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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...

What�s the best National Park day hike in America? It�s right here at home in West Virginia. In 2015, USA Today readers voted the �Endless Wall Trail� of the New River Gorge National River as the #1 National Park day hike. A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. The trail beat out prestigious contenders from other National Parks across the U.S such as Cadillac Mountain - Acadia National Park, Kilauea Iki Trail - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hoh River Trail - Olympic National Park, Ramsey Cascades - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, The Narrows - Zion National Park, Bright Angel Trail - Grand Canyon National Park, Angels Landing - Zion National Park, Upper Geyser Basin - Yellowstone National Park, and Highline Trail - Glacier National Park. Wow, what a list!  View from Diamond Point Those of us in West Virginia know how beautiful our state is, but it�s quite an honor to be recognized by readers across the Unite...

The most beautiful mountain in the New River Gorge is appropriately named Beauty Mountain. I realize that of all the lovely mountains that grace our fair state picking one above the others is quite impossible. But to me Beauty Mountain is the fairest of them all. When folks from out of state visit me and are looking for the best scenery that the New River has to offer, I take them to Beauty Mountain first.  Beauty Mountain Looking Toward Diamond Point Why? It showcases the New River Gorge like no other place. Beauty Mountain isn�t really a mountain in the sense that it rises as a peak above the surrounding hills. Instead, Beauty Mountain is an unbroken stretch of sandstone cliffs running along the rim of the New River Gorge from Short Creek near Edmond, WV, to Keeney Creek. Nevertheless, the cliffs of Beauty Mountain tower more than 1000 feet above the New River. These lofty cliffs offer the best and most numerous overlooks of the New River Gorge of any place I�ve seen. What�s more...