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NatureNational & State Parks

The One Place In West Virginia That Looks Like Something From Middle Earth

Beartown State Park in West Virginia offers whimsical scenery and a fantasy-like experience with its unique rock formations and wooden walkways.

Updated Jun 6, 2024

Written by 

Rachel Whetstone

West Virginia's Beartown State Park is one of those rare and beautiful places that spark the imagination and invoke a sense of wonder to explore more. The second we saw this place we knew it was quite possibly one of the best state parks in West Virginia. Beartown State Park has a whimsical name and even more unusual scenery. This place looks like it could be the Elven forest of Lothlórien from J. R. R. Tolkien's imagination. So let us step into the fantasy world of this incredible West Virginia state park.

Beartown State Park is located on the eastern summit of Droop Mountain, near Hillsboro, WV.

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TripAdvisor/144blaked

A wooden walkway takes visitors through the forest.

A wooden walkway through a lush, green canyon with moss-covered rock walls and dappled sunlight filtering through trees.
Devon Nuckles/ AllTrails

Being on some of the high platforms makes you feel like you're in a treehouse.

A wooden walkway leads through a forest with rocky cliffs and trees, surrounded by damp, earthy ground.
Melinda Beindorf/ AllTrails

You'll climb through openings in rock walls.

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TripAdvisor/144blaked

Many of the rocks have strange weathering patterns, making each rock like a work of art.

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Flickr/Sonja

The park was named for the many crevices and caves in the rocks, which people imagined would make great homes for bears.

A moss-covered rock formation with a large opening, surrounded by trees in a forested area.
Kay Hull/ Alltrails

You could imagine magical creatures hiding in the rocks, too.

A person peeks out from a small opening in a moss-covered rock formation in a lush forest.
amanda jones/ AllTrails

Look! There's one now!

This small 107-acre park is free to visitors, and open daily.

A wooden path winds through a lush forest, flanked by towering rock formations and dense greenery.
Tommy Mastracci/ AllTrails

During the winter, the roadways inside the park are closed off, but visitors are welcome to park at the entrance and walk to the boardwalk.

West Virginia's Beartown State Park is located seven miles southwest of Hillsboro, WV, on U.S. Route 219. If you want to feel like you have stepped into the world of The Lord Of The Rings, then make sure you download the Beartown Boardwalk trail on your AllTrails Plus app to keep track of your hike. We love the look and the feel of this state park, so make sure you add it to your bucket list next time you want an incredible adventure.

If you enjoy the whimsical side of fantasy, there are even more fairy tale spots in West Virginia to explore. Make sure you check them out.

Not too far from this state park is a creepy, yet fascinating ghost town you should check out in this video from OnlyInYourState:

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