Valley Falls State Park. Fairmont, WV. My husband and I visited this scenic West Virginia State…read morePark in Sept, 2025. Its highlight is a series of four cascading WATERFALLS on the Tygart Valley River that are easily accessible by a short path from the parking lot. There are large flat rocks right next to the falls, allowing for scenic photographs but no swimming. (Fishing with license and whitewater kayaking are allowed). Fun Fact: this is one of the sites for West Virginia's "Almost Heaven" swings, installed by the state's Department of Tourism across the state for photo opps. This particular swing has the falls in the background. (As of late 2025, there are 51 swings in the state). We had a unique experience at the park in that we were approached by a park volunteer in an ATV offering us a ride down to the falls, and then continuing along some park paths with his commentary about the history of the site as a 19th-century mill town, and pointing out some gristmills. Both park admission and the ATV ride were free although we did give the volunteer a tip. There are 18 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, ranging from easy to difficult. We didn't do any hiking on this visit, but did eat our picnic lunch at one of the conveniently located picnic table. There is a gift shop on-site, as well as clean restrooms. It's also a site on WV's Waterfalls Trail, wherein you can earn prizes for checking it at specific WV waterfalls. Note that this is a day-use park, so no camping is allowed. Wi-Fi connectivity is low to non-existent. We approached the park from the south, near Pruntytown, WV, and while the distance was short (about 12 miles), it took us about 25 minutes to reach because of curvy roads. On our return, we went to Tygart Lake State Park, via Grafton, where we camped for the night.

Tony and I went for a nice hike today at Valley Falls State Park in Fairmont WV…read more The Park is lovely and the Park is free to enjoy with plenty of picnic tables, restrooms, grills, playground, and the gorgeous waterfalls

Zen City!!!! It's an…read moreeasy little walk down to the falls. I've been here on days it is packed and the water flow is minimal and on days it's completely empty when the water is high. Either way, there are many ways to see the falls in all of its glory whether being above them or below them. I truly enjoy being close to the falls with the nice chill in the air by being under one of the many rock formations. It's a great place to cool off after a long day of hiking and/or biking at Ohiopyle. Check it out the next time you're in the area. Enjoy :D

Cucumber Falls, while it was a bit underwhelming due to low water levels, definitely tickled my…read morepickle and made me smile. The water, which resembled that of my tap water (except cleaner), proved to be a great hand cleanser as my fingers were filthy after searching for a worm to feed my little birdie. Several people visiting the falls were underdressed, but they paid for it by failing to put on sunscreen and ended up torching their torsos. Beautiful scenery.

What a wonderful afternoon out in nature! The falls were beautiful and the hike was pretty easy. We…read morewere visiting some friends up in deep creek and we decided to take it outside and enjoy this beautiful day. So glad we did, it was one of the first "nice" days of spring when we attended. It was pretty crowded, but we still had no issues parking and even enjoyed the scenic drive to the park.

7/5/23. Have been coming here pretty much my whole life! My grandparent took my Mother/aunts when…read morethey were dating what became their husbands. I did the same now grandkids come!

Tony and I were driving South on RT 26 from Bruceton Mills to Kingwood in WV. I saw a sign about…read moreVirginia 1847 Iron Works Furnace part of the River of Promise Trail. Located on the Banks of Muddy Creek that flows into the Cheat River. The park is Free to enjoy with Free parking along the road. Across the street is abandoned road side picnic area and shelters from the 40s to the 60s. Once we went down the steps to the abandoned iron furnace works, I saw an amazing waterfall along the rocks The falls were gorgeous. I will definitely go here again. If you swim, it's not super deep but enough room to get wet and enjoy but remember No Lifeguard...

This is a very impressive, 53 foot waterfall located in Swallow Falls State Park. It can be found…read moreon the Swallow Falls Canyon Trail and can be viewed both from above, via a nice overlook, or from water level by heading down the stairs to the trail. It's a beautiful view!

Great walking trails in this park. Located at the top of the hill with free parking near the round…read morestadium where they play WVU basketball. I have placed this place every day in my past and never knew it was there. The parking lot is FREE and its great to stop here and take a quick little hike. This is a four seasons hiking park which is very nice. The trails are nice and the scenery is lovely. I wish I had found this place sooner, cause I would have definitely spent more time hiking in this lovely park. It is so peaceful and so quiet with different flowers and trees to love. The traffic is crazy sometimes trying to get out of the parking lot, but other than that..definitely worth it. Definitely worth the quick 30 minutes hike.

This green space rides a fairly steep hill. A small parking lot is at the top, or one can walk in…read morethrough various trails. The university's marching band was audible from across the road. Due to the steep elevation it is a bit of a tough area, but it is geologically interesting and quite a pleasant green space. Crossing the paved trail at the bottom leads to some fairly modest views of the river, which is mostly obscured by thick greenery (at least in summer).

