Not every cool thing that West Virginia has to offer is evident to the entire world. How many of the following amazing, off-the-beaten-path things in West Virginia did you know about?
- West Virginia’s underground waterfalls
Dave Miller/Flickr West Virginia has a lot of cool sites, and some of them are underground, like this waterfall. This one is in Sharpe’s Cave in Pocahontas County.
- Mummies!
7 Bewertungen/Tripadvisor Did you know that the Barbour County Historical Museum in Philippi has two mummies on display in its bathroom? Yep, it does. These were two cadavers from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum that a scientist decided to make into mummies in 1888.
- The Sistersville Ferry
Malepheasant/Flickr You might not have known that Sistersville is home to the oldest ferry in West Virginia. It’s been operating since 1817.
- Wheeling’s castle
Joanne C Sullivan/Flickr Legand has it that the owner of this abandoned castle in Wheeling left it when his love interest suddenly died. Its proper name is the Mount Wood Overlook, but it’s also known to locals simply as “the castle.”
- The Greenbrier’s bunker
Paul K./Tripadvisor If you don’t live in Greenbrier County, you might not have heard about the biggest open secret in the state: a congressional bomb shelter that was built in West Virginia’s luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs.
- Beckley’s Exhibition Coal Mine
Mariefromgeorgia/Tripadvisor You’d be forgiven if you didn’t know about this museum of sorts that celebrates coal mines and life in a coal mining town from long ago. Much of it is underground, after all.
- Memorial Tunnel
Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers collection Did you know about this 2-lane tunnel that used to carry traffic under Paint Creek Mountain in Kanawha County? It’s been closed to traffic since 1987 and now it serves as a place for military first responders to train out of public view.
- Blue Hole
Blue Hole, West Virginia/Facebook This swimming hole, located 15 miles southeast of Morgantown, is a favorite in the North Central part of the state, but you might not know about it if you aren’t from around here.
- Kaymoore Trail in the New River Gorge
laserbub/Flickr The Kaymoor Trail is the longest hiking trail in the New River Gorge and offers neat views of former mining sites, including the Kaymoor Mine. The trail is 8.6 miles long and includes more than 800 stair steps to additional parts of the mine.
- The High Falls on the Cheat River
Donnie Nunley/Flickr I mentioned West Virginia’s underground waterfalls, but there are a lot of really beautiful ones above ground, too. This spot on the Cheat River in the Monongahela National Forest is just one of many.
- DiCarlo’s Pizza
DiCarolo’s Pizza/Facebook If you haven’t already, run, don’t walk, to this Wheeling restaurant for great pizza.
- Pinnacle Rock State Park
Brian M. Powell West Virginia has a lot of cool rock formations, so you might be forgiven if you’ve never been to this one in Mercer County. Pinnacle Rock is a 3,100-feet sandstone structure in the park.
Know any more West Virginia secrets? Let us know in the comments.
Dave Miller/Flickr
West Virginia has a lot of cool sites, and some of them are underground, like this waterfall. This one is in Sharpe’s Cave in Pocahontas County.
7 Bewertungen/Tripadvisor
Did you know that the Barbour County Historical Museum in Philippi has two mummies on display in its bathroom? Yep, it does. These were two cadavers from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum that a scientist decided to make into mummies in 1888.
Malepheasant/Flickr
You might not have known that Sistersville is home to the oldest ferry in West Virginia. It’s been operating since 1817.
Joanne C Sullivan/Flickr
Legand has it that the owner of this abandoned castle in Wheeling left it when his love interest suddenly died. Its proper name is the Mount Wood Overlook, but it’s also known to locals simply as “the castle.”
Paul K./Tripadvisor
If you don’t live in Greenbrier County, you might not have heard about the biggest open secret in the state: a congressional bomb shelter that was built in West Virginia’s luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs.
Mariefromgeorgia/Tripadvisor
You’d be forgiven if you didn’t know about this museum of sorts that celebrates coal mines and life in a coal mining town from long ago. Much of it is underground, after all.
Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers collection
Did you know about this 2-lane tunnel that used to carry traffic under Paint Creek Mountain in Kanawha County? It’s been closed to traffic since 1987 and now it serves as a place for military first responders to train out of public view.
Blue Hole, West Virginia/Facebook
This swimming hole, located 15 miles southeast of Morgantown, is a favorite in the North Central part of the state, but you might not know about it if you aren’t from around here.
laserbub/Flickr
The Kaymoor Trail is the longest hiking trail in the New River Gorge and offers neat views of former mining sites, including the Kaymoor Mine. The trail is 8.6 miles long and includes more than 800 stair steps to additional parts of the mine.
Donnie Nunley/Flickr
I mentioned West Virginia’s underground waterfalls, but there are a lot of really beautiful ones above ground, too. This spot on the Cheat River in the Monongahela National Forest is just one of many.
DiCarolo’s Pizza/Facebook
If you haven’t already, run, don’t walk, to this Wheeling restaurant for great pizza.
Brian M. Powell
West Virginia has a lot of cool rock formations, so you might be forgiven if you’ve never been to this one in Mercer County. Pinnacle Rock is a 3,100-feet sandstone structure in the park.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
