West Virginia
This underrated vacation state has whitewater rafting, hiking trails, skiing and much more
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OAK HILL, West Virginia ‒ Extreme sports like whitewater rafting and rock climbing may seem like something best left to adults, but in West Virginia’s New River Gorge, outdoor adventure can easily be an activity for the whole family.
Guided excursions can be tailored to everyone’s skill level and ability for those who want to go all-out, but there are less-extreme ways to get in touch with nature along one of the world’s oldest rivers, too.
Here are just some of the reasons West Virginia should be on your list if you’re looking for a family-friendly outdoor vacation.
Why West Virginia is a great place for family outdoor adventure
Affordability and accessibility are two of the big benefits to getting outside in West Virginia.
Hiking and biking trails in state and national parks are free to access for everyone who visits the state, but even for more intense guided excursions, the prices are a good deal. (There is also an entry fee for Harpers Ferry National Historic Park.)
“We’re definitely one of the most affordable destinations,” Lindsey Funk, a public relations assistant at West Virginia Department of Tourism told USA TODAY on a recent visit. “Hiking is probably one of our most family-friendly activities.”
Funk said there are plenty of short hikes, like the Endless Wall trail, which can be done in just a few hours, though guides are available for hire as well.
For more intense activities like whitewater rafting and rock climbing, families may prefer to hire a guide to keep things safe.
“With a lot of those guided trips, like, in the Gorge specifically, you can kind of tailor it,” she said. “There’s a family-friendly option that’s more of afloat, and then there’s a more intense trip for more experienced people.”
ACE Adventure Resort is one of the guide outfitters, and charges $99 per adult for a full-day guided family trip with rapids up to Class III on the New River. On that excursion, kids ages 6-11 go for free (one per full-fare adult), and youths ages 12 and up are charged $79.99.
For comparison, the Colorado Rafting Company charges $159 per person for a full-day guided excursion on the Colorado River.
Pricier and more intense excursions are also available. Depending on conditions, rapids in some sections of the New River can hit Class IV or higher.
West Virginia is also home to professional circuit bike races and other events, which Funk said attracts spectators and encourages more families to try outdoor activities.
Where to go
Outdoor adventures in West Virginia are available in many parts of the state, but the New River Gorge is certainly among the biggest draws with the most options for activities.
Charleston, the state capital, is about an hour north of the National Park there, and other cities closer to the park include Fayetteville, Beckley and Hinton.
Where to stay and how to get there
The closest major airport to the New River Gorge is in Charleston, WV. Amtrak also serves the area, and of course, cruising the country roads is an option as well.
Funk said that families should think about what their lodging priorities are when they book, because there are options at all different price points from traditional tent camping to boutique hotels. Because the Gorge is so accessible from Charleston, staying in the city is a viable option, too.
“The thing would be families to decide what they want their lodging to be like. If they’re wanting more of a remote cabin, then staying in in the Gorge is best. Whereas if they want more of these city options, they could stay (in Charleston) and just go to the Gorge for a day trip.”
Four seasons of outdoor fun
Funk said that outdoor adventures aren’t limited to the warmer weather months in West Virginia, either.
“The seasons is a big thing that we appreciate here and is interesting to a lot of other people that we are a four season destination,” she said. “We have beautiful fall foliage, but then we have ski resorts and snow in the winter, so people can try out a season-specific activity if they want to.”
This story was updated to refresh headlines.
The reporter on this story received access from West Virginia’s Department of Tourism. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
West Virginia
What Kansas football coach Lance Leipold saw on targeting calls during win against WVU
The Topeka Capital-Journal’s Jordan Guskey talks Kansas football win
Check out what The Topeka Capital-Journal reporter Jordan Guskey had to say following Kansas football’s Big 12 Conference win against West Virginia.
LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s 41-10 victory against West Virginia this past weekend saw a pair of players ejected due to targeting calls, one on each side.
In the second quarter, WVU nickel/safety Fred Perry was disqualified because of a hit he made on KU quarterback Jalon Daniels. In the third quarter, Jayhawks safety Devin Dye was disqualified for a hit he made on a Mountaineers running back Cyncir Bowers. Holistically, Kansas football coach Lance Leipold acknowledged Saturday the calls were made in the interest of player safety.
But while Leipold thought Dye’s ejection was unfortunate, Perry’s led to a little longer of a conversation postgame. That’s because after the hit, some pushing and shoving ensued until players from both teams were separated. Kansas offensive lineman Kobe Baynes, who appeared to shove Perry right after the hit on Daniels, would eventually be called for a late hit.
Leipold, at one moment concerned the situation would get out of hand, was glad to see it get settled as quickly as it did. Although he understands a player’s desire to defend their teammate, he called for composure in all situations. He called it a tough situation for officials to handle.
Here are a few more takeaways from the Big 12 Conference matchup between the Jayhawks (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) and Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1).
