Potomac Highlands

The Allegheny Mountains fill most of the southern and central portion of the Potomac Highlands Region culminating at the state's highest point, Spruce Knob, at 4,861 feet. This region is a four-season vacation land. Outdoor activities rate highly here with great downhill and cross-country skiing and snow boarding in the winter months and then as the seasons come to warmth and sunshine, there are water activities for all--fishing, swimming, boating and whitewater rafting. There are nature trails, hiking and biking trails, mountain climbing, rock climbing and scenic auto routes. There are parks and camping, picnicking, and sports activities. There are arts and crafts, antiqueing, shopping. There are historic places, museums, and local art and local culture. There is beauty in the mountains and countryside and in the fall, unsurpassed foliage bursting upon the scene with spectacular color. And last but not least, there are the friendly people of this rugged land. Things to See and Do Attractions Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in Cass - Scenic mountain excursions, pulled by an authentic antique Shay steam engine, including 1.5 hour trip to Whittaker Station and 22-mile, 4.5 hour trip to the top of Bald Knob, second highest point in W Va. Seneca Caverns in Riverton - West Virginia's largest cavern. Guided tours. Family restaurant. Open year round. Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad in Romney - Provides a three-hour scenic train excursion May-October. Dinning comfort on board. Smoke Hole Caverns in Petersburg - Got its name from folklore that American Indians smoked meat inside and that settlers made "moonshine" there. Underground streams and a lake. Unusual formations including one of the world's longest ribbon stalactites. A 19th-century still is displayed. Guided tours. Picnic facilities and a wildlife museum are on the grounds. Covered Bridges Locust Creek covered bridge located near Hillsboro, WV (Pocahontas County). This bridge was built in the 1870's and spans Locust Creek. Take Secondary Route 31 south approximately 6.3 miles out of Hillsboro. Historic Sites Historic Beverly Antique Mall in Beverly - Exhibits antiques in a building that in 1861-1865 served as a Union hospital. Civil War graffiti preserved on the walls of the structure. Town of Helvetia is on the National Register of Historic Places. There are a number of preserved historic buildings from the time of settlement in 1869. Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park in Droop - A 287-acre state park and the site of the last serious Confederate battle fought within West Virginia. Museum Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Museum in Hillsboro - Housed in the 1892 home where the Nobel Prize-winning author was born. Period furnishings and and some original artifacts and memorabilia. Guided tours. Lost River Craft Co-op & Museum in Lost River - Features fine heritage and contemporary arts and crafts in a historic barn. Top Kick's Military Museum in Petersburg - Showcases restored military equipment and vehicles. Guided tours relating nation's history. Parks & Trails Blackwater Falls State Park in Davis - The Blackwater Falls are 65-feet high and the gorge is more than 525-feet deep. Observation point on the rim and stairways take one down to the foot of the falls. Hiking, picnicking, bicycling, swimming, paddleboating and cross-country skiing. Food. Beartown State Park in Hillsboro - A craggy, rugged , remote hilltop whose crevices and rock walls were created by ages of wind and rain. Kumbrabow State Forest in Huttonville - A rugged 9,474-acre reserve. Hiking, camping, picnicking, hunting and fishing (license required), bathhouse and rustic cabins.

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