moreroad that winds behind the kid's pool and water slides. Runs left by the golf course and across the grounds of The Homestead then crosses Sam Sneed Parkway into the woods behind the town. See my pics from Sunset Overlook.

Good trail to run or walk. Terrain is reasonableread more

Here for three train rides with my train loving husband…read more All employees were friendly, from the trains themselves to the stores. Company store had a plethora of items for all ages; hubby had a field day!! Beautiful area and very remote . Bus tours came daily, but not excessive as seating on the trains is limited, so good crowd control lol These trips book up months in advance; my husband booked it a year ago so don't drive up thinking you can get a seat. Three trips: ( different Shay locomotives too, but I am not the expert with this). 1. Bald Knob : a 4.5 hour train ride up the mountain. It was an open car, and it was pretty cold, even for those prepared. The scenery was pretty but I saw zero wildlife. We were going to have a hot cocoa, but after waiting on line for over 10 minutes, they ran out. There was a guy reading over the P.A., giving some history. They give you a " hobo lunch" : bun, turkey and ham, pasta salad, applesauce, chips, water bottle, 2 cookies and mustard and mayo. Bring additional snacks/ drinks as it's a long trip...and gloves and hats if during fall trips. 2. Greenbriar River: a more pleasant ride, 2.5-3 hours, enclosed car with table seating. Narrated as well at parts, but P.A. was terrible. Lunch was at a restaurant ( make your own sandwiches) in Durbin, our stop, and there were three choices which they determined. Saw 2 turtles and one bird. Highlight was meeting the people who Sartre across from us. 3. Whittaker Station: about a 2.5 hour trip, also on an open car. This trip had the most informative and interesting narration of the three. Got my hot cocoa lol and some pretty photos. Interesting town history. A cool experience for train buffs and company houses are available to stay in. Beautiful area.

In full disclosure, I privately messaged them this experience when I was sent an email after our…read moretrip and no one responded so I've decided to write this review to warn others so that they will be prepared in case this happens to them. Honestly our ride was awful. What was supposed to be a 4.5 hour trip ended up being 6 hours. When we were stopped with what I assume was some breakdown, no one said anything or told us what was going on. Instead we sit there looking at woods for what seemed like forever. Then on the way back we stopped at the Whitaker overlook, why I have no idea. No one told us we were stopping, we had no idea how long we were stopping for. The only reason I can gather is so you all could make more money at your concessions and most of us were cold and wanted to get back and instead we're left waiting for idiots too selfish for their nachos or hot chocolate and wouldn't come back to the train when the whistle was blown. They should've left without them. We had reservations at a bed and breakfast and were charged extra because we weren't able to get back before check in hours. It was honestly a miserable trip. I hope that they improve the way they conduct trips in the future as this could've been such an enjoyable trip. Also, we visited the general store the next day (had to make the 45 minute trip back to Cass since there was no time to visit the shops after getting in so late the day before) and made a significantly large purchase after being told that yes they give military discounts but after the clerk processed our sale she said "oops, I forgot to give you your discount", with no suggestion that she rering the sale to include the discount. Just the cherry on the top of a disappointing visit to Cass. The only good thing about the whole trip was a nice man named Danny who let us see the informative video in the theater earlier than the official next showing which wasn't for another hour.