Updated June 3, 2026 09:14AM
West Virginia
Top Bike Adventures in West Virginia’s Mountain Playground
Explore the peaks and valleys of the Allegheny Range on two wheels
(Photo: Pocahontas County)
Some places are just made for biking. Start with just-right rolling terrain, add diverse riding surfaces from singletrack to country roads, and top it all off with epic scenery. That’s Pocahontas County, West Virginia, home to the rolling Allegheny Mountains and shady trails of the Monongahela National Forest and rightfully known as Nature’s Mountain Playground. It’s a place with accessible outdoor adventure for all ages and vibrant mountain towns that ground the experience in welcoming rural communities. And when you explore from the seat of a bike, you’ll go at the perfect pace for taking it all in, with long-distance rail trails, scenic highways, and world-class mountain biking terrain to guide your way.
Ride the Rails
A day of cycling along Pocahontas County’s river trails is one of the most immersive ways to experience the quiet splendor of the Alleghenies. Get a taste along the iconic Greenbrier River Trail, which meanders alongside its namesake waterway for 78 miles through lush forests and thriving wildlife habitats. Go the full distance or take it in sections. With a grade of less than 1% throughout, the trail is accessible to most riders—gravel and mountain bikes or e-bikes are recommended—while unique features like its 37 bridge crossings and two 400-plus-foot tunnels make it more than just a simple river ride. The same can be said of the 22-mile West Fork Trail, a remote route that offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and fishing side quests. E-bikes are not permitted on this trail since it’s within the Monongahela National Forest.
Pocahontas County Trails
Sample the Singletrack
Beginner, expert, or somewhere in between? No matter where you are on the mountain biking spectrum, Pocahontas County has trails for you. Novice riders can experience a truly unique outing at the Green Bank Observatory, home to the world’s largest steerable radio telescope, along with 15-plus miles of beginner and intermediate trails. If you’re looking to progress your skills, head to the Mower Basin Trail System, a haven of beginner and intermediate riding where shady singletrack opens to rolling meadows and panoramic views along 12-plus miles of stacked loop trails. Mower Basin is also a conservation success story—once cleared for strip mining, the area is now a budding home for both red spruce trees and outdoor recreation.
Mower Basin Trails
Meanwhile, the downhill mecca of Snowshoe Mountain Resort plays host to nearly 40 trails and 1,500 vertical feet of lift-serviced riding, offering everything from easy freeride trails to technical descents and park-focused features. Known as one of the East’s best mountain bike parks, Snowshoe also offers access to its own backcountry trail system.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort Trails
Country Roads
When it comes to road riding, the jewel of Pocahontas County is the Highland Scenic Highway. This 43-mile National Scenic Byway is the kind of road that cyclists dream of. This low-traffic route climbs from 2,325 feet to more than 4,500, delivering challenging terrain and expansive views of some of the most remote reaches of the Allegheny Range along the way.
And while all cycling is great in Nature’s Mountain Playground, gravel riders are especially spoiled. That’s because the Mon Forest Towns Partnership has put together an extensive collection of gravel routes throughout the Monongahela National Forest, with 60-plus rides ranging from casual day adventures to serious multiday bikepacking trips. An overnight or all-day ride in Pocahontas County is an ideal way to experience one of the country’s most rugged and remote landscapes, fittingly curated by those who call it home.
Pocahontas County Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCCVB), located in West Virginia, promotes Nature’s Mountain Playground, where unspoiled landscapes, rich heritage, and year-round outdoor recreation create meaningful visitor experiences. Through strategic marketing and partnerships, PCCVB supports sustainable tourism that strengthens local communities while preserving the region’s natural beauty and cultural legacy.
West Virginia
The Moving Wall returns to West Virginia with stop in St. Albans this week – WV MetroNews
ST. ALBANS, W.Va – Kanawha Valley residents and visitors from around the state get the chance to pay their respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War when The Moving Wall arrives in St. Albans this week.
The Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, DC, and it has been touring the United States for over 40 years to give Americans that may not be able to visit the memorial a chance to recognize those who lost their lives.
