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.
Losing to Kansas State wiped away all hope for West Virginia to make the NCAA Tournament. That seems to be the clear consensus in the Mountain State, but is there actually still a chance? Well, I guess so.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi still has West Virginia listed as a team to consider, the second team outside of the “next four out” grouping.
Lunardi’s current NCAA Tournament bubble
Last Four Byes: Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, Ohio State
Last Four In: SMU, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Indiana
First Four Out: VCU, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati
Next Four Out: San Diego State, USC, California, Seton Hall
Next: Stanford, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona State
How is this even possible?
Short answer? I don’t really know.
My best guess as to why? Two things: the respect for the Big 12 and the opportunities left on the table, and two, an incredibly weak bubble.
Should West Virginia beat UCF on Friday, it will give the Mountaineers a 9-9 record in Big 12 play. That’s not as much of a guarantee to make the dance as having a winning record, but still, it’s an impressive mark, especially when, in this instance, they would have wins over Kansas, BYU, and sweeps over Cincinnati and UCF.
If you ask me, they still have too many bad losses for it to matter. I mean, even if they got red-hot out of nowhere and made it to the Big 12 championship game next week, is that enough? Potentially, but that’s a big IF.
The one thing WVU does have on its side is the number of Quad 1 wins, which they have five of. Virtually every other team in college basketball that has a minimum of five Quad 1 victories is expected to make the tournament. In that previously mentioned scenario, they would add at least one more Quad 1 win in the conference tournament, giving the committee something to think about.
The bubble is just incredibly weak, though. Like, how in the world is Auburn, who is 16-14 currently, the second team out of the field? Cincinnati, which WVU swept and has the same record as, is the fourth team in the “first four out” grouping.
At this point, the only path I see is for the Mountaineers to cut down the nets in Kansas City — good luck with that. We could be having a very different conversation if they didn’t lallygag their way through the first 30 minutes of the games against Utah and Kansas State.
Buckle up, Upshur County. Starting Friday, March 6, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will step up seatbelt enforcement as part of a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign running through March 23.
The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) announced the high-visibility mobilization as a warm-up to the national seatbelt campaign in May. The goal is to ensure every occupant — front seat or back, driver or passenger — is buckled on every trip.
“During this mobilization, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will be out in full force. They will be strictly ticketing drivers who are unbuckled or who are transporting children not properly restrained in car seats,” said Jack McNeely, Director of the GHSP.
The numbers behind the campaign are sobering. In 2023, 40% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in West Virginia crashes were unrestrained. The state’s seatbelt usage rate has also slipped — from 91.9% in 2024 to 91.6% in 2025.
Rural drivers face elevated risk despite a common assumption that country roads are safer. In 2023, 65% of the state’s traffic fatalities occurred in rural areas, compared to 35% in urban centers.
Under West Virginia law, wearing a seatbelt is required. A citation carries a $25 fine, though McNeely says the real point isn’t the penalty.
“Click It or Ticket isn’t about the citations; it’s about saving lives,” he said. “A ticket is a wake-up call. It is far less expensive than the alternative — paying with your life or the lives of your family and friends.”
For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit highwaysafety.wv.gov or call 304-926-2509.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WCHS) — A West Virginia man accused of threatening to attack President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers was federally indicted this week.
Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg was indicted on two counts of threats to murder the president, one count of influencing and retaliating against federal officials by threat of murder and one count of influencing a federal official by threat of murder, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.
Smith is accused of making a series of public posts on Instagram encouraging and threatening the murder of Trump, those who support him, Israelis and “all government officials,” the news release said.
The indictment also alleges that Smith sent a direct message via Instagram to Donald J. Trump, Jr., stating he would kill his father by cutting his “jugular.”
In a phone call with the ICE tip line, Smith also threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg and employees staffing the tip line.
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Smith faces up to 5 years for each of the presidential threat charges and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts.
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