They were the first to flock to the New in southern West Virginia, now known as the New River Gorge National River, and the Cheat, northeastern West Virginia's raucous little stream that bucks up spring excitement. Today, the state's sophisticated whitewater industry serves up both wild and mild whitewater on five of the state's rivers, nine months of the year. Scuba divers take the plunge in lakes around the Mountain State. Mountain bikers have claimed the wilds of West Virginia as their eastern headquarters. The terrain is as challenging as you'll find anywhere and many communities throughout the state welcome riders with special events and facilities developed just for them.
Hikers flock to the trails and the forests that carpet the state.
From the marked trails of state parks to the historic paths of the rail trails at North Bend and the Greenbrier River, to the thousands of acres of natural lands waiting to be explored, West Virginia is a hiker's heaven. If you fancy scaling the heights, the state's innumerable sheer rock faces await you. Rock climbers from around the country are making their way to West Virginia to the New River Gorge, the Coopers Rock region of the north and throughout the Potomac Highlands, especially at Seneca Rocks. If you're a novice, climbing schools can show you the ropes. When winter comes to the high spine of the Allegheny Mountains where West Virginia's ski resorts and touring centers perch, skiers enjoy long winters, deep snows, plenty of trails and lifts, respectable vertical drops up to 1,500 feet and a wide variety of contemporary and cozy facilities.