West Virginia Highlands
- Craig Tidball
- Oct 21, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 24, 2023
Our Nature lies in movement; complete calm is death. -Pascal, Pensées
After a summer of cabin life in Northern Michigan, we were anxious to get back on the road in our Leisure Travel Van. After previous good experiences in West Virginia, our fall pursuit of colors led us back to the mountains of West Virginia, with a concentration in the northern part of the state. A review of a National Geographic Guide of State Parks pointed our interests to Blackwater Falls State Park.
We were excited enough to hit the road that we added a couple
extra days on the front end of our itinerary just to get in motion. The earlier start also afforded us an opportunity to visit an Indiana state park new to us, Ouabache State Park near Bluffton, Indiana.We were impressed by this park, which lies just an hour and a half from home. Their bison herd is a healthy, long-standing collection of animals that traces its lineage back to the old west. A ranger hosted our questions at feeding time in the park. The camping area was well maintained and featured nice-sized lots with a playground and open areas for play. While we didn't use the showers, they appeared to be well cared for, and the grounds were well maintained.
Our lot (#107) was uniquely situated to have foliage on two sides, which added to its privacy and quietness. There were a good number of well behaved kids who were enjoying the smooth asphalt roadways in the campground for rollerblading and cycling. A couple of girls across from us must have recently joined the flag team at their school. They were whirling flags the entire time we were there. We plan to return here again for its convenience and amenities near the town of Bluffton.
We continued our journey east at a leisurely pace and caught US 33 to
Columbus then went on for an overnight at Lakeview RV Park, located southeast of Lancaster, Ohio. This private park features a nice lake with a swimming area and is apparently frequently used by scuba diving clubs. Much of the park consists of permanent campers with their unsightly oversized propane tanks, oddly shaped decks, and yard ornaments. These are concentrated closer to the office and check-in. However, the higher lot numbers seem to afford more transient campers a more traditional camping experience. Our lot, #67, across from the lake, was level and featured full hookups and a fire ring. We had a pleasant view of the lake and the coming early fall colors as we cooked turkey strips on our outdoor grill.
Our midmorning exit was easy as we were near the gate and quickly back on US 33 heading toward West Virginia. Not too far down the road are exits for Hocking Hills State Park (one of our favorites) and Burr Oak State Park, which we hope to explore in the future. We considered a stop there rather than Lakeview, but got mixed signals from a number of reviews and just wanted a quick in and out. A number of state parks (including Ouabache, IN ) require a two nightdeposit, and that didn't fit our plans for this trip.
We turned east at Athens, Ohio and made our way through Parkersburg on a pleasant US
Highway 50. Our GPS-guided route to Blackwater Falls State Park took us through some scenic areas, but we were eventually directed to a nearly one-lane road as we started our mountain climb. It was a nice road and pretty country, but just a word of caution: preview your route and make sure it's appropriate for your vehicle.
Blackwater Falls State Park is rated as one of the top parks in the state. We felt that the assessment was on track. The park is well maintained, with beautiful parkways, well-designated observation points, and attractive activity centers. Fall colors were showing throughout the park.
Our site was #45 in the smaller loop, which had about half tent campers and half RVs. We liked our spot in the back corner, not far from the water and dump stations. We didn't see many level spots, but we discovered that lifting our rear wheels off the pad brought us to level. The lots were a pleasant size. The registration booth, located between the two loops, offered firewood and other camping supplies.
At this time of year, the crowd was down, so we had the added benefit of empty sites on either side of us that added to the sense of space we enjoyed. The restrooms and bathhouse were a short walk away. While we didn't use the facility, it appeared to be in good shape and well maintained. We were surprised one afternoon to return to our site to find another camper setting up their rig. The registration desk had mislabeled their camp map and sent them to our site in error. I felt bad for the couple that had most of their site completed. They were disappointed but quickly tore down their site and moved closer to the registration booth. The closer you got to the registration booth, the more crowded the sites appeared. The camp design has a number of semi-circle drives in the area closer to the registration area. This places the big RVs right next to the road and creates a gauntlet to pass through on your way out to the camp area. The drives also chew up a good portion of the lots. I plan to avoid the semi-circle sites on any return trip.
Here is a collection of pictures from around Blackwater Falls State Park. The main lodge houses the Smokehouse, where we enjoyed a good meal and took in the views over the gorge.
The nearby towns of Davis and Thomas and the Canaan Valley offer additional dining, opportunities, fuel, supplies, and boutique shopping. We found people pleasant and helpful. On one occasion, as we searched for a pharmacy among the hills and hollers, we stopped a pickup truck to ask directions. The woman thought about it and then said, "Follow Me." She then drove us about three miles out of her way to show us the pharmacy's location, which would have been difficult to describe by directions. We hope to return to the State Parks of West Virginia as we travel along the Pooka Trail.
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