We had a wonderful few days camping at Coopers Rock! The…read moresites are a good size and decently spaced apart so we have a good amount of privacy. The campsite bathroom was clean, well stocked and regularly maintained. All of the employees at the trading post were friendly as well! Park rangers drove around regularly (4-5 time through the campsite a day I'd say). My only wish would be adding closure information onto the website so people know ahead of time. During our visit the main overlook was under construction/maintenance so there was no access to it. Which was a little disappointing since it looks beautiful online! But it was a short 5 minute walk out to the overlook so it was easy to get back to a different trail. (It is clear the individuals who work and manage the park take great pride in it, and take care of the facilities wonderfully!).

Tony and I stopped at Cooper's Rock near Bruceton Mills to enjoy the beautiful weather and to enjoy…read morethe Almost Heaven Swing located there Its free to enjoy with tons of trails for hiking

Peaceful 170-acre park in the Morgantown hills not too far off the beaten path. White Park consists…read moremostly of unpaved walking trails and several adult and youth-sized baseball fields. Supposedly the entire park encompasses five miles of trails. Everything I saw was pretty easy walking with gentle inclines. I was able to park (for free) in an enlarged shoulder of the road just off of Mississippi St and access the trails right away, but there aren't clear trailhead markers or maps to let you know where you are. In fact, maintenance seems to be pretty hands off. Watch your step right after the rains as things can get muddy and slippery! I didn't see much by the way of wildlife while walking around, but the Cobun Creek Reservoir is a nice backdrop for the fall foliage. There were wooden benches every now and then for resting and enjoying the scene. Ran into a few other locals walking their dogs, trail running, or just enjoying a mid-day stroll.

I really enjoyed walking the boardwalk and seeing the beautiful sites at this State Park especially…read morethe Falls. I also love all the information you can read about the history of the park and all it entails along the way. Want to get Out and About? Check It Out!

This stop was our two-day "play and reset" window between Acadia NP and New River Gorge NP -- a…read morequiet breather in the beautiful WV mountains. We stayed at the lodge and had breakfast there both mornings, mostly because options nearby are... well, nonexistent. Luckily the buffet was generous, the food was decent enough to fuel the day, and the views helped everything go down a little easier. Service, however, could definitely benefit from a hospitality tune-up -- a smile and a bit of warmth go a long way before coffee! That said, the park itself is lovely. We enjoyed peaceful trails surrounded by lush forest, and the falls are truly worth the trip -- dramatic and grounding. I got in a few good hikes, while my husband happily took in the waterfall views from the accessible paths, which are thoughtfully laid out and easy to navigate. In short: Beautiful park Scenic lodge views Buffet that gets the job done Service that could caffeinate their cheerfulness Perfect little nature pause before hitting our next national park.

I wish I had more time to explore the park as a whole, but I had an aggressive agenda where I had…read morepreset times to tour two Frank Lloyd Wright residential masterpieces, Kentuck Knob (review: https://yelp.to/_zBjRXaWxl) and the legendary Fallingwater (review: https://yelp.to/hQ179hIMk_). Motoring in my rented SUV through the gorgeous Laurel Highlands region, I had roughly an hour to drive the seven miles between the two homes right through this park. Right in the heart is a most worthwhile stop, Ohiopyle Falls, a twenty-foot waterfall that spans the wide Youghiogheny River over a couple of dramatic levels. The parking lot was huge and pretty empty, and it was a quick stroll to the broad observation decks that jut out over the river. There was a group of kayakers huddled together as they were preparing to navigate the whitewater torrents. The hamlet of Ohiopyle provides a welcome coffee break. RELATED - Exploring the greater Pittsburgh area? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/JIi0cQGNmO

Update: After a tour of the stunning FallingWaters a 1937…read moreFrank Lloyd Wright designed home and a wonderful lunch in Ohiopyle PA we returned to our 139 campsite to enjoy a quiet afternoon we were approached by two heavily armed policemen who indicated we were camping in a "No Dog Zone"!!! We explained that the State Park Ranger had assigned the site upon checkin and mentioned nothing about a "No Dog Zone". They indicated that since we were checking out the next morning we would have to move. The officers were very nice however them being so heavily armed was a bit unnerving!! In Pennsylvania state parks, dogs are generally not allowed in swimming areas, inside buildings, or in designated non-pet overnight areas like cabins and group tenting areas. They are also prohibited in any area specifically designated as closed to pets. Responsible pet ownership is expected, meaning dogs must be leashed, attended, and their waste must be cleaned up!!! After a seven hour multi state slough we finally arrived at Ohiopyle State Park in PA. Site 139 was an easy back in however due to an afternoon thunderstorm there's no power to the campground upon our arrival but thankfully it came back on a short while ago! We've decided to enjoy a second day exploring the river, local sites etc. Really enjoyed our stay. While the entry roads are a bit tight the facilities were clean plus the staff was amazingly friendly. Highly recommended.