“The Moving Wall was put together in 1984 for the purpose of providing a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It’s about 250 feet long, about ten foot at the high point, and then slopesx down along both wings of the wall,” VFW Post 6418 Commander Jerry Mollohan said Tuesday on 580 Live with Dave Allen.
VFW Post 6418 is hosting The Moving Wall in St. Albans with public viewing beginning at noon on Thursday and continuing through Sunday. A ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, at the wall’s location at 1481 MacCorkle Avenue.
“It’s coming to us from a VFW post in North Carolina, and they’ll be in town tomorrow night, and they’ll bring the wall to the St. Albans Shopping Center,” Mollohan said.
West Virginia suffered the highest casualty rate per capita of any state during the Vietnam War and was among the states with the highest rate of volunteers for service. Mollohan said this is a chance for people with ties to those that served to reconnect with their history.
“There’s 388 West Virginians on the wall, and, of course, there’s over 58,000 total names on the wall. There’s just a lot of family and friends that are connected to those servicepeople that are on the wall,” he said.
Mollohan takes pride in VFW Post 6418 bringing The Moving Wall to West Virginia for the first time in recent memory. He wants residents to come out and learn more about the lives lost in service of the United States.
“The sacrifices that the country has made in all wars is high priority for our obligation to recognize the price of freedom,” he said.
VFW Post 6418 has more information about The Moving Wall at vfw6418.org.
A 6-year-old boy died in a motocross crash in West Virginia over the weekend, officials say.
The boy died during practice runs at Mason Motocross in Mason County on Sunday morning, CBS affiliate WOWK reported. The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. at the track in Point Pleasant.
Officials reportedly said a medical helicopter was called to the scene of the crash, but the child was not stable enough to be flown to the hospital, so instead he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The boy later died from his injuries at the hospital. He has not been identified as of Monday night.
The Mason Motocross races on Sunday were canceled after the crash, WOWK reported. They were scheduled to start at noon. According to a Facebook post from Mason Motocross, practice runs began around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
In a separate Facebook post on Monday, Mason Motocross asked for prayers for the boy’s family.
“Let’s lift them up in prayer during this unimaginable time,” the social media post said. “Our community. Our support. Our prayers.”
No other information about the crash was released on Monday.
West Virginia
Over 26,000 West Virginia students have applied for full Hope Scholarship funding – WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 26,000 West Virginia students submitted applications for full Hope Scholarship funding for the next school year.
State Treasurer Larry Pack and his office announced the latest application numbers in a release Monday. Pack’s office said 26,617 students applied during the first application period from March 2 to June 15. The estimated cost for Hope Scholarship funding, as it currently stands, is $155 million.
The first window for students to apply for 100-percent funding closed last Monday. The state treasurer’s office said the cost for this year will rise as students submit applications. Students can apply for 75 percent of the full funding amount until September 15.
The release said around $277 million was allocated by the West Virginia Legislature and Gov. Patrick Morrisey for Hope Scholarship funding during the 2026 Legislative Session.
“We are so excited to welcome thousands of new families into the Hope Scholarship Program. Seeing the Education Savings Account nearly double in participation is a true indicator of the impact and popularity of the program,” Pack said. “Now our team turns their attention to helping these students get the resources they need to tailor their education towards their unique needs. Our goal is for West Virginia will continue to lead the nation in education innovation as we continue to build the program.”
The state treasurer’s office said the 2026-27 full scholarship amount is $5,435.62 per student, with those funds distributed quarterly.
More students are eligible for Hope Scholarship funding this year with more flexibility offered for school choice. The state treasurer’s office said that private school and traditional homeschool students can apply to the Education Savings Account program for 2026-27 academic funding.
The state treasurer’s office broke down each applicant’s eligibility for funding based on when applications are submitted.
June 16 — September 15, 2026: 75% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
September 16 — November 30, 2026: 50% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
December 1, 2026 — February 28, 2027: 25% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
Students can apply online here.
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