West Virginia
West Virginia’s Underrated State Park Is A Serene Getaway With Picturesque Trails And A Unique Hemlock Forest – Islands
It isn’t every day you get to walk beneath trees so old they stood long before the U.S. became a country. However, northeastern West Virginia’s little-known Cathedral State Park hides a hemlock forest with trees over 500 years old and seven beginner-friendly to moderately challenging trails.
Located just off Route 50, about 55 miles from Clarksburg’s walkable downtown, you’d be forgiven for confusing the park with a rest stop. But, if you venture a little ways from the main road, you’ll encounter West Virginia’s largest old-growth forest, the untouched remnants of what was once a massive hemlock forest across the Appalachian Highlands. This mature hemlock stand is a Registered Natural Landmark due to the tree’s cultural and environmental value, including providing a habitat to over 170 plant species.
At only 133 acres, the tiny plot was donated to the state by the caretaker of the former Brookside Resort in order to preserve the forest for generations to come. It offers places to picnic or stretch your legs while driving through the farmlands and mountains of Preston County. There’s also a kids’ playground with swings next to shaded picnic pavilions, but the trails are the highlight. “With its trees, creeks, and trails, you are in for a peaceful leisure adventure,” shared a visitor on Google. “Aside from the numerous manmade foot bridges, the rest of the park is left to its natural state.”
Discover the trails at Cathedral State Park
Featuring a maximum length of just over a mile, the seven trails at Cathedral State Park are short, allowing visitors to hike all of them in one outing. Although the park lies in the Allegheny Mountains, the maximum elevation change on the trails is only a couple of hundred feet at most. None of the trails are loops, but they crisscross each, which lets visitors explore without backtracking.
For the chance to walk beneath the park’s tallest trees on a path that visitors consider the best in the park, choose the 0.2-mile Giant Hemlock Trail. You’ll spot hemlocks measuring up to 90 feet tall and so big you won’t be able to circle the trunk even with multiple people. At 1.1 miles, the Cathedral Trail is the longest in the park and has several bridges that cross Rhine Creek. Here you can find rhododendrons, ferns, and other shade-loving plants growing in abundance. It’s rated the most difficult in the park due to the path’s rocky terrain, but it’s not steep. You might hear some traffic noise along the section of the trail that runs parallel to the highway, but visitors say it’s worth it to see the woods and large hemlocks by the water.
Hikers generally consider the trails well-marked (look out for the blazes) and relaxing, but report exposed roots and rocks that could trip you up. Besides hemlocks and their plant communities (including colorful mushrooms), keep an eye out for wildlife, including deer and squirrels.
Things to know before visiting Cathedral State Park
Cathedral State Park is open year-round, but the bathrooms close during the winter starting in October. The best time to hit the trails is in the spring and summer when the canopies and moss carpets turn lush and green. Even though temperatures can reach up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer, the canopy cover offers a respite from the heat. On the other hand, those visiting in winter get to experience the hemlocks covered in snow and ice.
The trails are well-marked, but visitors say they can be confusing. Consider downloading the Cathedral State Park Trails Map ahead of your visit (it’s one of the most important things park rangers wish you’d do before exploring a park). Some of the trails require hikers to cross the highway, so you need to be mindful of traffic and look out for children.
In addition to hikers, dogs are allowed on the trails as long as they remain leashed. During the snowy months, cross-country skiers are also permitted on the hiking trails. Unfortunately for campers, the park is a day-use only site. However, Blackwater Falls State Park is only 18 miles away and offers 65 tent and RV sites (electricity hookups provided) near West Virginia’s most photographed waterfall.
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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