Today I have a severe "case of the Mondays." I'm the only one at work, there's not much on my agenda, and I'm freezing. However, I had a wonderful weekend in the hills of West Virginia and I'm not ready to switch into work mode just yet. So for all of us who have a case of the Mondays, I'm starting a new series called Mountain State Monday to help us ease into the work week. Each Monday morning, expect a snippet of West Virginia, rather it be a quirky attraction, natural wonder, or something entirely random that is somehow related to the Mountain State.
This morning, I bring to you Honeycomb Rocks. These unique rock formations are easily accessible along the Highland Scenic Highway (Route 150) in Pocahontas County.
Neat, right? Although they appear man-made at first glance, the "honeycomb" shape developed naturally due to minerals, eroded sandstone, and harsh elements. Through weathering effects, the sandstone went through multiple wetting/drying periods ultimately eroding the soft sandstone, leaving the harder sandstone behind to create the formations.
If you'd like to see the rocks in person, they are accessible along Route 150 via a short 1/4 mile interpretive trail leads to the impressive formations. The rock pictured above is the most complete example of they honeycomb shape along the trail.
Until next time,
Sara (WV Travel Queen)
Happy fall, everyone! Fall is my favorite season and I especially enjoy traveling West Virginia and experiencing the vibrant autumn colors the entire month of October. It amazes me how the difference in elevations in the state make it possible to truly digest the rich reds and glowing golds, whether you're in Canaan Valley at the end of September or you're walking along the boulevard in Charleston on Halloween. Fall seems never-ending in the Mountain State and it's just one of the many reasons I love this time of year. To celebrate my love of all things fall, during the month of October I will be featuring my personal favorite fall getaway locations as well as the best spooky attractions in West Virginia. I'd also like to feature some of YOUR favorite fall locations in October, so let me know where you love to visit! Comment below or send me an email at [email protected] and I might just feature you in my next blog post! :)
So, here's the question.... what is your favorite fall location in West Virginia?
Do you love visiting West Virginia's state parks? With nearly 40 designated parks, forests, rail trails, and wildlife management areas, chances are there's a state park or forest within an hour of your home. Not only do they offer a slew of activities for free or a nominal fee, the state parks system has also implemented reward programs for your time spent at West Virginia's parks. Among these are the Hiking Program, Adopt-A-Trail, and my personal favorite -- VIPP.
VIPP stands for "Very Important Parks Person" and the basis is simple: you must visit 20 state parks, document your visit, and when you are finished you receive a nice jacket with the VIPP logo. Of the 20 state parks, 15 are required and you may choose the other five from the remaining parks. When you contact the WV State Parks office to sign up, you are mailed a participant card so you can keep track of your visits. Once at a park, find the VIPP birdhouse at park headquarters (or sometimes inside a lodge if the park has one), stamp your card, and date it. When it's filled up, mail it back to claim your jacket!
 The VIPP cards you use to record your visits. The left shows the 15 required parks, while the right image shows the five electives you can choose from.
The other half and I began the VIPP program in March 2012 and hoped to finish it in six months, which will be this October. Sadly, we still need five parks that are scattered throughout the state and I don't think our six-month goal is going to be achieved. We have enjoyed traveling the state thus far though, and look forward to an update when we complete the program! For now though, here are some highlights of our VIPP excursions:
 The VIPP birdhouse outside park headquarters at Kanawha State Forest. This was the very first stamp we claimed!  Jon (the "other half") stamping our first park - Kanawha State Forest!  Our stamped cards!  Being a VIPP is much more than driving to park headquarters and stamping a card; it's also about exploring everything the park has to offer... like this suspension bridge at Babcock State Park. After all the times we had been to the park, we never saw this bridge until we went exploring after we got the VIPP stamp!  Me opening the VIPP birdhouse at Babcock State Park. Inside is a stamp and ink pad that you use to stamp your card. You also need to write the date you visited.  In the beginning, we attempted to take a picture at each park sign but that fell by the wayside early on. Here is me modeling the Babcock State Park sign, though!  When you sign up for the program, you also get a window decal!
