West Virginia has a phenomenal state parks system. Do you know which one of the nearly three dozen state parks in the Mountain State is the largest state park in West Virginia? It's Watoga State Park, and this beautiful gem of a recreation area is well worth taking several days to explore!
Hidden away in the wilds of Pocahontas County, West Virginia, Watoga State Park clocks in at more than 10,000 acres of wild, wonderful, mountainous terrain.
As such, Watoga is West Virginia's largest state park, and it's filled with adventures just waiting to be had.
Watoga State Park offers opportunities for hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating. There are playgrounds, game courts, and geocaching. There's an observation tower and a museum.
The park can accommodate overnight stays in cabins that range from primitive to luxurious. There are also two large campgrounds. That's good, because you'll definitely want to stay late for a peek at the stars, since Watoga is also one of West Virginia's best dark sky parks.
(This is especially fitting considering that the word "Watoga" is related to the Cherokee word for "starry waters.")
Back to the hiking: there are more than a dozen trails to choose from. If you're up for it, take the steep but rewarding mile-long Arrowhead Trail to the Anne Bailey Lookout Tower for a gorgeous mountain view.
Back to those cabins: there are thirty four of them. Most are wood-framed log cabins with varying amenities, but two are of more modern construction and ADA accessible.
Have you ever taken the time to escape to Watoga State Park outside of Marlinton, the largest West Virginia state park? It's remote. It's wild. It's quiet. It doesn't have good internet access... making it the perfect place to get away for a few days! And once you've exhausted the options at Watoga (which is hard to do, thanks to its size!), don't miss the fact that someone famous was born right near here, in Hillsboro.
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