Discover some of the most dramatic scenery in the eastern United States. Scenic Driving West Virginia accompanies you on twenty-four drives that highlight the Mountain State's most interesting natural and historic features. Here you will find roaring rivers and white-water rafting, rock ridges and gorges, ancient Indian mounds, Civil War battlefields, high-tech coal mines, virgin forest, springs and spas, and rustic farms.Written by travel journalist and geologist Bruce Sloane, this book provides comprehensive route descriptions, travel information, detailed maps, information on recreational opportunities, historic sites, and more. So pack up the car, grab your camera and Scenic West Virginia, and explore the land of Jamboree USA, the Hatfields and McCoys, and that steel drivin' man, John Henry. (6 x 9, 224 pages, b&w photos, maps)
| Acknowledgments | viii | |
| Introduction | ix | |
| Locator Map | xvii | |
| Map Legend | xviii | |
| 1 | Northern Panhandle: The Industrial Ohio River | 1 |
| 2 | Moundsville to Fairmont: Rustic Farmland and the Palace of Gold | 10 |
| 3 | Along the Ohio River: New Martinsville to Parkersburg | 18 |
| 4 | Kingwood to Cathedral State Park: Through the Cheat River Gorge | 27 |
| 5 | Romney-Keyser Loop: Route of the Potomac Eagle | 33 |
| 6 | Berkeley Springs to Paw Paw: Springs, Spas, and Tunnels | 37 |
| 7 | Historic Eastern Panhandle: Harpers Ferry to Berkeley Springs | 45 |
| 8 | Center State Ramble: A. Covered Bridge, the Wildlife Center, and Historic Helvetia | 56 |
| 9 | Canaan Valley Loop: Through the State's Highest Valley | 63 |
| 10 | Through Greenland Gap: Moorefield to Scheer | 70 |
| 11 | Lost River and Cacapon River: Clear Streams and Gentle Mountains | 76 |
| 12 | Dolly Sods Scenic Area: On Top of the Allegheny Front | 82 |
| 13 | Potomac Highlands Loop: Seneca Rocks and Smoke Hole Canyon | 91 |
| 14 | Spruce Knob and Spruce Knob Lake: West Virginia's High Point | 99 |
| 15 | Highland Scenic Byway: High Peaks, Bogs, and Waterfalls | 105 |
| 16 | Railroad Loop and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory: Cass and Durbin Railroads | 112 |
| 17 | New River Gorge and Bridge: Into and Out of the New River Gorge | 121 |
| 18 | Greenbrier River Valley: Lewisburg to Marlinton | 129 |
| 19 | Thurmond Depot: At the Bottom of the New River Gorge | 138 |
| 20 | Hatfield-McCoy Country: Mountain Feuds and Coalfields | 144 |
| 21 | Athens to Lewisburg: Bluestone Gorge and Lake and Pence Springs | 150 |
| 22 | Farm Heritage Road Scenic Byway: Farms and the Spas of Yesterday | 159 |
| 23 | Coal Heritage Trail: Bluefield to Beckley | 166 |
| 24 | The Best of the Midland Trail: Old US 60 | 173 |
| Appendix | Sources of More Information | 180 |
| Index | 191 | |
| About the Author | 196 |
Overview
Discover some of the most dramatic scenery in the eastern United States. Scenic Driving West Virginia accompanies you on twenty-four drives that highlight the Mountain State's most interesting natural and historic features. Here you will find roaring rivers and white-water rafting, rock ridges and gorges, ancient Indian mounds, Civil War battlefields, high-tech coal mines, virgin forest, springs and spas, and rustic farms.Written by travel journalist and geologist Bruce Sloane, this book provides comprehensive ...