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If you’re looking for
a way to experience the wintry wilds of West Virginia that will allow you time to
enjoy the scenery, consider cross-country skiing, a more cardiovascular-intensive,
but less mountainous alternative to downhill skiing.
Cross-Country Skiing
While the primarily downhill
skiing resorts of Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain, and Timberline all have fantastic cross-country trails
filled with beautiful sights, West Virginia has three organizations whose main focus
is wild, wonderful cross-country skiing. At White Grass, Elk River, and Blackwater Outdoor Adventures, guests can enjoy
an average of over 150 inches of snowfall annually as well as many miles of well-groomed
trails. White Grass maintains an astounding 50 kilometers (31 miles) of trails
and half of them are machine groomed making it easy to tell where the trail is.
Visitors can also access the Monongahela National Forest from White Grass and at
the same time get a real workout as they follow trails that vary in total elevation
by 1200 feet. Right beside Snowshoe Mountain , the Elk River Touring Center
’s trails go through some of the highest terrain in the state and boast 40
kilometers (24.8 miles) of maintained trail, with 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of it
groomed. Guests here may even cross over the Highland Scenic Highway, which
is left unplowed during the winter months. Then of course there’s the
Blackwater Outdoor Adventures group that allows guests to traverse the breathtaking
35 kilometers (~22 miles) of trails (25 kilometers (15.5 miles) groomed) in Blackwater Falls State Park and who knows, you may even
get to see one of the very few times that West Virginia’s largest waterfall
totally freezes over. If the kids aren’t quite up for cross-country
skiing, the park also has a ¼-mile slope with a towrope set aside just for
sleigh riders.
By Ski or By Shoe...
If you’re wanting to give cross-country skiing
a try but are worried that you don’t have any skis and don’t want to
embarrass yourself on the trails, don’t worry, all three of these wintry escapes
rent out equipment and also offer lessons for beginners. For a really unique
experience, rent a pair of snowshoes – also available at all three – and
go trekking through the wilderness without worrying about sinking into the fluffy
blanket of snow. So as the first snowflakes of winter begin, head to the hills
of West Virginia for some of the most dazzling and serene cross-country skiing you’ll
ever experience.
View the Winter
Getaways Travel Planner, with additional information on ski resorts, packages,
accommodations, and dining to help you plan your next trip.
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