Tony Vanoy and I stopped at Tater Mountain Lookout in Mullens WV area. It's free to go to park no…read moreadmission fees and the Swing is free to Enjoy! It's located at the top of mountain up a narrow one lane dirt road! Be very careful!! Lisa Diane Boyce-Vanoy #wvswings #2025endofsummerroadtrip #AlmostHeaven

After taking a tour of the historic town of Thurmond, located at the Thurmond Depot (they do tours…read moredaily at 11 am), we came across Dunloup Falls just down the road. Coincidentally, we were planning to hit up some waterfalls as part of the Waterfall Trail of WV and to our delight, Dunloup Falls was one of the falls on the list. Dunloup Falls is located along Route 25, do as you're coming out of Thurmond, you'll come across a pull off to your left. You have enough room to park and no need to hike it. You can enjoy from the road or walk down a little to get closer. It had been raining for the last couple of days prior, so the falls was just gushing with life! Waterfalls are just a sight to see, big or small, trickling or gushing! If you happen to explore Thurmond, definitely don't miss this gem on the way out!

What an amazing site in the National Park. This is an abandoned town from the early to mid 1900's…read morethat had quite the past. They do an excellent job of explaining the buildings and life when it was a booming steam engine railroad town. Take your time visiting the area. I could believe that it is an active Amtrak site today.

What an amazing place to stop and try to imagine this was once a place bustling with people…read moreworking, traveling, living .. it's so small and empty now that only the pictures can tell the tale! They did a good job putting up information and learned so much about what it was like to work here for the railroads way back when. It's incredible how times change, things become more efficient, jobs are reduced, and eventually eliminated. I spent a total of an hour and 15 minutes here for reference. There is a gift shop where I got my usual souvenir magnet, but there are other neat things here as well! I was tempted to buy the "dining on the railway" book (or a name something like that). A great piece of history here and I hope someday the interiors of the buildings can be brought up to code and replicated to look how they did in their heyday so we can get a real feel of walking into the businesses (also a rebuild of the Lafayette Hotel would be amazing, even if just a smaller scale). I'm glad what is there has been preserved by the NPS! I have to say, I left West Virginia with a treasure trove of history!

A local Princeton friend decided to take 2 days off work and drive me around to show me the local…read morearea. One of the stops we got to see is the New River Gorge and the bridge that crossed over it. I didn't realize that the New River Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in West Virginia. It's featured in various top tourist attractions to visit in southern West Virginia. The bridge is a working bridge that connects people from point A to point B. I also didn't realize that the New River Gorge is operated by the National Park Service. I assumed it was maintained by the local West Virginia county. With that said, my friend and I arrived here around 10am. We thought that the visitors center would be closed during the government shutdown of 2025, but it was not. We browsed through the visitor center and took in the short 10 minute visitor video that they had. It was cool to learn about the area and what conservation efforts are currently being done for the area. They had a small little area theater that they used to show this 10 minute video. It was comfortable and very much cute and enjoyable. After browsing the exhibits that they had to offer, they had a small gift shop area, where I browsed a minute or two before leaving the visitor center. There was a nice place to view the gorge and the bridge that allowed vehicle traffic to flow constantly every day and that. It was just a beautiful thing to see on a November 2025 morning. I was glad to be here to witness West Virginia's pride and joy. It was definitely a highlight of the day for me and I'm sure that my friend was happy to take me here to see such a natural splendor. The over experience here at the new River Gorge here in West Virginia was very beautiful and mesmerizing. It was definitely one of West Virginia's top tourist, destinations, and the most scenic. I always wondered if you could go to the bottom of the bridge gorge area, and we actually did that during my stay here. Although it was about an hour or so visiting, we did just that. We drove down as far as we can go and took a break at the Waters edge. We had to walk a few just to get to where we needed to go and we saw a river. It was nice to see all the forest the area down by the water edge and to see the natural surroundings that make up the gorge so many years ago. I think how the water carved out this beautiful landscape probably did the same with the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Natural forces that work here people. And so, after we head down to the waters edge, we looked at the bridge which was towering over us. It was cool to be here on a random workday, but I was on vacation. To be able to see such wonder and compare to other wonders of the world is interesting. Traveling makes it so much more fun and rewarding when you are doing with friends. We spent about 15 to 20 minutes, exploring the bottom of the gorge. It was nice to have available walking trails to explore and not have it closed off to people. As always is at your own risk if you injured yourself or whatever. For the most part though, it was a very enjoyable trip to see the gorge and the new River Bridge. Definitely recommend coming here if you're in the area and I would like to see the number one West Virginia tourist attraction. Not much in terms of choice attractions in the state, but if you're in the south side of the state, you'll be wow'ed beyond your wildest dreams. The New River Gorge is located in south West Virginia. The closest town is Fayetteville. The visitor center has limited amenities, but they do have knowledgeable national Park service staff that can assist you in anyway possible about the Gorge and the area in general. As far as food and concessions are concerned, your best bet would be to find something along the way in or out of the area because there is not much around. As far as parking goes, they have a generous parking lot situation at the visitor center. When I got there there was plenty of parking spaces at 9 AM in the morning. Best bet would be to have your own vehicle or rent one because I'm not sure if there is actual regional public transportation options to get here for cheap. You can luck out with something, but I don't know. There's always Uber or Lyft if you need them, but it can't get very pricey if you do it that way. And so, best thing to do is to make a friend or drive yourself because the new river Gorge is outside of any major town in West Virginia so it's quite a drive to get there. Along the way you'll see many beautiful things so enjoy the ride and the journey because that's life for you. It's true what they say about the area though. You can immerse yourself in the beauty of the area and still not be bored with it. 5.0 stars for the overall experience Support local! A+

Whether you're driving across or visiting the National Park, the New River Gorge Bridge is a…read moremust-see in West Virginia. You can visit the National Park center and collect stamps in your passport or take one of many trails that give you beautiful views of the bridge and nature. No matter what you choose, the scenery is stunning! If you're a Fallout 76 fan, add this location to your FO76 itinerary. We did a 4 day Fallout trip around West Virginia and we were glad we added this massive bridge and National Park to our itinerary.

