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The world has its seven wonders. So why not West Virginia? After all the State is called �Wild, Wonderful West Virginia,� and rightly so. West Virginia, The Mountain State, abounds in scenic wonders. Nestled among more urban and populated eastern states, West Virginia is an island of mountains, forests, rivers, and plateaus. Indeed, choosing just seven natural wonders to highlight proved daunting. But subjective as it is, from north to south here is my list:  1. Dolly Sods 2. Canaan Valley 3. Seneca Rocks 4. The Cranberry Glades  5. The Falls of Hills Creek 6. The New River Gorge  7. Sandstone Falls Dolly Sods Credentials of the Seven To make the list, the seven wonders had to fit certain criteria. For instance, they all had to be well-known landmarks, if not nationally, certainly state-wide. They had to be �on the map,� that is, located and identified on a West Virginia State Highway Map. Furthermore, I felt the north, central and southern regions of West Virginia all ha...

Just a short note to report that as of 10-6-2016 fall foliage colors were really starting to pop on Camp 70 Road out of Davis. It�s definitely a good road to drive to soak in some fall scenery.   At Bridge at end of Camp 70 Rd Camp 70 road winds for five miles alongside the Blackwater River from the grocery store in Davis until it stops at the northern end of Canaan Valley. There are several trailheads for the Little Canaan Wildlife Management Area (LCWMA) along the road, and at the end of the road trails lead into the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. In addition numerous riverside campsites are strung along the road. Many provide access to the Blackwater River.  Camp 70 Road Two new bridges have been built across the Blackwater River for access to the Splash Dam South Trail which runs along the south bank of the river. The bridge near the end of Camp 70 road also connects with these trails in the CVNWR: #15 Canaan Mountain Trail, #16 Hellbender�s Tail Trail, #17 S...

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...

What�s a waterfall lover to do when the weather is so dry? Head to Sandstone Falls in Summers County. That�s what Phyllis and I did last Friday. Although low, there was still plenty of splash and spray from the falls at Sandstone. In an earlier Post , I wrote about how to get the most out of a visit to Sandstone Falls. I took my own advice and went to the island of rock in the middle of the river that directly faces the falls.  Sandstone Falls The island is not a part of the boardwalk and trail system that the National Park Service (NPS) has made, but it�s easily hiked to with a little scrambling. Just take the path to the right just before the final overlook. You can�t miss the turn off. There�s a gap in the boardwalk and a sign reminding fishermen to wear floatation gear when in or near the water. Most people don�t take this scramble, which is a shame because it offers the most spectacular view of Sandstone Falls.  Sandstone Falls What is it like to be on the island, and wha...

Also important in the quality of a leaf color season is another chemical in leaves called auxin. Auxin controls a special band of cells at the base of each leaf stem, called the abscission (cutting away) layer. During the growing season, auxin prevents this layer from fully developing and blocking the tiny, internal tubes that connect each leaf to the rest of the tree's circulatory system.  Babcock State Park In fall, however, cooler and shorter days trigger an end to auxin production, allowing the abscission layer to grow and cut off the circulation of water, nutrients and sugar to the leaves. When this happens, chlorophyll disintegrates rapidly, letting carotenoids shine through as yellow and the anthocyanins as red. The color season ends when the abscission layer finally cuts the stem completely, and the leaf falls off.  Babcock State Park Tree Types and Color Certain colors are characteristic of particular species. Oaks turn red, brown, or russet. In fact, in the absence o...

Why some leaves turn red or orange is not simple to explain. The red pigments in leaves are made by anthocyanins, which give color to such familiar fruits as cranberries, red apples, concord grapes, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, and plums. Red maples, sugar maples, white ash, pin oak, sassafras, and other trees owe their brilliant hues of red to anthocyanin.  Highland Scenic Highway For years red pigments were thought to be leftover pigments, too, just as the yellow pigments. But current research has shown otherwise. As observed by seasoned fall color watchers, no two autumns are identical. Each fall, leaves differ in color and intensity. For instance, why does a maple go yellow one year and red the next? Red is the wild card color. It is not left over after the green is gone. Federal and state forest service researchers have discovered that the red pigments are produced under certain conditions by leaves during the approach and beginning of autumn. But, the how and the why ...

Why do autumn leaves change color? What controls the change, and why are the colors so different from year to year? Though I am far from an expert, the following is what I have been able to learn about the subject.  Highland Scenic Highway Three Prime Factors The reason autumn leaves change color is far from simple. Some factors are well known, but scientists admittedly do not have all the details. The three prime factors controlling the color change are: 1) Leaf pigments, 2) Amount of light, and 3) Weather conditions. The color palette of leaves consists of three main pigments: chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin.  Babcock State Park Chlorophyll is the green pigment, so to speak, and is essential for plant growth. Chlorophyll is an exceptional substance that converts sunlight into food for plants in a process called photosynthesis. Using energy from sunlight, chlorophyll combines water and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and sugars. The oxygen mingles with the air we b...

The Endless Wall Trail was voted the #1 National Park Trail by readers of USA Today ( Endless Wall Trail ). And for good reasons. Many stunning vistas of the New River Gorge line the trail. In this post I will highlight the best overlooks and other points of interest in a 2.6 mile loop trail of the Endless Wall. Endless Wall from Diamond Point Start at the Fern Creek Parking Area (GPS: Lat. 38.06298, Long. -81.05682) on the Lansing-Edmond Road (County Road 82) just 1.3 miles from its intersection with U.S. 19. The Endless Wall Trail begins by meandering on a flat, well graveled path through a lovely hemlock forest. After a half-mile, it crosses Fern Creek and begins a gradual ascent through a rhododendron thicket. As the trail tops the hill, the Fern Buttress Overlook takes off to the right at the 2/3 mile mark. The vistas are somewhat obscured by trees, but the viewpoint still gives you a sense of the depth of the gorge. On the right (north) side of Fern Buttress, paths zigzag to the ...

Last Wednesday (Sept. 7, 2016) in Canaan Valley, Phyllis and I were awed by acres of Goldenrod gracing the slopes of the South Glade Run Crossing trail. We ambled through waist-high fields that glowed in both sun and shadow. And you know what? We didn�t sneeze, sniffle, or scratch our itchy eyes�not one time. We reveled in fields of gold without a hitch. That�s because Goldenrod is not to blame for allergy flare-ups. Ragweed is the real culprit. It�s estimated that 90% of pollen-induced allergies is due to ragweed.  South Glade Run Crossing Trail So why does Goldenrod get the blame? Probably because Ragweed and Goldenrod bloom at the same time of year�late summer and early fall. Since Goldenrod is by far the showier of the two plants, people notice Goldenrod and fault it for the allergies. Ragweed, on the other hand, is a small plant with a short stem of green or white blossoms. It�s not nearly as conspicuous. People see the bushy stems of Goldenrod covered with flowers and think p...