State Parks
Protecting and celebrating West Virginia's "wild and wonderful" parks
West Virginia's state parks are beloved by tourists and locals alike. Over 7 million people visit West Virginia's state parks every year, and that number is growing. Visitors use parks for hiking, biking, camping, boating, fishing, wildlife viewing and more. Scattered across the state, parks showcase a wide variety of ecosystem types, scenic views, and outdoor recreation options.
Parks are also great for West Virginia's economy. In 2015, the economic significance of state parks was between $213.4 million and $248.7 million. Every $1 of general revenue invested parks generates $13.15 in economic activity.
Many of our parks have a backlog of maintenance issues, and need additional investment to continue to be an asset to locals and visitors alike. Friends of Blackwater is working to raise awareness of this issue, and we will be bringing you opportunities to advocate for the park system. In the meantime, learn a little more about our parks with the blog posts below.
Latest News
FOB Signs on to Wildlife Recovery and Public Lands Letter to Biden
Friends of Blackwater has signed onto a letter to President-Elect Biden as his team begins to address the COVID-19 public health crisis and develop an economic recovery plan, requesting the creation of long-term conservation and restoration jobs. The US can overcome this economic downturn while protecting and restoring our unique natural resources, including biodiversity, and […]
New Signs at Davis City Park
Friends of Blackwater have a brand new set of signs currently standing in Davis City Park near the pavilion, uses historic photos and maps to show the evolution of the sawmill complex that sat between the Blackwater River and the Town. The original plan was for Emmie, Cheyenne, and I to dig up all the […]
Great American Outdoors Act Becomes Law!
On August 4th, the President signed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law. The GAOA is groundbreaking legislation that will improve trails, campgrounds, and other recreation in public lands across the United States. Now that it has become law, the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund will be created and the Land […]
Big News! Major Grant for Trail Development
We are excited to announce that Friends of Blackwater has been selected by the Office of Surface Mining to create a Blackwater Loop hiking and biking trail that will safely and scenically connect the Towns of Thomas and Davis in Tucker County. The eight-mile trail will feature an incredible suspension bridge over the North Fork […]
State Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund
Friends of Blackwater is excited to support a bill that would permanently fund State Parks! Public lands are such a valuable part of West Virginia- they generate nearly $250 in annual economic significance, protect thousands and thousands of acres of unique and beautiful habitat, provide top notch recreational activities, preserve cultural history, and so much […]
State Park Spotlight: Prickett’s Fort
Located in Marion County along the Monongahela River, the 188 acre Prickett’s Fort State Park is a fun jaunt into living history. Founded in 1975, the State Park is built upon the location of a late 18th Century settler’s fort of the same name. Visitors can visit Prickett’s Fort and learn about settler and colonial […]
State Park Spotlight: Pipestem Resort
Located along the Bluestone River about 12 miles northeast of Princeton, WV, Pipestem Resort State Park (commonly just called Pipestem State Park) is a testament to government planning and outdoor recreation. Founded in 1963, the park is on over 4,000 acreas and offers recreational opportunities for almost anyone. It is named after the meadowsweet plant, […]
State Park Spotlight: Pinnacle Rock
Pinnacle Rock State Park is located in Mercer County at the very southern tip of West Virginia. The park was established in 1938 when 26 acres of land were bought for the public interest by the Conservation Commission. Additional land has been purchased and added to the state park over the past decades with the […]
State Park Spotlight: North Bend
North Bend State Park is a lovely 2,492 acre park located in Richie County, WV, east of Parkersburg. The park was founded in 1951 and has a strong history of community involvement with many local groups actively raising funds and doing much of the work to create and designate it as state park. Groups such […]
State Park Photo Contest Winners
We are so excited to announce the winners of our 2019 state parks photo contest. After receiving over 50 submissions, our judges had a very hard -and enjoyable- time reviewing the photos. The contest had three categories: “People in Parks,” “Scenery,” and “Wildlife.” We’d like to thank everyone who submitted their work. Winners have received […]
State Parks by the Numbers
We love state parks here in West Virginia. They’re beautiful, they’re fun, and almost all native West Virginians have fond childhood memories in them with friends and family. And while most of us only think of state parks as a source of fun recreation and a way to escape busy city and town life; state […]