There isn't much to say about this marker, which stands at the roadside in a very small West…read moreVirginia town. The marker reads, "Built, 1830, on the old James River and Kanawha Turnpike. Restored antebellum home of Colonel George W. Imboden, on General Lee's staff, C.S.A. Property and headquarters of the Fayette County Historical Society, organized in 1926." Imboden was born in Augusta County, Virginia and became a distinguished attorney, Confederate soldier, and a leading citizen of Ansted. After attending Staunton Academy, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1858. In 1859, he married Mary Frances Tyree, daughter of an Ansted innkeeper. Imboden enlisted in the Southern service on April 17, 1861. He rose to the rank of colonel by December 1862, when he took command of the 18th Virginia Calvary which fought at Chancellorsville and in many other battles. He was seriously wounded at Gordonsville, Virginia. Imboden served Ansted and Fayette County from 1870 to 1922, holding office in the House of Delegates (1876), as president of the Fayette County Commission (1881-85), first mayor of Ansted (1891-92), and town recorder (1891-1907). [Review 19630 overall - 101 in West Virginia - 602 of 2023.]

This is a must-see for the area. There are many sights to…read moresee in the New Gorge National Park like the Sandstone Falls, overlook, the New Gorge Bridge, and others. This is definitely one of the sites that you should see if you are visiting this area. It is not just one site, the Fayette Station bridge, it is an entire drive with some great spots and pullouts along the way. This drive starts on the north side of the bridge behind the visitor's center on the road to the right (the one that goes downhill). It is a well-paved road that has 2 switchbacks and a pullout or two on the north side and then you are down by the river and driving across the bridge. There is a place to stop by the bridge for those that want to walk across it. There is a park on the south side a little bit down from the bridge. The south side road taking you back up to the main road also has some very nice views along the way. This is a wonderful drive that is well worth the time and effort. I highly recommend this drive and site to any of my fellow travelers in the area.

Went for the sunrise and it did not disappoint! As you step onto the overlook, you're greeted with…read morea panoramic view that feels like Mother Nature herself painted it just for you. What really sets Hawks Nest apart is the sense of serenity that envelops you. We were the only people there for the sunrise on a Saturday morning, a rare occasion for instagram-worthy views

Beautiful overlook! Great place to stop. Bathrooms , picnic tables and a gift shop. Our favorite…read morestop in the park.

This is the second oldest building in Oak Hill. Built in…read more1903, the same year that Oak Hill became incorporated. This facility was purchased by The Friends of the Lewis House in 2000 and has been beautifully preserved and maintained in that fashion. It is home to a Hank Williams museum, a 1903 Parlor, many antique pieces and a very large area that is rented out for parties and other functions with very reasonable rental fees. A beautiful setting for all functions. There is a 3 bed room garage apartment that will be available for rental after improvements are completed.

The Lewis House is part of the Lively Family Amphitheater in the small West Virginia town of Oak…read moreHill, West Virginia. The complex hosts performances including a local orchestra which I've seen on visits to the southern part of the state . My understanding is there is also movie nights during the summer and other music venues . The Lewis House is now a museum , notable for housing the car Hank Williams died in . He was driving through Oak Hill and died suddenly in front of the Lewis House . There is always a musical tribute at the Amphitheater each summer . The amphitheater itself is an open bandshell with a stage and enough seating area to accommodate a few hundred . Doesn't sound like a lot of seating but it's quite a small town . Most of the events are free to the public . As a side note , the New River Gorge is nearby . People come from all over the world to do the rapids on the New River which flows through the gorge . It's called the Grand Canyon of the East for good reason . Also near Lewis House is Fayetteville West Virginia , a vibrant small town with an arts and food scene .

This part of the national park is the remnants of an old mining town. One has the option of driving…read moredown into the gorge on a narrow gravel road, or braving the mountainside on foot. A short walk gets you to a splendid old mine, but from there, it is quite an endeavor getting down, with a windy, narrow, slippery trail. When the trail flattens out, it was overgrown, and I definitely would recommend maximum bug spray on this trip. I'm pretty patient with the limitations of this park, but this site got on my nerves a bit; I would hope that an NPS budget would be able to produce easier access. I would strongly dissuade anyone with children, pets, or any limitations in mobility or fitness from attempting the footpath down to Nuttallberg. The village consists mostly of stone foundations barely visible through the undergrowth. The main attraction is something called a "coal tipple", the name of which has a folksy ring to it that oddly contrasts the industrial science that went into it. Indeed, the whole site is full of dynamic clashes in historical phenomena. I have photographed most of the signage around the town, although I skipped the "seldom seen" area. I was running low on water and it didn't seem that exciting, so I let it live up to its name. At the bottom parking lot, there is an outhouse but no running water or electricity, and if anything goes wrong you'll struggle to get a wireless signal in most of the gorge (although I still managed to get some annoying emails somewhere along my walk). Modern train tracks run by, but notably there is no real river access here. By comparison, Thurmond is much more user-friendly, and the river there is accessible by foot. I wish the Nuttallberg site was a little more developed, though the sight of nature quietly retaking a once-thriving hotbed of industry is worth seeing.