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Every year anticipation builds as fall approaches. Autumns can be glorious in West Virginia as leaves turn from green to gold. And every year we wonder what kind of a year will it be for color. Although much is known about why leaves change color, every year is different. So it�s difficult to predict how vivid the colors will be and what the timing will be. But here are some rules of thumb for where to best appreciate the first colors of autumn in West Virginia. Highland Scenic Highway - 2012 Highland Scenic Highway Leaves first start changing color at high elevation, so it�s best to start in the highlands. Although it varies yearly, fall foliage colors generally peak at high elevations in the last week of September to the first week in October. The Highland Scenic Highway (SR 150) is generally radiant with fall colors at that time of year. The Highway runs along the spine of the Allegheny Highlands in Pocahontas County, reaching more than 4,500 feet in elevation on Black Mountain. I l...

Where to you go hiking in Canaan Valley if you only have half a day? That was the question facing Phyllis and me last Thursday (Aug. 18, 2016). The answer was easy: the Blackwater River Trail of Canaan Valley State Park. As I wrote in an earlier post (Aug. 4 th ), in my opinion this is the most scenic trail in Canaan Valley. Instead of parking at the trailhead, we drove beyond it on a gravel road leading out of the golf course parking lot. The gravel road took us to a filtration plant and the location of our first photo op (GPS: Lat. 39.038629, Long. -79.456564). Here the Blackwater makes a lazy meander through the valley. Some teasel grows along the bank of the river making some lovely foreground for a landscape photo. Blackwater Teasel Blackwater Teasel Next, we hiked west to join the trail. After hiking on the trail about 30 yards, we took a side trail down to the river�s edge. Here the Blackwater makes a sweeping �S� turn just about where a lone tree stands in stark contrast to fla...

Almost everyone knows about Blackwater Falls. But did you know there are at least a dozen other waterfalls at Blackwater Falls State Park? Tributaries to the Blackwater River such as Pendleton Run, Shay Run, and Falls Run tumble down the steep slopes of the Blackwater Canyon creating waterfall after waterfall. To be sure, they don�t match the 63 foot drop of the river wide Blackwater Falls. And they don�t have boardwalks built to them either. Nonetheless, they are charming and picturesque in their own right and are well worth a trek off the beaten path. Elakala Falls One of those waterfalls is Elakala Falls, which is probably the second most visited waterfall in the Park. To see Elakala Falls start at the Blackwater Lodge. The trailhead to the falls is at the western end of the Lodge parking lot (GPS: Lat. 39.107630, Long. -79.497965). The trail to the falls isn�t more than 500 feet and leads to a bridge that spans Shay Run right at the falls. From the bridge, you get a great overhead ...

Besides a haven for wildlife, Canaan Valley is one of the most pristine and picturesque spots in all of West Virginia. Everywhere beauty abounds, and so much of it is accessible to the public. Between Canaan Valley Resort State Park and Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge more than half of the valley is public land (22,500 acres).   Blackwater River Trail Where do you begin to explore such a vast area? After hiking and photographing this Valley for a decade, my favorite trail is the Blackwater River Trail. The Blackwater River Trail makes an easy 3/4 mile loop through mixed northern hardwood stands and follows the Blackwater River as it begins its meandering journey through Canaan Valley. Picturesque views of the river, wildflowers lining its banks, and adjacent meadows delight the eye and have inspired some award-winning photography. On this self-guided nature trail are unusual limestone outcrops resembling tombstones and the largest Bigfoot aspen in the park. Blackwater River ...