Road to Appalachia- New River Gorge National Park
Road to Appalachia: New River Gorge National Park
Part 1
Beckley and Hinton
By Giles Kennedy
Family and Travel Columnist
Columbus Wired
(Lead Image: Tanya Kennedy, Photographer)
My daughter Hannah, my wife Tanya and I were down in the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in 2020.
Part 2 will revisit the high points for that trip and more.
This installment focuses on Raleigh and Summers County in the heart of the property.
https://visitwv.com/our-area/raleigh/
https://visitwv.com/our-area/summers/
Beckley is conveniently located off Interstate 64 near the heart of the park property. Hinton is 45 minutes from Beckley off West Virginia State Route 20, south of I-64.
Our base camp has at the newly renovated Clarion Pointe, off Harper Park Drive. Extremely easy access to I-64, friendly staff and great rooms make this an excellent value for you and your crew.
https://www.choicehotels.com/west-virginia/beckley/clarion-hotels/wv094
Beckley's main attraction outside of the state and national parkland nearby is the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.
https://beckley.org/coal-mine/
The coal mine was once an active mine many years ago.
It features an actual mine restoration environment; open for the public from April to November.
Adjacent to the Mine is the Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia ( open year round) and the Mountain Homestead and Coal Mine Village ( open most days of the year)
Visit the website for details, admission and special visitor information and events.
Please visit the Raleigh County Southern West Virginia website for more insight on family fun ways to explore the area.
Hinton, right along the New River and near the headwaters of the New and Greenbrier Rivers; offers many outdoor and indoor attractions.
The town was literally one of the main points for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. It was a focal shipping point for coal, lumber and other natural resources.
Now a restored passenger station, several historical museums, and many artisan shops call Hinton home.
With the exception of the 1st year of the pandemic, Hinton Railroad Days has been a staple in fall festivals in West Virginia for years.
The festival in name is not just about the railroad that built the city.
Artisans, vendors, food vendors, family friendly activities and much more surround the Downtown area for 4 days.
Visit the website and FB pages for more details.
https://www.hintonrailroaddays.com
https://m.facebook.com/HintonRailDays
Nearby Sandstone Falls, Bluestone Lake and Dam as well as many other outdoor options are available for exploring.
Sandstone Falls features two vantage points. On the east side of the river off WV Route 20; a vast overlook have breathtaking views.
Northwest of Hinton and off WV Route 26 has a actual walkway to the small bluff near the falls themselves.
https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/the-sandstone-falls.htm
As always, life is too short. Get out there and have an adventure.