Why Trey Lathan was selected to be Kansas’ 4th captain for game
Kansas has three lead captains this season in Daniels, offensive lineman Bryce Foster and defensive end Justice Finkley, but each game there’s a fourth “rotational” captain who is honored as well. Against West Virginia, that individual was linebacker Trey Lathan. Lathan, who finished the game with three tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and an interception, transferred to KU during the offseason from WVU.
Leipold acknowledged Lathan’s past stop in his college career with the Mountaineers did play a factor in the decision. However, Lathan’s also someone he felt has been playing well and become more confident. Lathan is also someone he felt had become a more vocal leader within the defense and is well respected.
Kansas’ offensive line doesn’t allow any sacks
West Virginia’s defense collected six sacks against Pittsburgh just the week before this matchup. But by game’s end against the Jayhawks, the Mountaineers didn’t have a single sack. So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Leipold was pleased with the protection Kansas’ offensive line gave Daniels and for how Daniels at times escaped pressure.
On film, Leipold had seen an impressive defense that was athletic up front. It could use multiple looks and was aggressive. But KU proved capable of stymying that aspect of WVU’s defense.
West Virginia’s tempo offensively doesn’t prove to be much of a factor
Leipold thinks Kansas’ defense can get better at playing against tempo, based on what he saw against West Virginia. However, considering how well the Jayhawks played and what he heard as the game unfolded, he thought they did well. Physical play and quality tackling helped force numerous punts and stops as KU took control of the game.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
Injuries are piling up for the West Virginia Mountaineers early in the season, particularly in the running back room. To everyone’s surprise, Tye Edwards was unable to play this past weekend against Kansas, and despite being a game-time decision for that game, his status for this week’s matchup versus Utah remains in question.
“Hopeful might be too much,” Rodriguez responded when asked about Edwards’ status. “I’m more… he’s probably still doubtful right now with his hip pointer. He’s trying to. It’s not where he’s wanting to sit out. He’s a kid that really wants to play.”
Rodriguez also noted that Cyncir Bowers is in the concussion protocol and is also questionable for Saturday’s game.
So, what in the heck do the Mountaineers manufacture a rushing attack against a Utah defense that allows just over 110 yards on the ground per game? It’s a great question, especially given the Mountaineers’ offensive line struggles.
As far as available backs, WVU will have Clay Ash, Diore Hubbard, Tyler Jacklich, and Andre Devine. Those four have combined to rush for 127 yards on 38 carries, averaging 3.3 yards per tote. Ferris State transfer Kannon Katzer is still working his way back from injury, but his status as of this morning is unknown. If it is just those four aforementioned backs, WVU may have to get creative with Rodney Gallagher III and maybe go as far as starting Jaylen Henderson at quarterback to make Utah respect the threat of him pulling it and keeping it.
On today’s episode of Between The Eers, I discuss this huge problem the Mountaineers may have in the run game.
If you haven’t yet, please go over to our YouTube page, West Virginia On SI (@SI_WVU), and subscribe. You’ll get a notification the second a new episode of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru GameDay Show, or Mountaineer Postgame drops.
Recent Between The Eers episodes:
WVU’s Painfully Bad Offense Needs to Make Some Changes
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West Virginia sent Pitt home with an overtime loss and will have bragging rights in the Backyard Brawl for the next four years. Following the game, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi met with reporters, discussing several different topics such as quarterback play, the lack of a run game, officiating, WVU’s offense, and more.
The one thing that stood out most, though, was his take on the officiating.
“Whew. You guys watched the game, I don’t know. There was some stuff out there, but we’ll look at the videotape. Not happy with that at all. 14 penalties, a little lopsided there. Eli got punched, got his helmet ripped off, punched in the face; no call there. We had somebody get spit in the face, too, but things didn’t go our way.”
To be honest, I truly don’t understand how Narduzzi can be upset with the officiating. Many of those 14 penalties were clear and preventable penalties, whether it was a false start, a hold, defensive pass interference, or offside. There were only maybe two that were 50/50.
But let’s not forget how Pitt caught a break at the end of the first half. Nicco Marchiol ran the ball up the middle for a first down, slid, and was hit late. The flag was dropped, but the officials said that because there was no time left on the clock, the half was over. I’ll need a better description from a rules analyst to explain this one because I don’t understand how the half can just end on that. I assumed there would either be one untimed down or Pitt would have to be penalized on the kickoff to start the second half. Neither happened.
What about the MarShon Oxley sack in the third quarter that was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct when all he did was stand up and walk away? That not only bailed Pitt out, but they would score a touchdown on that drive just a few plays later.
How about the first half when linebacker Ashton Woods was ejected for targeting on what appeared (by every angle shown) to be a clean shot?
There were also multiple times where Pitt defenders arrived way too early on a pass and should have been flagged for defensive pass interference. Instead, the flag remained tucked into the official’s waist pocket.
The penalties West Virginia had were way more costly and timely than those Pitt was guilty of.
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