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| Blackwater Falls |
Fall in the USA is beautiful. This year we visited West Virginia and camped at Huntington /Fox Fire KOA. With rolling hills, beautiful valleys, numerous waterfalls, and bridges, WV was marvelous, especially in the fall.
Day 1: First day we drove to North-East WV from Huntington. Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the many state parks in WV. Even though the drive was 3 hrs long, it was one of the best drives in the midwest in the fall. Nestled between the mountains, the Blackwater Falls is best seen during peak fall colors. There are multiple observatory decks to view the falls. The main observatory deck is a short hike from the parking lot and the hike is not too difficult. For good views of the falls, we took a short drive to Blackwater Falls viewpoint. Another notable place for beautiful views of the mountains and gorge is the Pendleton Overlook. Lindy Point Observation deck is another beautiful spot for panoramic views of the Blackwater River and the gorge.
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| Blackwater Falls Lookout |
Day 2: Second day, we drove from Huntington KOA to South-East WV. US Route 60 runs parallel to Kanawha river from Charleston to Hico and there are several scenic spots in between. Kanawha Falls and Cathedral Falls are beautiful after heavy rain. Hawk's Nest Overlook is a good place for a small picnic. This place is almost heaven-like with its colorful mountains and floating clouds. Babcock State Park is 15 minutes drive from Hico. The infamous Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park is next to the beautiful waterfall is a photographer's dream come true.
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| Hawk's Nest Overlook |
WV is famous for Whitewater rafting and bridges. There are numerous bridges throughout the state and the New River Gorge Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in WV. This 3030 ft bridge is best viewed from Fayette Station Bridge. Rafting below the bridge in the New River Gorge would be an amazing experience. Another way to see the bridge would be to take a guided tour of the catwalk 25' beneath the bridge. Even though the participants are securely tethered, walking a 24" wide catwalk at 850 feet above the New River would be a great adventure. Due to COVID, we skipped both river rafting and bridge walk.
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| New River Gorge Bridge |
Day 3: On the third day, we decided to explore the nearby towns. By now, we realized that exploring nearby towns to be extremely rewarding. Blenko Glass Company in Milton, WV is famous for its glass blowing tours. The factory tour is closed due to COVID. But, the visitor center is still open and has a good collection of hand-blown glass for purchase. Kenova's Pumpkin House in Kenova, WV is famous for its carved pumpkin display during the Halloween season. Every year, around 3000 pumpkins are displayed in this family home. Unfortunately, it was canceled in 2020.
We decided to visit Harris Riverfront Park in Huntington, WV. On the way to the park, we saw Steel of West Virginia and suddenly realized that this was the University on which the 2006 movie 'We are Marshalls' was based. After visiting the park, we took a quick visit to Marshall University Memorial Fountain. A fabulous find in Huntington was Kustom Kreams. A rolled ice cream shop with a fabulous selection of flavors. It was fun to watch the staff make rolled ice cream.
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| Memorial Fountain - Marshall University |
Overall, West Virginia is an awesome fall destination.
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