Watoga State Park
Surrounded by almost a million acres of national forest land that makes up the Monongahela National Forest, Watoga is West Virginia’s largest state park. Rich in history — it was developed by the Civil Conservation Corps in the 1930s — the park includes the acreage, facilities, and natural beauty to make it one of West Virginia’s most attractive state parks to visit. The park’s western boundary is formed by the Greenbrier River and provides easy access to the Greenbrier River Trail. Accommodations include 2 campgrounds and 34 guest cabins (24 standard log cabins and 10 year-round cabins of a more modern variety). The park also offers miles of hiking trails, an 11-acre lake, seasonal nature and recreation programs, swimming, tennis, and picnicking.For anglers, it’s a must to visit Watoga State Park in late April since its location affords quick access to hundreds of miles of nearby high quality trout streams. A fresh creel limit of trout combined with a “mess” of fried ramps and potatoes consumed in front of a roaring fire at the end of the day provides a meal that can’t be beat!
(Park is located in Pocahontas County, 14 miles south of Marlinton, WV; for further information, call 304-799-4087)
Cacapon Resort State Park
The park derived its name from its location in the shadows of the wide expanse of Cacapon Mountain, the highest peak in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, reaching an elevation of 2,300 feet. Cacapon Resort State Park extends along the summit and southeastern slopes of the mountain from the northwestern corner of Frederick County, Virginia northeast to within one mile of the Potomac River in the State of Maryland. Elevations range from 850-2,300 feet. A recently constructed overlook atop Cacapon Mountain provides a spectacular view of the surrounding area and on a clear day, a visitor can see into three neighboring states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.Why visit Cacapon in the spring? Local citizens groups showed great interest in building a golf course and it was through their joint effort with the state that an outstanding 18-hole golf course and clubhouse were built at Cacapon. The course, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., was dedicated to public use in 1972. Nearby the Potomac River offers good smallmouth bass fishing and just across the river in Maryland is the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which provides 184 miles of outstanding bicycling opportunity. Guests at Cacapon can also pamper themselves with a relaxing soak and massage at the bathhouse at nearby Berkeley Springs State Park. And if that’s not enough, you can always plan a daytrip to Washington, DC to view the cherry blossoms!
Chief Logan State Park
Situated in the state’s southern coalfields, Chief Logan State Park is four miles north of the town of Logan. The park and town share the name of the chief of the Cayuga tribe also known as the Mingo tribe. It was established in 1960 due to the scarcity of recreational opportunities in that part of the state. Today, the 3,300-acre park is one of the most visited in the state park system. It features a 25-site campground, outdoor amphitheatre, picnicking, hiking, and a wildlife center.The newest attraction to the park is a 75-room stylish and upscale lodge, which opened in 2006. The lodge features seven suites with fireplaces and offers quick access to the nearby Hatfield & McCoy ATV Recreational Trail network.
The best reason to visit Chief Logan State Park in the springtime is, of course, the wildflower display. Chief Logan State Park probably has the greatest variety of spring wildflowers of any park in the West Virginia state system. Among the wide variety displayed at the park include spring beauties, wild violets, lousewort, Celandine Poppy, blue-eyed marys, larkspur, wild ginger, and golden ragwort to name a few. The most outstanding display, however, is the Virginia bluebells or cowslip. Acres and acres of them can be found growing profusely. The park's 18 miles of trails provide an excellent opportunity to enjoy the park's spring wildflowers.