Growing up in southern West Virginia, I am not unfamiliar with coal towns and how a coal mine has the ability to define a community. When you're a product of this environment, it's not easy to imagine what life would be like if a town's primary source of income faded. However that's exactly what happened to the New River towns of Thurmond and Nuttallburg. What were once bustling coal communities are now a living museum of life beyond coal.
This past spring, the other half and I visited Thurmond and Nuttallburg and were in awe of the remnants of history that remained. Below is a photo sampling of our trip although we hope to revisit soon on prettier days; it was raining on both of our trips which cut our exploration time short.
Thurmond
Although trains still rumble through this coal town, the population has dwindled to five and it is now owned by the National Park Service and is part of the New River Gorge National River. The restored depot is open to tourists during the warmer months and is easily accessible from Glen Jean, just outside of Beckley.
 Thurmond Depot and bridge  Abandoned houses like this one populate Thurmond  Many of the storefronts have displays in them courtesy of the National Park Service  Amtrak and coal trains still rumble through Thurmond daily Nuttalburg
Deserted for nearly 50 years, Nuttallburg was recently restored by the National Park Service and stands with Thurmond as part of the New River Gorge National River. A tipple and conveyor belt are preserved in pristine condition while crumbling memories of houses, coke ovens, and company stores scatter the land. The road to Nuttallburg is narrow but is accessible off of Route 60 at Lookout.
 Newly restored tipple at Nuttallburg  The conveyor belt rose nearly 800 feet up the mountain. A steep switchback trail leads up to the mine entrance.  Crumbling coke ovens may be viewed along paths radiating from the tipple  Interpretation signs are visibly posted throughout both Nuttallburg and Thurmond.
Welcome to West Virginia Travel Queen and, ultimately, my first blog post as owner of WVTQ! I suppose the normal thing to do with an inaugural blog post is to introduce myself so that's where I'll start :) My name is Sara and I am in my mid-twenties and currently work for a nonprofit organization in West Virginia's capital city of Charleston. Although I am young, I have had the pleasure of becoming well acquainted with my home state through extensive travels as a child with my family, as a teenager with my friends, and finally, as a young adult with my own journey. If you consider personal interest as experience, then it's safe to say I have nearly 25 years of experience within the West Virginia travel industry. However, I have also been fortunate enough to have worked for the State of West Virginia as a pioneer for the state's first official geocaching organization, ExploreWV GeoChallenge (if you're scratching your head wondering what geocaching is, don't feel bad; just click here or here to relieve that confusion). My year and a half internship and part-time position with ExploreWV allowed me to visit new parts of West Virginia that were largely untouched during my endeavors (i.e., the Northern Panhandle). Of course, traveling to new regions of the state led to other trips and, ultimately, I can say that I have been to nearly all 55 counties in West Virginia. And, if for some reason I haven't had the pleasure of exploring a county, then you'd never know it because "research" is my middle name. Besides my passion for West Virginia, I am a planner by nature and extremely enjoy helping others plan their vacations, regardless if they are vacationing in the Mountain State. My level of organization and planning for a trip has had the tendency to be overbearing to those with whom I've traveled, but I'm the type of person who would rather be prepared with a back-up plan and knowledge of an area than have no clue at all. Scoping out an area for hidden gems, researching accommodations and restaurants for the best quality within my budget, and developing sample itineraries are things that I absolutely love doing -- and when the opportunity arises to help others with their planning, I can't turn it down. So, if you're planning a trip to West Virginia or if you are a Mountain State resident looking to experience another side to your state, consider sending me an email and seeing what I can do for you. As a self-proclaimed Travel Queen, I am confident I can help make your West Virginia vacation one of the best you've ever had. Until next time,Sara (West Virginia Travel Queen)
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