->Overview: The 9 Regions of WEST VIRGINIA
Mountain Lakes, West Virginia
Greeting visitors to West Virginia’s heartland are seemingly endless panoramas of sparkling water, fresh air and lush, green mountains. Yes, you’ll come for the lakes, fresh air and mountains, but you’ll also enjoy the history here.
Civil War history, that is, at Stonewall Jackson’s boyhood home, Bulltown and Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park.
You’ll find no flashy monuments or shopping malls in the Mountain Lakes, and hardly any neon. Easily accessible, the region’s rolling hills, peaceful countryside and deep, clear waters offer adventure for lovers of all kinds of outdoor activities.
It’s as central as it comes in our odd-shaped and crooked-bordered state. The Mountain Lakes Region offers a diversity of activities and is a great meeting spot.
It takes its name from the large lakes along the I-79 region, but great fishing, boating and camping aren’t the only attractions in this part of the state.
History buffs love Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park (www.carnifexferrybattlefieldstatepark.com), which today provides a calming glimpse of a place that was fiercely contested during the Civil War.
There’s also one of the best views of the raging Gauley River there.
Renowned Stonewall Resort (www.stonewallresort.com) along Stonewall Jackson Lake offers luxurious accommodations, world-class golf and fine dining, while guests to quaint Cedar Creek State Park enjoy swimming, fishing and hiking and a look back in time at its one-room schoolhouse.
Visit Stonewall Jackson’s ancestral home at Jackson’s Mill or watch a re-enacted 1863 robbery at Weston’s Gold Dollar Days.
In early spring, try the pungent but tasty ramps at the Feast of the Ramson.
When summer rolls around, the world-famous Webster County Woodchopping Festival on Memorial Day weekend brings the best lumberjacks and national television to tiny Webster Springs.
Whether you’re spending a few days in the region or just a few hours, bargains are sure to be found at the Flatwoods Factory Stores, right off I-79.
If the season is right and weather permitting, you can catch a live show at the brand-new Mountain Lakes Amphitheater.
