West Virginia and the New River Gorge National Park

West Virginia is a very beautiful state, although there might be just as many tobacco fields as corn fields now, it is green and hilly once again. West Virginia is one of the United States top coal produces, second only to Wyoming. This was evident by the many ‘I heart Coal’ bummer stickers that I saw.

In the 1870’s over sixty mining towns developed on the New River Gorge. Much of this coal helped full the United States for over half a century during the industrial revolution. Now they are almost all abandoned ghost towns, remnants of the past fading into the foliage.

band of coal in NRG

The Allegheny Mountains that the New River Gorge is located in are deceptively larger than they seem. This is the case for the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains as well. I was impressed with hidden cliffs and rough landscape beneath the green canopy of trees.

The New River Gorge is not really appropriately named. It should be called the oldest river ever. It winding path is evidence of its millions of years cutting through the Appalachians, one of, if not the oldest mountain range in the continental US.

Some of the cliffs that we hiked around were easily over one hundred feet tall and yet they were completely hidden. The maze of magnolia trees wove their roots over our path and hung their vibrant leafs only just above our heads. Various vines climbed the rock, white oak, and Virginia pine trees. The visual beauty along with inescapable song of the cicadas’ made our hour hike along the rim of the New River Gorge a wonderful stop.