Traveling West Virginia - Hawks Nest - New River Gorge Trail

We don't do as much traveling as we used to. But we recently took a day trip to southern West Virginia.

Our first stop was Hawks Nest State Park. If you have traveled there before, you know where they get the expression half the fun is getting there - that is unless you are prone to motion sickness. If you are, then I would advise you to sit in the front seat of the car.

We have been to Hawks Nest many times, but this is the first time we ever rode the tram down to the river.

We wanted to ride the jet boats, but they were all booked up.

 

 So we did the next item on our list. We went on a hike. My husband has a bad knee, so he didn't go with my son and me. He loves to talk, so he stayed and talked to the tram guys.

The hike was beautiful - a path filled with large rocks, rhododendron, foot bridges, caves, snakes . . .

Of course, my son had to climb up onto the first big rock we came to. Boys will be boys.

And speaking of snakes. This is where I encountered a baby snake wriggling under my shoe. I didn't stay long enough to see what kind he was, but he wasn't a black snake.

On the way back down the trail on this neat little foot bridge.

Our next stop was at a trail we had never walked on before. You drive over the New River Gorge Bridge, which is an experience I never tire of, and then travel a local road to a set of trails that take you to a great place for a photo op of the bridge.

I never took any pictures along the trail because we were in a hurry. We even sprinted in a few places. I never walked a trail so fast in my life. It was late and given the length of the trail we were going to be walking back in the dark. Thank goodness for cell phone flash lights!

The first mile and 3/4 was a fairly easy walk. But the last 1/4 mile was a heavy breather. This is approaching the end of the trail. And believe me when I tell you the view was well worth the huffing and puffing. 

This was as far out as I would venture. My son said that I couldn't fall off unless I just walked off the edge. I said different --- You could trip. You could slide. You could get woozy. So I played it safe.

We still got some great pictures. My son even took a few selfies.

After enjoying the view and taking a bunch of pictures, we started back. And yes, it was in the dark. I kept imagining encounters with wild animals, but none appeared.

My son said, "If we see Big Foot, shine the light while I take the picture."
I told him, "Please make it a clear picture."
For some reason all the pics people take of Big Foot are blurry. 😊

Press this link to a list of trails in the area. I would like to try them all out. The name of the trail we took is the Long Point Trail.

 Hope you enjoyed this Traveling West Virginia.

Have you ever been to either of these places?

If not, I hope you get to visit some day.

Road Trippin' in West Virginia

Charley and I and two of our sons took a little road trip on Saturday.

We drove along the Midland Trail. 

Our first stop was at Kanawha Falls.

This is where the New and Gauley rivers

converge to create the Kanawha River.

 Click here to read a little about the falls.

On up from Kanawha Falls this house sits out in the river on a rock.

 Up the road a little ways we reached Cathedral Falls. 

It sits back in a natural rock amphitheater.

 My boys taking in the view.

 

A lot of people visited the roadside park today.

There is a small parking lot 

and picnic tables.

You can hike a path that takes you to the top of the falls.

But, no I did not take that hike.

  

Click here for a few pics of the falls in winter.

After enjoying the falls, we drove up, up, up 

the winding Midland Trail

to Hawk's Nest State Park.

As always when you go road trippin', you sometimes

have to visit Ye Olde Bathroom.

Pretty cool bathroom, don't you think.

The familiar, breathtaking view of the New River Gorge 

from Hawk's Nest overlook.

On the way back, we drove through the small town 

of Montgomery, WV

and stopped at the local Dairy Queen. 

This was the view from their parking lot - 

an Osprey's nest on top of a cell phone tower.

We enjoyed our 7-hour trip up to Hawk's Nest and back.

Have you been road trippin' lately?

Ever been to wild, wonderful West Virginia?

Traveling West Virginia - Hawks Nest State Park & New River Gorge Bridge

We stopped at Hawks Nest State Park, which is situated along the winding, mountainous road of Rt. 60. A lot of this park was built by CCC workers. There is a golf course, a tramway to the river below, a lodge and many other activities here. The only place we ever visit is the lookout, the gift shop and this neat building. . .

Wouldn't you just love to have an out house that looked like this? 

I am at the outlook pointing to the view below.

Here is another view.

We also drove over the New River Gorge Bridge.

Here is one of the views from the boardwalk going down the side of the hill. It looks very similar to the view from the lookout at Hawk's Nest.

Trees jutted out from the rocky cliffs

The bright sun prevented me from getting very many good pictures. However, here is one I got of the majestic bridge from the boardwalk.

I love this bridge. It is so beautiful! And the view is gorgeous!

I am sure many of you have been to Hawk's Nest State Park and the New River Gorge Bridge before, but if you haven't, I hope you enjoyed my pictures. And, I hope you get to visit there some day.

Tomorrow I will show you a picture of something that I have never taken a picture of before.