
The New River runs through Appalachia’s own little version of the Grand Canyon, near the small and happening town of Fayetteville. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve This is also an excellent cross-country ski destination, but take care: this remote region can often plunge well below zero degrees in the winter.Ģ. Find shelter in scattered lean-to’s along the Cranberry River. This massive complex of wilderness and backcountry contains more than 50,000 acres of roadless terrain- the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi.īeyond the developed boardwalk, through the bogs (which contain quite a few carnivorous plants!), the best activities are remote hiking, backpacking and fishing. The Cranberry Glades in Pocahontas County are the granddaddy of them all.


In Appalachia, “glades” are big, open bogs and meadows that provide biodiversity and clean water for the rivers and creeks. Some are in vast national parks, and others on small parcels of private land, but they are all spectacular and special in their own way. The hills and hollows of West Virginia hide an amazing number of natural wonders, from craggy peaks to subterranean caves. 7 natural wonders in the National Parks and beyond
